Antibiotic drugs can have many side effects and may not mix well with certain foods, supplements and other drugs. Antibiotics are the standard mainstream medical treatment for infections like C. difficile. But many people prefer alternative treatments, such as herbal remedies. Olivirex and Biocidin products are powerful anti-infection herbal remedies that have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral qualities.
It’s common for people to be use supplements and remedies during the course of an antibiotic. But how do you know if it’s OK to take an antibiotic along with your supplements and herbal remedies?
Below are four tips to help you combine your antibiotics and your home remedies safely and effectively.
1. Read the Contraindications
Because every drug is different, it’s important to read the drug’s product insert for contraindications, or things that don’t mix well with it. Because there are so many different drugs and supplements, it’s impossible to predict all possible interactions that may occur. But the product insert will list the most commonly known contraindications.
You can also check for a drug’s real-world side effects using the RxISK.com website. RxISK is an independent drug safety website to help you weigh the benefits of any medication against its potential dangers. The site has a drug search option – here’s the link:
2. Ask Your Doctor
Every person and every infection is different. So the risk of drug and supplement interactions vary depending on your personal medical circumstances. A good doctor should be familiar with the precautions and contraindications for the medications you are taking. Your pharmacist should also be knowledgeable in this area.
But keep in mind, most mainstream medical doctors know nothing about alternative or natural remedies. So they may tell you not to take alternatives, based on no knowledge or evidence at all. So working with a natural, holistic or functional medicine doctor will often provide the best insight in this area.
3. Follow the One Hour Rule
It’s good practice to take any supplement at least an hour or two away from antibiotic drugs, unless you know of a specific reason they are OK to take at the same time. This is just a good general rule of thumb. Because some supplements may interfere with or reduce the effectiveness of some antibiotics, taking them an hour or two apart will reduce any potential risks.
There are some supplements that should be just fine to take at the same time as antibiotic drugs. For example, spore-based probiotics, such as MegaSporeBiotic, are not killed by antibiotics, so they can be taken together at the same time.
4. Know Your Supplements
Read the bottle label for instructions and precautions for all your supplements. And follow a usage guide and read a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for your supplements, if available.
Below is a link to our detailed FAQ page for Biocidin Liquid, Biocidin LSF, Biocidin Toothpaste, Olivirex and the G.I. Detox+ product:
https://www.embracehealthnaturals.com/faq/bio-botanical-research/
The FAQ page above will give you links to detailed usage guides for different kinds of infections.
Some Precautions to Be Aware Of
Be aware that some kinds of supplements generally don’t mix well with drugs and other supplements. Some vitamins and minerals don’t mix well with certain antibiotics, so be sure to follow the 4 tips above.
A good example of supplements not playing well with antibiotics are binders or detoxification supplements. Certain binding/detox aids such as the G.I. Detox+ product, absorb many kinds of toxins and chemicals in your gut. These kinds of binders made of charcoal and clay not only can absorb microbial gut toxins, they also can absorb medications like antibiotic drugs, reducing the drug’s effectiveness. So be sure to take binding products a minimum of 1-2 hours away from your oral antibiotics. These precautions should be listed on the binder’s product label.
It’s not very common, but there can be ingredients you are allergic to. If you have specific allergies or sensitivities to an ingredient, whether it be an antibiotic or supplement, be sure to check the list of ingredients on the product’s label before taking it.
To your best health!
Michelle Moore
Microbiologist and Author
Embrace Health
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