Drug & supplement interaction

Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus + Penicillin V

Penicillin V brand name: Pen-Vee.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus has a moderate interaction with Penicillin V. Theoretically, taking Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 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 Rhamnosus and Penicillin V

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Penicillin V

Penicillin V falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. rhamnosus.
L. rhamnosus 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. rhamnosus 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 thing to keep in mind with this pairing: it works the opposite way from most drug interactions. Penicillin V isn't being affected by the probiotic at all. Instead, the antibiotic is the one doing the damage. Penicillin V kills bacteria, and L. rhamnosus is a live bacterium, so taking them at the same moment can wipe out a good chunk of those friendly probiotic organisms before they ever get a chance to help your gut.

Your penicillin will still treat your infection just fine. You won't lose any of its effect, and you won't get extra side effects. The only loser here is the probiotic. A simple fix is spacing them out by at least two hours. This is based on how the two work together rather than hard studies, so it's a sensible habit, not a worry. Ask your pharmacist if you'd like help timing your doses.

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 Rhamnosus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Penicillin V 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 Rhamnosus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Penicillin V

This page covers Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Penicillin V 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 Penicillin V page

“Penicillin V (Pen-Vee) is usually a short course for strep throat or a dental infection, but even a short course deserves genuine care here, because three of the 56 documented supplement interactions are rated major. Two involve herbs that can stress the kidneys, Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, and the third is activated charcoal, w…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Penicillin V interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus and Penicillin V 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 Rhamnosus
Steady interest

#1,002 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Penicillin V
Top 10%

#228 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 Rhamnosus

What is Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus?

  • Diarrhea (including antibiotic-related)
  • Digestive health
  • Vaginal and urinary health
  • Eczema and allergy prevention in children
  • Immune support

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (often labeled L. rhamnosus GG) is a well-studied probiotic bacterium used mainly for diarrhea and general gut health. It is considered safe for most healthy people, with the best evidence for preventing certain types of diarrhea, but benefits for many other uses are uncertain. People who are seriously ill or have weakened immune systems should check with a doctor first.

Read the full Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus — 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 Rhamnosus 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 Rhamnosus and Penicillin V Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lacticaseibacillus Rhamnosus with Penicillin V?
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 Rhamnosus and Penicillin V 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.