In an effort to take better care of your wellbeing, you may consider adding a daily dose of healthy gut bacteria (aka probiotics) to your routine. These beneficial bacteria have a number of research-backed benefits, such as managing digestive health issues such as diarrhoea and constipation, and promoting gut health.

Probiotics also have other surprising perks, like potentially helping with skin problems such as acne, eczema, and hypersensitivity. And if you’re looking to build a healthier immune system, incorporating a probiotic may be beneficial: There is a strong connection between your gut health and immunity.

In order to maximize all these benefits, you may find yourself wondering: What’s the best time to take a probiotic? You’ve also heard that fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed better when you take them with food, but does the same hold true for probiotic bacteria?

When To Take Probiotics

Taking your probiotics when your stomach acid levels are lower can help ensure that more healthy bacteria survive and colonize the gut, where they can support your gut health and immune system.

So, when exactly is that? While day or night doesn’t really matter, David Perlmutter, M.D. advises taking probiotics on an empty stomach—your stomach churns out more acid to digest the food you eat, after all.

Research seems to support these recommendations as well, with one study finding that probiotics given 30 minutes before a meal or at the beginning of a meal were much more likely to survive than probiotics given 30 minutes after a meal, when digestion is in full swing.

Why The Timing and Quality of Your Probiotic Matters

Timing does matter, but it’s only one piece in the overall puzzle of making sure probiotics are able to do their job well.

“With probiotics, it’s all about survival,” Vincent Pedre, M.D., gut health specialist and medical director of Pedre Integrative Health, told MindBodyGreen. “These delicate microorganisms must survive several obstacles: the manufacturing process, shelf life, and (once you take them), the acid in your stomach environment to reach your intestines where they do their job.”

To help ensure probiotic bacteria survival, Pedre recommends taking a high-quality, high-potency probiotic supplement with 30 billion CFUs total of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains.

Also, consider reputable brands that use enteric-coated or bioshield capsules that are more likely to withstand harsh stomach acid and release their contents within the small intestine.

Plus, as mentioned, take your probiotic supplement at a time of day when your stomach acid levels are naturally lower.

Are There Any Side Effects of Taking Probiotics At The Wrong Time?

Probiotics are very well-tolerated in most people, and timing them right is more about ensuring the survivability of these healthy bacteria than about avoiding side effects.

So, whether you take a probiotic day or night, with or without food, you’re not likely to experience any major problems—at least not as a result of when you take them.

While anyone may experience some temporary gas and bloating when first taking a probiotic supplement, probiotics generally don’t cause significant side effects beyond that—and if they do, it’s more of an indicator that you’re not taking the right probiotic supplement with the appropriate strains of bacteria.

It may take some trial and error, but by looking for strains that are targeted to the issue you want to treat, you can find the probiotic that’s just right for you.

Bottom Line

To optimize the effects of your probiotic supplement, it’s best to take them on an empty stomach, when your stomach acid levels are naturally lower. Also consider the quality of your probiotic to further maximize benefits.

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