Gut Health 101: How Probiotics Affect Medication Absorption

Your gut is like a busy train station. Everything you eat, drink, or swallow—including your medication—has to pass through here to get where it's going. If the station is a mess, the "trains" (your meds) won't arrive on time or in the right amount.

If you are on long-term medication, you need to understand how your microbiome is either helping or hurting your treatment.

The Microbiome and Your Meds

The trillions of bacteria in your gut do more than just digest food. They actually produce enzymes that break down medications. According to research on the gut microbiome, certain bacteria can make a drug more toxic, while others can make it completely useless.

If you've noticed that your medication "stopped working" or is causing more side effects, the health of your gut could be the culprit.

Should You Take Probiotics?

Adding a high-quality probiotic can help stabilize the environment. But timing is everything. If you take a probiotic at the exact same second as an antibiotic, for example, the antibiotic will just kill the "good" bacteria before they can do any work.

I always suggest spacing your supplements at least 2 to 3 hours away from your prescriptions. This gives your body a "clean window" to absorb the medicine without interference.

Feeding the Good Guys

Don't just rely on a pill. Eat fermented foods like kefir or sauerkraut, and get plenty of fiber (the food for your good bacteria). A healthy gut means your medication can work at its best, which often means you might need less of it over time.

High-quality probiotics and a clean diet aren't cheap. If your medication budget is eating up $500 a month, you probably aren't buying the good stuff for your gut. We help get those med costs down to $40 so you can invest in your whole health.

Fix your budget so you can fix your gut. See if you qualify.