When you take a high-quality probiotic supplement, you may notice several positive changes in your body, ranging from improved digestion and more energy, to improved mood and clearer skin. Oftentimes, the first and most immediate change individuals notice is improved digestion.
The short answer: It takes most people 2 to 3 weeks to feel significant benefits when they start taking probiotics. That's because probiotics need time to accomplish their three key goals: increase your good bacteria count, decrease your bad bacteria count, and reduce inflammation.
When first using probiotics, some people experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Changes in the gut microbiota can result in bacteria producing more gas than usual, which can lead to bloating. However, these side effects usually clear up within a few days or weeks of taking the probiotics.
Some people experience an increase in gas, bloating, constipation or thirst when they start taking probiotics. These side effects should go away within a few weeks.
Probiotics increase immune fighting bacteria in your gut meaning you may get sick less if you use them.
Probiotics may quickly treat some minor issues. For example, a person with minor diarrhea may see symptoms go away in a few days. For overall digestive health, it can take a few weeks of regular use before a person notices the effects.
In addition, even though taking too many probiotics in one day doesn't pose an extreme risk like overdose, it can cause digestive discomfort and side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and gas.
Some probiotics have been shown to improve symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression ( 25 , 26 ). One small study of people with irritable bowel syndrome and mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression found that taking a probiotic called Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 for six weeks significantly improved symptoms ( 27 ).
Research shows the best time to take a probiotic is first thing in the morning before eating breakfast or before going to sleep at night. Probiotics are most effective when taken on an empty stomach.
By taking probiotics, it is increasing the number of good bacteria which can detoxify your system and help you absorb nutrients more efficiently. If you have been taking too many antibiotics, the probiotics can balance the negative effects of that as well.
Probiotics are used to improve digestion and restore normal flora. Probiotics have been used to treat bowel problems (such as diarrhea, irritable bowel), eczema, vaginal yeast infections, lactose intolerance, and urinary tract infections.
Building a healthy microbiome can take up to 6 months if the correct healthy habits are adopted (diet, exercise, sleep and stress management - and also supplements if needed) however it really is a lifelong journey because you need to continue these habits to maintain a healthy microbiome.
Bottom Line: For most conditions, take probiotics for at least 3-4 weeks to see if they work for you. Acute diarrhea and food intolerances are exceptions to these guidelines.
Some medications that may interact with certain probiotics include: antibiotics, antifungals (such as clotrimazole, ketoconazole, griseofulvin, nystatin).
“Don't take a probiotic supplement with hot food and drinks such as tea or coffee as this can lessen the chance of the bacteria getting to your gut unharmed. Give it 30 minutes after taking them before you reach for the teapot.”
The ideal time to take probiotics is right before bed because "the gut is pretty inactive at night. If you think about it, you don't usually wake up in the middle of the night to poop,” says Patricia Raymond, MD, a gastroenterology and internal medicine physician and clinical advisor for Gastro Girl.
Some studies have reported that probiotics were superior to placebo in relieving anxiety (9, 10). However, other studies suggested that there were no differences between the probiotics and placebo (11, 12). Probiotics can affect mood and host health by regulating the microbial-gut-brain axis (13).
Sleep quality also seems to benefit from probiotic supplementation. Takada et al. (13) reported an improvement in sleep quality in academic students during a period of increasing stress after 11 weeks of probiotics consumption.
Acidosis & Brain Fog
Elimination of the probiotics–along with the antibiotic therapies–led to a significant improvement of symptoms in 70% of study participants, and a complete resolution of brain fogginess in 85%.
Some may wonder about possible safety concerns associated with long-term use of a supplement. The good news is probiotics are not likely to cause harm over the long term. While there haven't been any long-term studies yet, numerous studies and reviews have found probiotics to be safe for adults, children, and infants.
When probiotics administration is suspended, the probiotic cells are rapidly released, resulting in dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and disruption of the intestinal metabolites and physical function.
While the signs your leaky gut is healing will depend on your initial symptoms, if you find your bowel movements have regulated, you no longer experience constant bouts of constipation and/or diarrhoea, your skin is healthy and glowing and you feel full of energy—it's a good sign your leaky gut is repairing.
Probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat
In particular, studies have found that certain strains of the Lactobacillus family can help you lose weight and belly fat. In one study, eating yogurt with Lactobacillus fermentum or Lactobacillus amylovorus reduced body fat by 3–4% over 6 weeks (29).