Drug & supplement interaction

Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis + Dicloxacillin Sodium

Dicloxacillin Sodium brand names: Dynapen, Pathocil, Dycill, Pathocil Injection.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis has a moderate interaction with Dicloxacillin Sodium. Theoretically, taking Bifidobacterium lactis with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of B.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis and Dicloxacillin Sodium

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Dicloxacillin Sodium

Dicloxacillin Sodium falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Bifidobacterium lactis with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of B. lactis.
Since B. lactis preparations usually contain live and active organisms, simultaneously taking antibiotics might kill a significant number of the organisms. Tell patients to separate administration of antibiotics and B. lactis preparations by at least 2 hours.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to keep in mind: dicloxacillin is an antibiotic, and its whole job is to kill bacteria. Your Bifidobacterium lactis probiotic is made of live, helpful bacteria. So when you take them at the same time, the antibiotic doesn't know the difference and may wipe out a good chunk of those probiotic organisms before they ever do their work. This doesn't make the dicloxacillin less effective at treating your infection, so don't worry on that front. It just means you may not get much benefit from the probiotic.

This is a theoretical concern based on how antibiotics work, not strong human studies. A simple fix is timing. Try to space the probiotic and your dicloxacillin at least 2 hours apart. As always, check with your pharmacist if you have questions.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pierce A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York: The Stonesong Press, 1999:19.
  2. Xiao JZ, Takahashi S, Odamaki T, et al. Antibiotic susceptibility of bifidobacterial strains distributed in the Japanese market. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(2):336-42. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dicloxacillin Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 181 No known interaction 2,649 (incl. Dicloxacillin Sodium)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dicloxacillin Sodium

This page covers Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dicloxacillin Sodium page lists 56 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Aristolochia (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 42 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dicloxacillin Sodium page

“The riskiest pairing on this page is Siberian cocklebur with dicloxacillin (Dynapen), an antibiotic for staph skin and soft tissue infections. Both can stress the kidneys, and that additive strain accounts for one of the three major ratings among 56 supplements here, enough that this list warrants real care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dicloxacillin Sodium interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis and Dicloxacillin Sodium Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis
Steady interest

#759 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Dicloxacillin Sodium
Top half

#1,083 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis

What is Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis?

  • Digestive health and regularity
  • Constipation relief
  • Immune support
  • Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  • General gut microbiome balance

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis is a well-studied probiotic bacterium commonly added to supplements and yogurts to support digestion and gut health. It appears generally safe for most healthy people, with the best evidence for improving bowel regularity, but benefits vary by person and strain. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you have a weakened immune system or a serious illness.

Read the full Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dicloxacillin

What Is Dicloxacillin Used For?

Brand names: Dynapen, Pathocil, Dycill, Pathocil Injection

Dicloxacillin sodium capsules treat infections caused by staphylococci (staph bacteria) that make penicillinase and are shown to be susceptible to the drug. Penicillinase is an enzyme that destroys many penicillins.

Your prescriber may start it before lab results are back if a resistant staph infection is suspected. It should not be used for infections caused by bacteria that regular penicillin G can treat. If tests show a different type of bacteria, it should be stopped.

See full Dicloxacillin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
181Moderate
0Minor
2,648No known interaction
181 Moderate 2,648 No interaction
Moderate

181 interactions

Showing 60 of 181 moderate interactions — see all 181 on the Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis page.

No interaction 2,648 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,648 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis list.

See the full Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis interactions page
See every supplement checked against Dicloxacillin Sodium, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis and Dicloxacillin Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis with Dicloxacillin Sodium?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis and Dicloxacillin Sodium interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Dicloxacillin Sodium and Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.