A real breakthrough in medicine occurred with the discovery of antibiotics, but at the same time, many do not forget about the benefits of conventional foods and try to combine drug therapy with alternative methods of health promotion as often as possible. In the case of antibacterial drugs, it is strictly forbidden to do this, since they are among the most “harmful” medicines, and taking them with other medicines and some products at the same time can, on the contrary, do harm. Is it possible to milk when taking antibiotics will be discussed later.
Characteristics of drugs
Antibacterial drugs today have a biological or semi-synthetic nature, which allows them to expand their spectrum of action and fight a large number of various diseases. When ingested, antibiotics have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect.
Their effect noticeably worsens when certain foods are consumed during therapy. So, many people know that drinking alcohol during treatment with bactericidal drugs is prohibited, since such a combination gives a strong load on the liver and reduces the effectiveness of the treatment. A similar situation can arise with acidic foods and carbonated drinks, but are milk and antibiotics compatible?
general information
On this occasion, scientists have already conducted many studies that have proved the incompatibility of this product and drugs. The simultaneous treatment with antimicrobial agents and the use of milk can neutralize the benefits of food or even nullify the therapeutic effect of medications. The specific reaction depends on the group to which the drug belongs, and this information should be considered in more detail.
Penicillin
Among the drugs of this group, the most common today is Amoxicillin. Its wide spectrum of action allows the use of the drug for the effective treatment of inflammatory processes of the throat, respiratory tract, genitourinary system, purulent infections and the prevention of complications after surgery. The semi-synthetic nature of the drug explains not only its effectiveness, but also the presence of some contraindications, as well as compatibility features. Amoxicillin trihydrate can react with other medicines and food, which slow down its absorption and reduce the therapeutic effect. This also applies to the animal product in question, therefore it is forbidden to drink milk when taking antibiotics of this group. If necessary, for example, in the treatment of children, the interval between feeding and taking medication should be at least 2 hours.
Fermented milk products with antibacterial therapy, on the contrary, are welcome, because they can normalize the intestinal microflora disturbed by antibiotics, but also only with the observance of the time interval. Also, to get the maximum benefit from food, you should choose natural products without flavors, dyes, and other additives. Such a diet will help to avoid dysbiosis and achieve a speedy recovery.
Macrolides
The most popular drug in this group is Azithromycin. Most often it is used in the treatment of respiratory infections, but the spectrum of its action does not end there. The high effectiveness of the drug allows you to completely overcome the infection in just 3 days of treatment, which is why there are only 3 doses in the package of the drug. A low level of toxicity and a small list of contraindications at the same time allows you to prescribe an antibiotic even during pregnancy.
Combining milk and antibiotics in this case is also not allowed, even provided that the medication is taken only 1 time per day. The action of macrolides and their absorption in the body decreases markedly with the use of this food product. As for dairy products, they can be included in the diet, but only subject to the minimum time interval between meals and medicines. An important requirement is the absence of unnatural additives in the products.
Tetracyclines
Drinking milk after antibiotics is strictly prohibited in this case. Any products with calcium content completely neutralize the effect of the medication, because when they enter the body they form chelates with the active substances of the drug. Thus, in the treatment with tetracycline antibiotics, it is also forbidden to use any sour-milk products. In addition, this group of antibacterial drugs is characterized by high toxicity and a not too wide spectrum of action, therefore it is no longer so popular in medicine.
Tetracyclines can be used in the treatment of severe infectious diseases, pneumonia, tonsillitis or bronchitis. In some cases, despite all the shortcomings of the antibiotic, you still can not do without it, so you should study all its features in advance. The medicine should be taken separately from any food, as it slows down its absorption. It is best to choose the time 30 minutes before meals or 60 minutes after. Drinking milk after antibiotics is possible only a day after the end of the course of therapy.
New drugs
The modern generation of antibacterial drugs is no longer so attached to food, it is characterized by high bioavailability and minimal toxicity. When treating with just such drugs after antibiotics, you can drink milk after maintaining an interval of only 2 hours. Such recommendations are given only to enable active substances to maximize the effect on the body.
The combination of dairy and sour-milk products with new-generation antibacterial drugs does not do any harm.
What is added to milk
Milk and antibiotics for the treatment of diseases are often incompatible things, but in fact in the product purchased in the store such substances can be found initially. The fact is that to increase the shelf life of perishable products in them even at the stages of production add a small amount of antibacterial substances. In addition, so that the cows giving milk do not get sick, antibiotics are also added to their feed.
It turns out that a person receives a certain proportion of antibacterial drugs simply by drinking milk, not to mention the dosage prescribed by the doctor for the treatment of a certain ailment. Thus, the reaction in the body can be caused not only by the food product and the drug itself, but also by incompatibility with the contained additional substances. The consequences may be:
- allergic reactions;
- decreased immunity;
- decreased susceptibility to antibacterial drugs.
Given this information, it is better to refrain from milk during treatment and strictly follow the instructions for the drug and the doctor's recommendations.
The negative effects of the combination
Unfortunately, not many people are interested in the compatibility of food and antibiotics on their own, and doctors do not always talk about this, therefore situations in which antimicrobial therapy is carried out simultaneously with unacceptable nutrition are not uncommon. Is milk with antibiotics possible and what consequences this combination can cause depends on the group of the drug.
A medication that is allowed to drink with food will not cause a negative effect. This is due to the fact that such recommendations are usually available only for drugs that are not related to tetracyclines, penicillins or cephalosporins. Calcium of milk will bring its benefits to the body, and the drug will help to cope with the disease in full force.
If the antibiotic does not belong to a group incompatible with milk, but is not recommended for use with food, then its effect will be reduced and slowed down by any products.
The simultaneous consumption of milk and antibiotics of the penicillin group will necessarily reduce the effectiveness of treatment. In addition, all the benefits of any dairy products will not be assimilated, since sour-milk bacteria will die.
The most dangerous combination of health is the use of any dairy and sour-milk products and antibacterial drugs of the tetracycline group. In this case, the effect of the drug completely disappears and the body does not receive any benefit or assistance in treatment.
In general, it is better not to risk your health and refuse milk for the duration of antibiotic therapy. In this case, you should always take antibiotics with only a large amount of clean or boiled water. The only exception is Fusidine Sodium, which is recommended to drink with milk or sweet syrup to reduce irritation.
Dairy products
To get maximum effectiveness in treatment, you can drink milk with antibiotics only in the rare cases permitted by the instructions. Annotations usually do not contain strict restrictions on dairy products, since a person will receive more benefits than harm from such food. Of course, subject to a minimum interval of 2 hours between medicines and food. It is good to restore the intestinal microflora during such treatment with natural yogurts without flavorings and colorings, yogurt, kefir and other dairy products of different fat contents. Nonfat sour cream will be especially useful for children, since it stimulates digestion, is easily digested, does not cause allergies and contains many useful vitamins, minerals and organic acids.
Features of nutrition during therapy
To prevent the appearance of dysbiosis during and after antibiotic therapy, the degree of influence of proteins, fats and carbohydrates consumed with food on the drugs should be taken into account.
So, the absorption of any antibiotic will be slowed by eating fatty foods, which reduces the production of digestive juice. The absorption of drugs will be long.
A high concentration of protein in food negatively affects the effectiveness of sulfa drugs. After taking antibiotics of this group, it is recommended to drink milk only nonfat, at least 2 hours later.
The consumption of meat, legumes, fish and cheese is better to limit. The reverse situation is with antibacterial drugs of the nitrofuran series. With insufficient protein in food, they lose their effectiveness.
When taking macrolides, cephalosporins and sulfanilomides, the intake of carbohydrate foods should also be controlled, since in large quantities it slows down the emptying of the stomach and complicates the work of antibiotics.
It is strictly forbidden to take alcohol during treatment with any antibacterial drugs.
Diet after therapy
If after treatment in the intestine fermentation processes predominate, then the diet should be made according to the following recommendations:
- more protein foods - meat, fish, eggs;
- less simple carbohydrates - sweets, potatoes, muffins;
- restriction of dietary fiber - bran, raw vegetables, nuts;
- exception gas provocateurs - products with a high content of essential oils, carbonated drinks, milk and so on.
Getting rid of putrefactive processes is carried out by daily fasting on decoctions of herbs and further restricting the diet of proteins, increasing carbohydrates, dietary fiber and fermented milk products.
Constipation is eliminated mainly by prebiotics and products that improve intestinal motility. These include dairy products, raw vegetables and fruits, fatty foods, dried fruits and others.
It is important when restoring the body must consume a lot of fluid.
Doctors reviews
Experts assure that antibiotics with milk can be combined in a daily diet, the main thing is to do it correctly and in moderation. You should always follow the recommendations of your doctor and do not neglect the warnings on the annotations to the medicine. In most cases, it is enough to simply reduce the consumption of milk to a minimum and drink it strictly between the doses of the drug. How much antibiotics can be given after milk? As a rule, an hour is enough to completely digest the product. If you want to drink a glass of milk after taking the medicine, you will need to wait at least 2 hours, because the medications cannot be so quickly broken down by nature.
If possible, it is better to completely abandon such a combination.