Again, the speed at which probiotics make you poop can vary. Some people may notice positive changes in their bowel movements within a few days of taking probiotics, while others may take a few weeks to see results. It is important to be patient and consistent with your probiotic use to see the best results.
It is a given that probiotics have the ability to work within your gut as they do their part to purge your system of harmful radicals. Because of this, the short answer is yes. Probiotics will make you poop, and the size and frequency of your bowel movements have much to say regarding your overall health.
If you are taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain supplement, you can expect to notice initial improvements and health benefits of probiotics in your digestion as early as the first 1-2 weeks after starting your probiotic. Depending on how sensitive you are, many people feel a difference after a few days.
Probiotics may quickly treat some minor issues. For example, a person with minor diarrhea may see symptoms go away in a few days. For overall digestive health, it can take a few weeks of regular use before a person notices the effects.
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe. They may trigger allergic reactions, and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, or flatulence (passing gas) and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
Diarrhea caused by probiotics is usually mild and will reside with continued use of the supplement or food source. Diarrhea should not last more than a few days as your gut adjusts to its new balance with the introduction of beneficial bacteria.
By taking probiotics, it is increasing the number of good bacteria which can detoxify your system and help you absorb nutrients more efficiently. If you have been taking too many antibiotics, the probiotics can balance the negative effects of that as well.
When first using probiotics, some people experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Changes in the gut microbiota can result in bacteria producing more gas than usual, which can lead to bloating. However, these side effects usually clear up within a few days or weeks of taking the probiotics.
Regularly taking probiotics has generally been shown to be safe, according to the NIH, especially Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The most common side effect is gas. Some cases of infections have resulted in severe illness in immunocompromised or severely ill patients after taking probiotics.
“Research has found probiotic supplements to be most effective when taken 20 to 30 minutes before a meal,” says Nelson. “Taking them before breakfast may be the preferred option, because your digestive system has been at rest for an extended period of time and the probiotic has less resistance reaching the intestines.”
Although probiotics are not laxatives, they may help you to poop more regularly if you have constipation or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Probiotics are generally considered safe, but your body might experience some temporary side effects while it gets used to the new bacteria, including bloating and flatulence.
Additional research suggests that probiotics can improve gut transit time, increase the frequency of bowel movements, and make stools softer and easier to pass.
Try to drink a big glass of filtered water either just before or as you're taking your probiotic, so you can dilute your stomach acids and give your good guys that much more of a fighting chance to make it to your intestines alive.
Consuming foods that contain probiotics (aka live “good” bacteria) can help reduce belly bloat caused by an overabundance of “bad” flora in your gut. “Eating dairy with probiotics will help to ease digestive woes that can cause bloating,” says Lakatos.
Probiotics can sometimes help ease symptoms, including stomach pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
Frequent discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn could be signs that your gut is having a hard time processing food and eliminating waste. You feel tired more often than not. People with chronic fatigue may have imbalances in the gut.
The short answer: It takes most people 2 to 3 weeks to feel significant benefits when they start taking probiotics. That's because probiotics need time to accomplish their three key goals: increase your good bacteria count, decrease your bad bacteria count, and reduce inflammation.
How Long Should You Take Probiotics? Probiotics have been shown to be safe to use long-term. One study found that long-term use of probiotics led to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome. Like dosage, the duration for taking probiotics varies depending on the bacterial strains and specific product.
The use of probiotics can improve vaginal flora, increase beneficial bacteria, reduce the number of harmful bacteria, and further maintain the stability of vaginal flora environment (Ling et al., 2013).