When You Take an Antibiotic

Question? What is the best brand of yogurt to take after an antibiotic?

You will probably take an antibiotic this year; millions of people do. After all, millions have died from a strep infection in the past. Such a death today is rare. Antibiotics have saved lives and many people are alive today thanks to them. Unfortunately they are overused and the bacteria are developing resistance. This is why often the duration of taking the antibiotic is now doubled or even tripled!

But antibiotics have a subtle side effect. They kill the good bacteria as well as the bad ones. The more powerful the antibiotic, the longer you take it, the more good bacteria are gone. Turns out you do need the good bacteria. As a rule, over time, the good bacteria return. But why wait, why not replace them ASAP?

Why replace the good bacteria? Turns out they are important for your immune system, for your good digestion, and for your overall health. Worse, without the good bacteria, you get a secondary growth such as thrush in the mouth and fungus of the vagina. Then you have to go back to the doctor again for other medicine, and pay for parking again. Let’s avoid that.

Yogurt, probiotics, all contain the good guys. Probiotics are the good guys in a capsule form. Ideally these are kept refrigerated at the pharmacy. Which one is best for you? Honestly, I don’t know. Most of the claims made for one brand vs the other are done honestly, but the full blown scientific studies have yet to to be done. Happily, all seem to do a good job. What is important is that the yogurt be taken consistently, at least twice a day. There are probiotic capsules you can take without the milk protein, and there are cultures from soy and goat milk for those who prefer that.

One study states that the yogurt should be continued for three months after an antibiotic. This is probably correct, though I doubt that many adhere to it.

To answer the initial question: What is the best brand of yogurt/probiotic? I don’t know, but I think most are better than no yogurt at all.

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