Probiotics are tiny living organisms that live in our bodies, especially in our digestive system. These organisms help us digest our food and keep our gut healthy. We can take probiotics as supplements or get them from certain foods. To be considered a probiotic, a product must contain live microorganisms that can improve our health when we take them in the right amounts. So, probiotics are good bacteria that can help us stay healthy!

Think of probiotics like a group of friendly construction workers in your gut. They help build and maintain a healthy gut environment, especially when you're taking antibiotics. Just like a good construction team, probiotics work together to get the job done and keep your gut running smoothly.

These friendly workers can prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in about 1 in 13 patients, which is pretty impressive. But just like how every construction team has its limits, probiotics might not be able to handle every challenge that comes their way.

If you're in the market for a probiotic product, look for those that contain L. rhamnosus GG (Culturelle, etc) or S. boulardii (Florastor, etc) as they're the strongest workers on the team…..but there are plenty of products out there!  Ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider which may be the best fit for you!

To get the most benefit, start taking probiotics within 2 to 3 days of starting an antibiotic and continue for about 3 days after the course. And just like how you wouldn't want your construction workers to get accidentally bulldozed, make sure to keep your antibiotics and probiotics at least 2 hours apart.