Can You Take Too Many Probiotics?

Many people use probiotics to support their gut health, boost their immune system, and improve overall well-being. With the growing popularity of probiotic supplements and foods, it’s not uncommon to wonder whether you can take too much. 

While probiotics are generally safe and beneficial, moderation is key. This article explores the potential risks of overusing them, the signs to watch out for, and factors to consider when deciding how much is right for you. 

Is It Safe to Take High Doses of Probiotics?

Probiotics come in a wide range of doses, anywhere from the high millions to more than 50 billion CFUs (Colony Forming Units). You may need to take such high numbers of CFUs because not all probiotics survive the journey through your digestive system. The harsh stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes can kill off a significant portion of the probiotics before they even reach your gut. 

Experts often recommend higher doses to ensure that enough beneficial bacteria reach your gut and positively impact your health. Additionally, different strains of probiotics may have varying levels of resilience, so the appropriate dose can vary based on the specific strain you’re taking.

For bacteria-based probiotics, it’s recommended to have at least 10 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) per gram to ensure that 6–7 billion CFUs reach the colon for therapeutic benefits. However, yeast-based Saccharomyces boulardii typically requires around 1 billion CFUs, while spore-based probiotics like those in the Bacillus genus are often recommended in doses ranging from 10 million to 1 billion CFUs.

 Overall, the worst you can likely expect if you take too many probiotics is:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramping
• Brain fog

They are unlikely to cause any dangerous side effects. Let’s take a look at some studies. 

A study of 69 healthy adults examined how safe low-dose (5 billion CFU) and high-dose (25 billion CFU) multi-strain probiotic supplements are. Researchers gave participants either the low dose, high dose, or a placebo daily for 28 days.

The results showed that neither dose caused any negative side effects. This study suggests probiotics are safe for short-term use, even at a higher dose.

Another study explored even higher doses. A study with 71 healthy adults tested the effects of different doses of probiotics, ranging from 100 million to 100 billion per day. Participants took probiotics consisting of Bifidobacterium animalis and Lactobacillus paracasei daily for three weeks, divided into the following dosage groups:

• Placebo
• 100 million CFUs 
• 1 billion CFUs 
• 10 billion CFUs
• 100 billion CFUs

The study found that increasing doses of probiotics were well tolerated, with no major differences in bloating, gas, or headaches compared to the placebo group. Participants didn’t report any adverse side effects, suggesting even the highest doses were safe for short-term use. While participants didn’t notice any significant changes in their overall well-being, higher doses did lead to looser stools.

When Higher Doses May Be Needed

There are instances when a higher dose of probiotics might be beneficial. A review of studies suggests that higher doses, such as 10 billion CFUs, may be more effective for certain conditions, such as antibiotic-related diarrhea. However, the results for other issues, such as Clostridium difficile infections, are less conclusive.

In some cases, researchers explored doses above 100 billion CFUs for potential benefits, such as supporting healthy blood pressure levels without adverse side effects. Additionally, some research indicates that higher doses might help more probiotics stay in the gut, potentially leading to better outcomes. Keep in mind, however, that most probiotics deliver health benefits as transient visitors and don’t become long-term residents in your gut.

Risks of Overgrowth and Imbalance

When you take probiotics, the goal is to reach homeostasis when you have the right balance and diversity in gut bacteria. Even too many of the good ones cause dysbiosis. The table below shows what can happen in the case of the overgrowth of some commonly found probiotic strains in supplements. 

Probiotic Strain	Health Concerns With Overgrowth
Lactobacillus	Induces reactive oxygen species causing DNA damage, fuels harmful cell growth, and may indicate overall bacterial overgrowth.
Bifidobacterium	Can lower Bacteroides fragilis levels, weakening gut barrier protection and increasing vulnerability to C. difficile.
Akkermansia	Disrupts the balance between mucus secretion and degradation, leading to the destruction of the intestinal barrier.

A study of 30 people with brain fog looked at its link to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and D-lactic acidosis, a condition where too much D-lactic acid builds up in the body, causing brain fog and other symptoms. SIBO was more common in the brain fog group (68%) compared to those without (28%), and D-lactic acidosis was also higher in the brain fog group (77% vs. 25%).

All participants with brain fog used probiotics, often containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, both known D-lactic acid producers. While this study does not prove a causal relationship, researchers believe using these probiotics for too long or in large amounts could cause Lactobacillus to grow too much, which produces D-lactic acid and may make brain fog worse.

So, yes. It’s possible to take too many probiotics if your gut is already imbalanced, and you’re unintentionally increasing that imbalance. However, it’s important to remember that what works for one person may not work for another. A personalized approach to probiotics is key; seeking professional advice can help guide your choices.

How to Test Your Gut Health

The only way to know the composition of your gut is to undergo microbiome testing. This test analyzes the microorganisms in your body, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes. 

The process typically starts with collecting a sample, often stool, for gut microbiome testing. This sample is sent to a lab where DNA sequencing identifies the microbes present and their proportions. The results are compared to a database, generating a profile of your microbiome. 

This profile may reveal the diversity of your microbial community, potential imbalances, or the presence of specific microbes linked to health issues. Microbiome testing can provide insights for personalized nutrition, identify potential gut health concerns, and help track changes over time. 

Keep in mind, however, that gut microbiome testing can give you a tsunami of data that even the most seasoned doctors don’t know what to do with. You may also want to speak to the practitioner affiliated with the lab that tests your stool as they may have better insights.

Depending on the provider, the test can cost from $200 to over $600. If this isn’t something you feel you can take on, the next best option is listening to what your body is telling you. While you should give yourself time after starting a new probiotic to adjust, stop if you’re not feeling good while taking it. 

Consult your healthcare practitioner on the best strains for your health and wellness needs. 

How Many Probiotics Are in Probiotic Foods?

When you pick up a bottle of probiotic supplements, it’s easy just to turn it over and read the number of CFUs in one dose, but what about probiotic foods? That’s a lot trickier. There are so many factors that affect probiotic bacteria survival (including supplements):

• How quickly they’re consumed  
• The type of food they’re in (fermented foods like yogurt vs. pickled vegetables)  
• Temperature (whether they’ve been kept cold or exposed to heat)  
• The level of acidity in the food (more acidic foods can reduce the survival of certain probiotics)  
• The specific strain of probiotic bacteria, as some strains are more resilient than others  

For example, fermented products like carrot juice can reach up to 1 billion CFUs per mL at the end of fermentation, indicating high probiotic content. Similarly, minimally processed fruits and vegetables, such as melons and apples enriched with L. rhamnosus, can maintain high probiotic counts of 100 million CFUs per gram during storage.

However, not all probiotic foods maintain their potency over time. Probiotic counts in cured pork loins can decrease by about 90% during storage, though they remain high enough to be considered probiotic. Bread retains viable bacteria after baking but loses about 75% of its original probiotic content after 24 hours at room temperature.

Despite all these factors, it’s still not entirely clear how many probiotics actually survive to deliver benefits, especially when it comes to probiotic foods. When the label provides this information, great! Some fermented food labels, like those for yogurt and kombucha, often list the amount of probiotics added during fermentation. However, even with this information, it’s important to remember that the number of live probiotics can decrease over time.

This makes it harder to gauge the effectiveness of a probiotic food to a supplement. However, it’s safe to say that regularly including fermented foods in your diet can support your gut health, though the actual number of CFUs you’re getting remains a mystery.

There are some factors you may need to consider when increasing your probiotic consumption via foods. Let’s talk about that next. 

Why Eating Too Many Probiotic Foods Could Cause Trouble

When it comes to probiotic-rich foods, consuming too many can sometimes lead to discomfort or digestive issues. While probiotics offer many health benefits, it’s important to consider how they interact with other compounds in these foods. In this section, we’ll explore a few factors that could cause trouble when consuming large amounts of probiotic foods.

Histamine

Consuming large amounts of fermented foods can also increase your histamine intake. Histamine is a naturally occurring compound produced during fermentation when bacteria break down proteins in foods.

Histamine is an important molecule in your body. It mediates allergic reactions and functions as a wake-promoting neurotransmitter. While most people can eat fermented foods just fine, some people who cannot properly break down histamine in the gut can have problems with these foods. This tends to be due to low enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), which is critical for breaking down histamine in the gut. If you have low DAO, eating high histamine foods may give you headaches, hives, sleep difficulty, or digestive distress. This condition is known as histamine intolerance.

In fermented foods, histamine levels can vary depending on how the food was made and the specific bacteria involved in the fermentation process. While fermented foods like yogurt and kombucha may offer health benefits, they could also contribute to higher histamine levels, especially if consumed in large quantities.

If you react to high-histamine foods, here are some probiotic foods you might want to reduce or avoid to reduce histamine consumption:

• Fermented dairy
• Fermented vegetables (including pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi)
• Kombucha
• Cured meats
• Fermented soy products
• Fermented grains

Histamine-reducing probiotics

Some people find that the right probiotic strains mitigate some histamine reactions in foods.

A study examined how four probiotics – two Lactobacillus, one Propionibacterium, and one Bifidobacterium – affect mast cells, which play a role in allergies and histamine production. The probiotics were tested individually and in combination, with cell stimulation lasting 3 or 24 hours.

Researchers found that the Lactobacillus probiotics were particularly effective at reducing the activity of genes related to allergy reactions, including those that control the release of histamine. The combination of all four probiotics had the strongest impact on genes that help regulate immune responses, including proteins that play a role in swelling and irritation.

FODMAPs

If you follow a FODMAP diet, some fermented foods are high in FODMAPs, which can cause digestive discomfort. For example, coconut yogurt, dairy yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha may contain high levels of certain sugars like lactose or fructans, which can be problematic for individuals sensitive to FODMAPs. 

While these foods are sources of probiotics, they may only be suitable for some, especially those who need to avoid specific types of fermentable carbohydrates. It’s important to consider your tolerance levels and choose fermented foods that align with your dietary needs.

Some low FODMAP probiotic food options include:

• Goatmilk yogurt
• Tempeh
• Sourdough spelt bread
• Pickled gherkins

Lactose Intolerance

If you’re lactose intolerant, yogurt or kefir might still be an option as a probiotic food. The live bacteria in yogurt and kefir help break down lactose, making it easier to digest. Yogurt with active cultures, especially, can improve lactose digestion and reduce symptoms for many people.

However, not everyone with lactose intolerance tolerates yogurt or kefir, so it’s important to understand your reaction. For more insights, see the article Can I Take Yogurt for Probiotics?

Probiotic Supplements: A Reliable Way to Ensure Consistency and Minimize Irritants

Probiotic supplements offer a convenient and reliable way to ensure you get consistent amounts of beneficial bacteria without the guesswork. Unlike probiotic foods, where factors like storage, fermentation, and ingredient interactions can affect bacterial survival, high-quality supplements are specifically designed to withstand transportation and storage challenges.  

At BIOptimizers, we go the extra mile to guarantee the quality and viability of our probiotics. We rigorously test our supply chains by first sending shipments to our own homes to simulate actual delivery conditions. Once received, these products are re-tested in the lab to confirm that the probiotics remain alive and effective. This process ensures that every batch delivers what it promises.  

Choosing a trusted brand with verified testing practices is the best way to ensure you get the most from your probiotic supplements.

Some of our best probiotics include:

P3-OM: a patented strain of Lactobacillus plantarum designed for optimal protein digestion, this freeze-dried probiotic stays potent without refrigeration, multiplies in your gut, and works effectively with fewer CFUs.

Microbiome Breakthrough: a blend of synbiotics (probiotics and prebiotics), bone broth, and collagen, designed to escort out suboptimal bacteria, replenish beneficial ones, and repair the gut lining.

Frequently Asked Questions 

If you still have questions about taking probiotics, you’re not alone! Probiotics are a fascinating topic with many layers to explore. Here are resources to help you explore some of the most common questions about probiotics:

• When is the best time to take probiotics? Timing can impact how well probiotics work. Check out our guide to learn the best time to take them for maximum effectiveness.
• How long does it take for probiotics to work? Results vary depending on your body and goals. Our article provides a detailed breakdown of what to expect.
• Can you take yogurt for probiotics? Yogurt can be a great source of probiotics, but there are important factors to consider. Find out more in this dedicated article.
• Do probiotics make you poop? For some, probiotics can impact digestion and regularity. Discover how probiotics might influence your gut health.

Click on any of these topics to get the full story.

Conclusion

Probiotics can be a fantastic tool for gut health, but moderation and personalization are key. To make the most of probiotics while avoiding potential pitfalls:  

• Choose Quality Over Quantity: Select high-quality probiotics with strains suited to your needs rather than focusing solely on CFU counts.  
• Start Small: Begin with a lower dose to let your body adjust and monitor how you feel.  
• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to symptoms like bloating, gas, or discomfort, and adjust your intake as needed.  
• Incorporate Probiotic Foods Mindfully: Add fermented foods to your diet gradually, especially if you’re sensitive to histamine or FODMAPs.  
• Consider Microbiome Testing: For a tailored approach, microbiome testing can provide insights into your gut health and help you choose the right probiotics.  
• Consult a Professional: Work with a healthcare practitioner to select strains and doses that align with your health goals.  

By taking these steps, you can enjoy the benefits of probiotics while supporting your overall well-being.