If you're taking a GLP-1 medication, you may be wondering whether a GLP-1 probiotic is worth considering, and how much your digestion has changed because of the medication itself.
Research on the effects of GLP-1 medications on gut health is still limited. However, eating less and having less variety in your diet can affect your overall nutrition and gut health.
While questions about your medication should always be directed to your prescribing provider, this article can help you understand how to support your digestive health while eating less and whether a probiotic supplement may be worth considering.
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Key Takeaways
- There is limited direct research on probiotics specifically alongside GLP-1 medications. Most of what we know is about probiotics and gut health generally.
- When you eat substantially less, your fiber and fermented food intake usually drop too, which can change your gut environment on its own.
- Prioritizing fiber, fermented foods, and adequate hydration is the most useful gut support during a period of reduced intake.
- A probiotic may help support digestive health generally, but it is not a solution for medication-related digestive changes.
- Anything to do with your medication, including how it affects your digestion, is a conversation for your prescribing provider.
If you are taking a GLP-1 medication, talk with your prescribing healthcare provider before adding any supplement, and bring questions about the medication itself to them rather than to an article.
As always, consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or nutrition program, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Always follow the directions and warnings on the product label.
In this article:
- Do Probiotics Help While Taking a GLP-1 Medication?
- Why Eating Less Changes Your Gut
- What Do Probiotics Actually Do?
- Food-First Gut Support While Eating Less
- What to Look for in a Probiotic
- When to Talk to Your Provider
- Do Probiotics Help While Taking a GLP-1 Medication?
There is little evidence that a probiotic is necessary for most people taking a GLP-1 medication. However, probiotics can have positive effects on digestive health in specific situations, and eating substantially less changes your gut environment in ways worth paying attention to.
What the research does and doesn't show
There is little direct research on probiotics specifically alongside GLP-1 medications. It’s worth being upfront about, since a lot of what’s online makes it sound like more research exists than it does.
GLP-1 medications can significantly reduce appetite, which may indirectly affect gut health by changing what and how much you eat. Being less hungry may cause you to eat fewer foods associated with gut health, like fiber-rich foods and fermented foods. A lack of appetite may also lead to less dietary diversity, which is important for a healthy gut.
That shift in how you eat is the part worth paying attention to, and it's the part you can do something about.
Probiotic supplements have been studied for a variety of digestive and health conditions, and some specific strains may offer benefits. However, research specifically examining probiotics in people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists remains limited.
For example, while some probiotic strains have been studied for digestive symptoms, including constipation, there is currently not enough evidence to say that probiotics can prevent or counteract constipation specifically related to GLP-1 medications.
The evidence for probiotics is strain-specific, so findings from studies in other populations or for other digestive conditions cannot necessarily be applied to people taking GLP-1 medications.
What this article can and can't help with
This article can help you think about the potential ways that taking a GLP-1 medication could impact your digestive health and the most evidence-based ways to support your gut.
It cannot tell you whether your medication dose should change, whether a particular medication is right for you, or whether a digestive change is related to your medication or a health condition.
Those are questions for the healthcare provider who prescribed and manages your GLP-1 medication.
Why Eating Less Changes Your Gut
When your overall food intake drops, your fiber and fermented food intake may drop with it, which can impact gut health.
The fiber gap
Fiber, which is concentrated in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, is important for gut health. Fiber fuels the growth of beneficial bacteria that live in your large intestine and supports regular and comfortable bowel movements. Fiber also stimulates the production of compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which fuel the cells lining your intestinal tract, regulate inflammation, and maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier.
When you’re taking a GLP-1 medication, your fiber intake may drop simply because you’re eating less overall. You may also eat fewer fiber-rich foods because fiber can slow digestion and increase feelings of fullness. This is one reason foods like beans and vegetables can be so filling. If you’re already experiencing a reduced appetite, you may have a harder time reaching your daily fiber needs, which are roughly 25 to 38 grams per day for adults, depending on age and sex.
Fewer fermented foods
Fermented foods, like kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut, are made made when bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), ferment the food. This can positively impact gut health.
Research on fermented foods is still early. Some small studies suggest they may affect the bacteria in your gut, but there isn’t much proof yet that they ease digestive symptoms.
If you’re eating fewer calories overall, you may also end up eating fewer fermented foods.
Less variety overall
Lastly, eating less while taking a GLP-1 medication can lead to a decline in overall dietary diversity. Dietary diversity, or eating a variety of different foods, is important for gut health. Eating a wide variety of foods, especially fiber-rich plant foods, provides different energy sources for gut bacteria that allow beneficial species to thrive.
If your appetite is low, you may find yourself choosing the same foods repeatedly, particularly foods that feel easy to eat and digest. Over time, this can reduce the variety of foods in your diet and may limit the range of nutrients and compounds available to support a diverse gut microbiome.
What Do Probiotics Actually Do?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that can benefit health when ingested in specific amounts, with effects that vary considerably by strain.
Strains matter
Your gut is naturally home to trillions of bacteria. Probiotics are found in certain foods and supplements. Probiotic supplements contain large amounts of probiotics and can provide a single strain or a variety of strains. The most common probiotic strains used in probiotic supplements include species from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera.
Studies show that taking specific doses and strains of probiotics may benefit certain people and may help reduce symptoms of some health conditions. For example, studies have shown that probiotic supplements may promote a healthy gut environment* and may improve digestive symptoms like constipation and diarrhea, as well as symptoms related to certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
However, these benefits come from specific strains and doses. Not all probiotics work the same way because thousands of different strains exist, and only specific strains may be helpful for certain gut health concerns, including improving symptoms of constipation or diarrhea. For this reason, it’s important to look at the specific strains and research behind a probiotic rather than assuming all probiotics provide the same benefits.
What probiotics won't do
While some evidence suggests that probiotic supplements may be helpful for certain people, these products can’t undo digestive changes related to a medication.
There also isn’t enough evidence to support recommending probiotic supplements to every person taking a GLP-1 medication. Additionally, probiotic supplements can’t replace a gut health-friendly diet and lifestyle. If you're not eating enough fiber, meeting your hydration needs, and moving your body, adding a probiotic supplement to your routine will likely do little to support your gut health.
If you do try one, here's how to tell whether a probiotic is working.
Food-First Gut Support While Eating Less
The most useful gut support during a period of reduced intake is not found in a supplement. It involves getting enough fiber and other gut-supportive foods and staying hydrated.
Prioritizing fiber
When you're eating less, it’s essential to prioritize fiber by adding it to every meal and snack.
Fiber is also what feeds the beneficial bacteria already living in your gut, which is where the difference between prebiotics and probiotics becomes practical.
Some practical tips include:
- Pairing fruit, like berries, pears, and apple slices, with a handful of mixed nuts for a snack.
- Adding chia seeds to oatmeal and yogurt.
- Using beans and lentils as a high-fiber topping for salads.
- Enjoying fresh or cooked vegetables as a side dish.
- Adding a fiber supplement like psyllium husk to your smoothies.
If your current diet is low in fiber, it’s important to gradually add in fiber-rich foods. This allows your digestive system to get used to a higher-fiber intake and can decrease the risk of side effects, like gas and bloating.
Fermented foods
In addition to fiber-rich foods, consider including fermented foods such as yogurt with live and active cultures, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut in your diet.
These foods can provide beneficial live microorganisms that may support overall gut health.
Hydration
Adequate hydration is essential for gut health and becomes even more important when you’re taking a GLP-1 medication.
Because dehydration can contribute to constipation, staying on top of fluids is one of the simpler things you can do for digestive comfort.
How much fluid you need varies based on factors such as your body size, activity level, environment, and health status. Instead of trying to drink a large amount at once, which can lead to increased feelings of fullness, keep fluids available throughout the day. Consider buying a large water bottle and filling it up several times throughout the day to help meet your fluid needs.
Protein adequacy
When your overall intake drops, protein is often one of the first things to fall short. It's filling, and it takes effort to prepare.
Protein helps support the maintenance of lean muscle mass, which matters more, not less, during a period of eating less. Spreading it across the day in smaller amounts is generally easier than trying to hit a target in one sitting, and it's worth reading up on protecting muscle while eating less.
What to Look for in a Probiotic
When you’re shopping for a probiotic, look for a product that names its specific strains, states the CFU count at expiration rather than at manufacture, and is clear about storage requirements.
If you're building out a routine while eating less, our GLP-1 support supplements collection is a reasonable starting point for what's worth considering.
Strain transparency
A high-quality probiotic supplement should clearly identify the specific strains it contains.
There are many types of probiotic strains, but some of the most common microorganisms used in supplements include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Saccharomyces, Escherichia, and Bacillus.
It’s important to note that the effectiveness of probiotic supplements depends on the specific strain or strains you take and the condition or symptom you intend to address. For example, if you have a specific condition, such as IBS, your healthcare provider may recommend a specific strain and dose that has been studied in people with IBS, like Lactobacillus acidophilus.
A healthcare provider can help determine whether probiotics are appropriate for your health needs and offer guidance on specific probiotic strains, dosing, and more.
CFU count at expiration
CFU stands for colony-forming units and represents the number of viable microorganisms in a probiotic supplement. However, more CFUs don’t necessarily mean greater health benefits. The appropriate dose depends on the specific probiotic strain and the condition or symptom you’re looking to address.
Because probiotics are live microorganisms, their number of viable CFUs can decrease over time due to factors such as storage conditions and shelf life. When choosing a probiotic, look for products that guarantee the CFU count through the product’s expiration or “Best Use” date when stored properly. This helps ensure that the product contains the number of live microorganisms listed on the label when you use it.
Storage
Some probiotic supplements require refrigeration in order to maintain their quality while others can be kept at room temperature.
It’s important to follow storage recommendations carefully to maintain the quality and viability of the microorganisms.
Whatever you choose, the label is the test. 1st Phorm Probiotic names its specific strains and lists CFU count at expiration rather than at manufacture, the number that actually tells you what you're getting when you take it.
Food first, though. If your fiber has dropped along with everything else, that's the thing worth fixing before you add a capsule.
It’s important to remember too that timing is less important than consistency. Some products are best taken with food and others on an empty stomach, so the label is your guide. And if you want the detail, here's when to take a probiotic.
When to Talk to Your Provider
If you’re experiencing significant symptoms while taking a GLP-1 medication, it’s important to speak with your prescribing provider. Your provider knows your medical history and can offer personalized guidance based on your individual needs.
Because probiotics aren’t appropriate for everyone, talk with your provider before adding a probiotic supplement to your routine. Your provider can also help determine whether a change you’re experiencing needs further evaluation.
Conclusion
While probiotic supplements may be helpful in certain situations, there isn’t currently enough evidence to recommend probiotic supplements for everyone taking a GLP-1 medication.
Some people may benefit from taking a probiotic supplement, but the most important factors for supporting gut health while taking a GLP-1 medication are prioritizing fiber-rich foods, adequate hydration, and dietary variety. These food-first strategies can help address some of the nutritional changes that may occur when your appetite decreases while taking a GLP-1 medication.
Before taking a probiotic supplement, discuss it with your healthcare provider to determine whether it’s appropriate for you. Remember, a probiotic supplement shouldn’t take the place of a nutrient-dense, food-first approach to gut health.
If you have any questions in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out. We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri.
Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at [email protected]. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central.
We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you take probiotics with a GLP-1 medication?
There isn't enough research to recommend a specific probiotic for people taking GLP-1 medications. Talk with your prescribing provider before taking a probiotic.
What helps digestion while eating less?
When eating less, it’s important to focus on fiber-rich foods, fermented foods, adequate hydration, and dietary diversity.
How much fiber should you aim for?
Most adults should aim for about 25 to 38 grams per day, depending on age and sex.
Do probiotics have side effects?
Probiotics are generally safe for most healthy people, but some notice minor stomach issues like gas or other digestive discomfort in the first week or two, which usually settles. If you have a medical condition or take medication, check with your provider first.
How long do probiotics take to work?
There is no universal timeline because effects vary by strain, product, and individual. Some people notice changes within a couple of weeks; others don't notice much at all. Give any product a fair trial before deciding it isn't doing anything.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
