How Long Does It Take For Probiotics To Work?

So you’ve started taking probiotics and you’re keen to see results. In this article, we will look at how long does it take for probiotics to work.

Well, it can range from a couple of days to a couple of months, depending on why you’re taking them, what type you’re taking and how much you’re taking.

Let’s start looking at how long it will take for your probiotics to start working.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are the friendly bacteria and yeast that naturally live in our gut but can also be found in certain foods such as probiotic yogurt, kefir, and kimchi, and in supplement form. (Source)

Maintaining high levels of friendly probiotic bacteria in the gut has been linked not just to better digestive health, but to better overall health too.

This is why we’re encouraged to include probiotics in our diet. (Source)

Consuming probiotics is a great way to increase the number of these beneficial probiotic bacteria in our gut.

How Do Probiotics Work?

The gut microbiome refers to all the trillions of microorganisms in our digestive tract.

Within the microbiome, some bacteria are beneficial to our health (probiotics) and help keep our gut working properly – digesting food, absorbing nutrients, regulating inflammation – but other bacteria are also harmful to our health.

If it gets to a stage where there are more of these harmful bacteria in our gut than beneficial bacteria, we can experience digestive problems such as bloating and constipation as well as more serious issues like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

The gut microbiome also plays a role in other aspects of health. Those with lower levels of beneficial bacteria in their digestive system are more likely to suffer from diabetes, coeliac disease, arthritis, obesity and atopic eczema.

Maintaining a gut with a strong balance of beneficial bacteria contributes to overall health. (Source)

What Are The Benefits Of Taking Probiotics?

Consuming probiotic products can increase the number of these beneficial bacteria in the gut.

While probiotics are taken for many reasons, the main advantages of probiotic use relate to digestive health.

Research shows that probiotics may play a role in alleviating (Source)

• Traveller’s diarrhea
• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis

There is also research to suggests that probiotics can improve (Source)

• Overall gut bacteria
• Immune system health
• Bowel movements
• Vaginal health

These effects are seen to last for as long as a person takes probiotics and may subside in some cases if probiotic use is stopped.

How Long Do Probiotics Take To Work?

If you’re taking probiotics for a particular health concern, it can be helpful to have a realistic idea of how long it might take before you can expect to start seeing benefits.

You don’t want to give up on taking the probiotics before they’ve had a chance to work but you also don’t want to be taking a supplement that isn’t having any effect.

While there is a wealth of research investigating probiotics and their effects in relation to a wide range of health conditions, unfortunately, very few record daily symptom data.

This makes it very hard to determine exactly how quickly the probiotics take effect.

Despite the lack of definitive data, generally, a trial period of four weeks is recommended when starting to include a new probiotic product in your diet.

When looking at studies where researchers did look at the timeline of symptom improvement, it appears to vary depending on the symptoms in question.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

One study that investigated probiotic supplementation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) found that those who were supplemented with probiotics for four weeks experienced improvements in IBS-related symptoms compared with those who didn’t. (Source)

Another study noted that IBS patients will likely notice the most benefit when taking probiotics for eight weeks or more. (Source)

Diarrhea

Diarrhea seems to be the symptom that is alleviated most quickly following probiotic use.

A review of 63 studies on the topic found that some individuals experienced relief as soon as two days after probiotic treatment commenced, and the overall duration of diarrhea was also reduced. (Source)

Another study found that symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in patients with H. pylori infection improved within five days of probiotic treatment. (Source)

Related: Do Probiotics Make You Poop?

Constipation

Some research has found that treatment of constipation with probiotics led to improvements in constipation severity and stool consistency by the start of the second week of supplementation. (Source)

Researchers on a separate study found that significant improvements in constipation symptoms weren’t noted until the fourth week of probiotic supplementation, although slight improvements did occur initially. (Source)

Bloating

In studies that investigated the effect of probiotic supplementation helping bloating, one reported improvements in just 21 days. (Source)

Another recorded improvement in participants by week four with symptoms improving even further by week eight. (Source)

Why Is There So Much Variation In The Time It Takes For Probiotics To Work?

As you can tell from the studies discussed above, the amount of time it takes to notice the effects of probiotic use is very variable.

When it comes to comparing studies, it has to be taken into account that these studies were conducted in different demographics of patients, using different probiotic strains with different dosages, different techniques, and so forth.

So while they certainly can’t give us a conclusive answer to the amount of time it will take for a probiotic to take effect, they do give us an estimate.

Furthermore, probiotic efficacy varies from person to person. Everybody’s microbiome is unique and so probiotics will impact us all differently. It can take some time to find the probiotic product that is best suited to you.

Why Do Probiotics Take So Long To Work?

The time it takes to see the effect of a probiotic product depends on how long it takes for the probiotic bacteria in that product to rebalance your gut microbiome and reduce inflammation, both of which take time.

Reduction of inflammation in the gut is key to notice any significant improvement in symptoms.

Evidence also shows that probiotic strain, a health condition in question, product formula, dose, and the quality of the probiotic product all contribute to its effectiveness and in turn how quickly it will impart benefit. (Source)

Is My Probiotic Working?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic sign to let you know your probiotics are doing their job.

A general rule of thumb is that when the health concern or symptom that led you to probiotics in the first place improves or resolves, it’s a safe bet they’re working away.

Some other signs you can look out for that may indicate your probiotic is working:

Improved digestion

Probiotics contribute to balancing the bacteria in our gut.

When our gut bacteria is balanced, our digestion improves, and symptoms such as bloating, gas and stomach aches are reduced.

Regular bowel movements

When our digestion improves so too does the regularity of our bowel movements.

This is why probiotics are sometimes associated with making us poop.

Better energy levels and immunity

Our gut plays a critical role in absorbing nutrients from our food and inflammation in the gut can affect our ability to absorb nutrients.

Through balancing our gut bacteria, probiotics reduce inflammation and improve our ability to absorb the nutrients that give us energy and support our immune system leading to higher energy levels and a better immune response.

Better mood

Our gut produces some of the neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, that work in our brain.

These include serotonin, aka the happiness hormone, and other chemicals that have been seen to work against anxiety and depression. (Source)

An imbalance in gut bacteria and inflammation can affect the production of these chemicals, which in turn can affect our mood.

Probiotics work to restore the balance of gut bacteria and reduce inflammation, contributing to a balance in brain chemicals and improvement in mood.

If you have been taking a probiotic product for more than eight weeks and you aren’t noticing any relief in symptoms, contact your healthcare practitioner. They might be able to suggest an option that is more suited to your needs.

Why Isn’t My Probiotic Working?

As mentioned previously, the effects of probiotics naturally vary from person to person and it is important to find a product that works for you.

To find the most suitable probiotic for your needs, consider:

• Quality
  Not all probiotic products are created equal. As with anything, ensure the probiotics you’re taking, whether food or supplements, are of good quality. Some probiotic products even have the added benefit of having prebiotics included, which can further enhance their efficacy.
• Strain
  Different probiotic products contain different strains of probiotic bacteria. Each strain works to relieve specific symptoms. Make sure to choose a product with the combination of strains best suited for your particular health concern.

Deciding on a probiotic product can be overwhelming.

Consult your healthcare practitioner for more advice on the best product for your specific concern if you’re unsure.

So, you’ve selected a high-quality probiotic product that suits your needs, and you’ve been taking it for over a month.

Still not seeing results?

Here’s some possible reasons why:

• You haven’t been consistent Consistency is key when it comes to probiotic supplementation. If you’re not taking your probiotics every single day, they may not work as quickly or as well as they could.
  
• You’re not taking enough Probiotics are needed in large doses to work optimally, so ensure you’re getting an adequate amount of CFUs with each dose. Often probiotic foods don’t contain as high a CFU count as supplements so you may need to eat more or take a supplement alongside foods. If you are unsure of the dosage you should be taking for your specific health concern, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
  
• You’re not taking them at the best time While the best time to take a probiotic does depend on the specific probiotic you’re taking, and isn’t as important as consistency, generally taking your probiotics 30 minutes before your first meal of the day or 2-3 hours after your last meal is recommended. This is when stomach acid is at its lowest, giving the bacteria a better chance to survive.
  
• You’re not storing them correctly Probiotics are sensitive to temperature with some bacteria requiring cooler temperatures for the greatest efficacy and best kept refrigerated, while others are happy to be kept at room temperature.