Rethinking probiotics: 3 strategies to protect your gut during antibiotics

Probiotic supplements aren’t proven to help during antibiotic courses and may slow gut recovery; most people’s microbiomes rebound after a course, though some antibiotics can cause lasting changes, and probiotics may help only in high‑risk cases to prevent C. difficile. The author endorses prudent antibiotic use and completing prescribed courses, plus three non‑probiotic strategies to bolster the microbiome during therapy.