Do you feel unwell after taking probiotics? In rare cases, taking probiotics can cause an initial worsening of symptoms. However, this is not a negative thing. During an initial worsening, existing symptoms may intensify for a short time or new symptoms may appear before the health condition improves. The cause of an initial worsening is often that the body's detoxification is stimulated, leading to the production of large amounts of metabolic breakdown products. This puts stress on the body and results in an initial worsening.
In the following article, you will learn more about the initial worsening and its symptoms, its connection to the skin, how long it might last, and how to prevent an initial worsening caused by probiotics.
Symptoms of an Initial Worsening from Probiotics
Symptoms that may occur during an initial worsening caused by probiotics include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
After a few days or weeks, these symptoms should subside and disappear. It is important to carefully observe the symptoms and consider whether there might be external factors contributing to the discomfort.
We recommend, for example, keeping a symptom diary and noting exactly which symptoms have newly appeared since starting probiotics. This way, you can track over a longer period how the symptoms behave, what triggers them, and whether they improve.
Initial Worsening in Relation to the Skin
The skin is often an area where an initial worsening from taking probiotics may become visible. You may have heard that the skin is a mirror of the gut. This is true here as well! If an initial worsening occurs, your skin may reflect this.
Duration of an Initial Worsening from Probiotics
The symptoms usually last no longer than a few days or weeks. After that, they should have subsided. The gut flora has been regulated by the probiotic strains, and the desired balance of different bacterial strains within the gut flora is now established.
If symptoms persist for more than two weeks, we recommend reducing the dose. If you tolerate the smaller dose well, you can gradually increase back to the recommended dosage. Simply open the capsule, add half to a glass of water, and drink it quickly.
If symptoms persist even after weeks and dose reduction, it is no longer an initial worsening but an intolerance to the product taken. We advise discontinuing the product.
Quality Differences in Probiotics
It is important to be aware that not all probiotics are the same. Each manufacturer offers their own formula with different bacterial strains. Each bacterial strain has its own individual properties and effects, and combining strains results in new properties. This means every probiotic product is different.
Dailybacs uses 11 bacterial strains with a total of 30 billion CFUs (colony-forming units). Additionally, our products are produced in the EU. A particular advantage is that we explicitly name all bacterial strains, not just the genus, ensuring complete transparency about what is contained in our products.
If you have questions or need more detailed advice, you can always contact our customer service at support@mybacs.com and discuss with our founder and doctor Dr. Adrian Weingart. We are always happy to help you.
