Ask Larry:

Your Question: Are there any contraindications to using a probiotic while taking Rapamune and Cellcept for renal transplant?

Larry’s Response: Probiotics remain IN the gut and are not absorbed into the body. There are no probiotics in the blood, ever. The drugs you mentioned work inside the body. That means there is no specific interaction between the drugs you use and the probiotic.

The advantage of a good probiotic rests in its ability to establish and maintain good bacteria balance in the gut. This is important for digestion and absorption of nutrients. Also, many researchers claim that 80% of our overall immune system resides in the gut, meaning that good/balanced gut bacteria aids in maintaining a healthy immune system – something everyone needs to be healthy.

On caveat, though, is that probiotics work best when taken on an empty stomach. They don’t do their best work in the acid environment in the stomach. Taking on an empty stomach helps move the good bacteria into the area best suited for it before stomach acid destroys the contents. Twenty minutes before eating or an hour after a meal is usually good.