When Is the Best Time to Take healthy Probiotics?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question because probiotic bacteria need different environments to survive. That said, it’s best to follow the instructions on the label of your specific product.

For example, spore-based probiotics may work better when taken with food to “hitchhike” down to the large intestine. They also perform better when they are not exposed to stomach acid.

Breakfast

If you are taking healthy probiotics in the form of a supplement, try to take it first thing in the morning. This ensures that the bacteria have something to “feed” on and are more likely to survive the acidic environment of your stomach. You can also add foods that are rich in probiotics to your breakfast to help them make it to your gut, such as yogurt (especially the cultured kind) and other fermented dairy products like kefir, pickles and sauerkraut, as well as non-dairy options like kimchi and miso.

A recent study showed that when people took a combination of probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus at the same time before or after breakfast, they had similar levels of gut microbiota compared to those who took the same probiotics at a different time.3 However, individual needs vary, and it is best to consult a doctor for advice on the right probiotic supplements and their optimal timing.

As for the evening, some experts recommend pairing a probiotic with dinner. This approach can benefit those with digestive conditions such as IBS, who may experience gassiness when taking probiotics on an empty stomach. In addition, the gastrointestinal tract slows down as we get ready to go to sleep, so taking probiotics at night can give them an extra chance to establish themselves in the digestive tract.

Lunch

A good rule of thumb is to take your probiotics with a meal. This will help them survive in your gut and reach the areas they need to be most effective, says Largeman-Roth. But the best time may vary based on the specific strain and other factors. Check the label and ask a doctor for advice, she suggests.

Probiotics are helpful for your digestive system, immunity, skin and more. They come in food form (like fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir) and supplement form.

For the most benefit, choose a probiotic that contains both probiotics and prebiotics. These are non-digestible fibers that feed your probiotic bacteria. You also want to make sure that the supplement is safe to eat and that it has been tested for safety.

One study compared the survivability of probiotics taken 30 minutes before breakfast or after lunch, and found that the probiotics survived better when they were eaten with a meal. But it’s important to remember that different types of meals have their own effects on the stomach’s acid levels, so your probiotics might not always be able to get where they need to be.

Including probiotics in your diet can be helpful, especially when you’re traveling or are experiencing a bout of stress. But if you’re taking a probiotic supplement, make sure to be consistent with when you take it—and stick with that schedule as much as possible.

Dinner

The evening is a great time to take probiotics because “the gut is pretty inactive at night. You’re not consuming food and your bowel movements aren’t moving, so these bacteria will have a better chance of hanging out and settling in,” says Patricia Raymond, MD, gastroenterology and internal medicine physician and clinical advisor for Gastro Girl.

However, it’s not as good of an idea to take a probiotic with a big meal because the acid that’s breaking down your food can also degrade the probiotic. And if it doesn’t survive your stomach, the good microbes won’t make it to the intestinal tract where they can thrive.

Ideally, you want to fill your diet with probiotic-rich foods. Try a variety of fermented vegetables like pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi; unsweetened dairy options such as yogurt and kefir; and kombucha, which is an ancient fermentation beverage that’s rich in probiotics and other gut-healthy components.

You should also be mindful of the prebiotics (non-digestible parts of plants that become fuel for probiotic bacteria) in your diet. These are found in things like apricots, artichokes, leeks, and legumes. And don’t forget to choose high-fiber whole foods, which are another great source of probiotics.

Before Bed

In an era where fear of bacteria has led us to drown ourselves in seas of hand sanitizer, it’s important to remember that not all bacteria are bad. In fact, there are many strains that are beneficial and can help improve digestion and boost your overall gut microbiome. Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be found in fermented foods, like yogurt or kombucha, or taken as a supplement. These “good guy” bacteria are known to help improve digestive conditions including constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and more.

While you can take probiotics at any time during the day, research has shown that taking them before bed is the best way to ensure they make it all the way to your colon. This is because the digestive tract becomes pretty inactive at night and it gives the probiotics more of a chance to hang out, divide, and become integrated into your gut microbiome.

Taking them before bed also means they will have less competition from other foods and other supplements that can interfere with their absorption. Plus, if you eat food right before taking your probiotics, it can offer them a buffer against stomach acid and support their efforts to establish themselves in the gut.

Conclusion

Another added bonus of taking probiotics at night is that some strains can have a calming effect on the body and may help improve sleep quality by enhancing the gut-brain axis, which is the powerful physical link between your gut and your brain.