Drug & supplement interaction

Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei + Rifabutin

Rifabutin brand name: Mycobutin.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei has a moderate interaction with Rifabutin. Theoretically, taking Lacticaseibacillus paracasei with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L.

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

Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei and Rifabutin

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Rifabutin

Rifabutin falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Lacticaseibacillus paracasei with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. paracasei.
L. paracasei preparations usually contain live and active organisms. Therefore, simultaneously taking antibiotics might kill a significant number of the organisms. Tell patients to separate administration of antibiotics and L. paracasei preparations by at least two 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 simple version: rifabutin is an antibiotic, so its whole job is to kill bacteria. The catch is that Lacticaseibacillus paracasei is itself a live, friendly bacterium. If you swallow your probiotic at the same time as your rifabutin, the antibiotic may wipe out a chunk of those good bugs before they can do anything useful. So this isn't about rifabutin becoming dangerous or less effective. Your rifabutin keeps working fine for your MAC prevention or H. pylori treatment. It's the probiotic that loses some punch.

This is a theoretical concern based on how these two work, not hard proof. An easy fix is timing: take them at least two hours apart. If you're immune-compromised or have HIV, check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting any probiotic.

References
  1. Pierce A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York: The Stonesong Press, 1999:19.

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

Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Rifabutin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei or Rifabutin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei or Rifabutin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Rifabutin

This page covers Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rifabutin page lists 180 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 136 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Rifabutin page

“Most people on rifabutin (Mycobutin) are treating or preventing serious mycobacterial infections like MAC or tuberculosis, often for months at a time, and this list deserves a careful read before adding a single capsule. Of the 180 supplements with an interaction on file, three carry a major rating, and all three can shift rifabutin's…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rifabutin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei and Rifabutin 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 Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei
Steady interest

#1,134 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Rifabutin
Top half

#1,359 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 Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei

What is Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei?

  • Digestive health and regularity
  • Immune support
  • Diarrhea (including antibiotic-associated)
  • Allergy and eczema symptoms
  • Gut microbiome balance

Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (formerly Lactobacillus paracasei) is a probiotic bacterium found in fermented foods and supplements that is widely used to support gut and immune health. Some strains have promising research for digestion, diarrhea, and allergies, but results vary by strain and many uses are not firmly proven. It is generally well tolerated in healthy people, but those who are seriously ill or immune-compromised should check with a doctor first.

Read the full Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Rifabutin

What Is Rifabutin Used For?

Brand name: Mycobutin

Rifabutin capsules are used to prevent disseminated MAC disease — a serious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium avium complex — in patients with advanced HIV infection.

It is not approved to treat active tuberculosis, and it should not be used alone against active TB. It is also not proven to prevent M. tuberculosis infections.

See full Rifabutin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei — 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
Moderate

181 interactions

Showing 60 of 181 moderate interactions — see all 181 on the Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei page.

No interaction 2,648 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei and Rifabutin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei with Rifabutin?
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 Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei and Rifabutin 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

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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.