Latest video: Prescribing probiotics and antibiotics

Key Takeaways

  • Australia's antibiotic use is high, and 5-35% of patients will develop antibiotic-associated diarrhoea1.
  • Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains restore microbial balance, strengthen intestinal barriers and support immune function, offering a safe and effective preventative for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.
  • Probiotics can confidently be prescribed alongside antibiotics to address damage to the microbiota.
  • Room-stable probiotics offer a convenient option, combining freeze-drying, microencapsulation and proprietary stabilization techniques to deliver a supplement which does not require refrigeration.
  • It is recommended that probiotics be dosed two hours apart from antibiotics, and that patients continue with probiotic therapy for one to two months after finishing their course of antibiotics.

  1. Goodman C, Keating G, Georgousopoulou EN, et al. Probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2021;11(8):e043054. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043054 Read: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e043054
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