Can you take multiple probiotics at the same time?

Can you take two probiotics at the same time?

It’s a reasonable question. Our gut is home to trillions of bacteria, and if there are so many different ones that are all good for us, then what’s to stop us from taking them all at once to get the benefits from them all? Surely this would mean we get the best all-round benefits?

The simple answer is yes, you can take multiple probiotics at the same time. But, this doesn’t necessarily lead to more benefit, and in fact this can sometimes actually limit the benefits you would have gotten had you taken those probiotics individually. It’s really all about the strains you use, and how much of them there are.

What is probiotic stacking?

Let’s just outline the term now. Probiotic stacking is where an individual will take multiple probiotics all at the same time. Supplement stacking is not unusual, as taking all of your supplements at once is much easier, especially if they need to be taken every day. So, for example, taking both LGG and BB12 from Better Guts together is technically stacking. But, this is stacking in a good way, and we’ll talk about why later on.

Is it safe to take multiple probiotics together?

The simple answer to this question is yes, it is safe, but with a caveat. How safe a probiotic is really comes down to the research that’s been done into that strain of bacteria specifically. So, if you take a multi strain blend, then the manufacturer will have to make sure that each bacterium they use has been approved as safe. However, they did not test it alongside other blends as well. So, if you stack multiple multi-strain probiotics, you’re taking a mixture that hasn’t really been studied, and so can potentially increase the side effects you might experience as a result.   

Can probiotic stacking cause side effects?

Quite simply yes, it can. When we introduce new bacteria to the gut they take a while to settle in. They need time to find their balance with the existing microbiome, and to find their place. This can often cause a little gas or bloating, which is perfectly normal, but never enough for it to be an issue.

However, if we introduce a large number all at once, and they’re all from different species, then they all have to settle in at once. The gut is a highly competitive environment, and so this settling in can cause side effects. Bloating, flatulence, constipation or diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort and changes to bowel movement timings are all common side effects from getting too much at once. These are side effects that you should not experience if you take a probiotic, and so if you do experience them, it’s a sign you’ve taken too much all at once and should probably scale back. Remember, the microbiome is a balance, and if we’re going to add to that balance, we need to add the right amount. More isn’t always more.

Should you start two probiotics at the same time?

Best practice here is really to start them one at a time. Start with one, take it for a few weeks, then introduce the second. The reasons for this are twofold:

The first reason is that for the reasons outlined in the last point, taking too much all at once can cause side effects, which of course we want to avoid.

The second reason is that introducing them one at a time will allow you to assess their effects one at a time. If you take both at once, and notice a benefit, you don’t know which one is working. If you take them one at a time this enables you to track the effects of each individually. This way, you’ll know what seems to work for you, and what doesn’t.

Is multi-strain better than single strain?

We could write a whole separate blog post on this question, but we’ll summarise it for you here. The answer is no, not necessarily. In fact, clinical analyses have shown that often using a multi-strain blend does not produce any greater effects for the user over single strain at all. A lot of the time, the multi-strain blends do not work as well as single strain, and here’s why.

How well a probiotic will work, any probiotic, depends on the strain of bacteria used. How much research has it got? What has it been proven to do? And in what strength? Having the right bacteria, at the right strength, is the only way to get an effective probiotic.

So, when a blend uses a group of different bacteria, that’s fine. But you have to ask, how well proven is each bacterium they’ve used? And what strength is each one in? Most of the time, it’s hard to know as they don’t write individual strengths on the label, and to keep costs down they don’t use the most proven bacteria around.  

This is where single strain shines. We can take one very well proven bacterium, in a high strength, so that you know exactly what you’re getting. This transparency means that if you want to, and with a little googling, you can learn all about what you’re taking, and what it can do for you.

Can different probiotic strains work together? Or do they compete?

Absolutely they can. Bacteria are living creatures, and they do have their favourite friends.

For example, LGG and BB12 have been shown to work very well together. In fact, some studies have shown that together they produced a greater effect than LGG alone, so here we can see that when the microbes work together you can get a greater benefit.

But, one crucial thing to remember here, these two microbes have been studied together! A lot of blends use different bacteria that have never been studied together at all, so we don’t actually know how they interact. If you’re taking more than one at the same time, it’s always best to prioritise ones that have been proven to make a good team.

When we ask if they can compete however, the truth is that in some instances yes, they can. The gut is extremely competitive, and bacteria compete for food just like any other living creature. Some tests have shown that certain strains actually inhibit one another and limit each other’s effectiveness.

This again reinforces the point that if you take more than one bacterium, it needs to be a combination of ones that have been studied together. This is the only way you can make sure they’re a good team, and not competition for each other.

How should you stack probiotics safely?

So, if you decide to take more than one probiotic at once, there’s no harm in that, but there are a few things you need to make sure of first:

Firstly, what strains are being used? If you combine two individual strains like LGG and BB12, then it’s very easy to see how they’ll interact as this has been directly studied. But, if you use two multi-strain blends, then you have to ask, how will those bacteria interact with each other? Will they work together, or will they actually hinder each other.

Secondly, you need to ask what strength is being used. If you have a good strength of each bacterium, then you know you should get balanced results. But, if you use different blends, especially if those blends have some overlap in the strains they use, then you can end up getting a lot of some bacteria, and not much of others, so it’ll be hard to know what’s working, if anything.

Finally, check to see if these probiotics have been used together before. Double checking if someone else has tried the combination you’re looking at, or even better, there’s been some research into it, is the best way to ensure you don’t accidentally end up taking a combo that can actually cause digestive issues, as opposed to helping alleviate them.

Follow these steps, and you should be able to stack your probiotics safely. However, we still suggest that unless the manufacturer recommends it (like Better Guts), then it’s best to try your probiotics one at a time. This way you can track results, avoid side effects, and see what works best for you.