Drug & supplement interaction

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus + Cefazolin

Cefazolin brand name: Ancef.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus has a moderate interaction with Cefazolin. Theoretically, taking Lactiplantibacillus pentosus 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

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Cefazolin

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Cefazolin

Cefazolin falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Lactiplantibacillus pentosus with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. pentosus.
Lactiplantibacillus pentosus 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. pentosus 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: Cefazolin is an antibiotic, and its whole job is to kill bacteria. The catch is that it can't tell the difference between the 'bad' bacteria causing your infection and the 'good' probiotic bacteria in a Lactiplantibacillus pentosus supplement. So if the two cross paths at the same time, the cefazolin may simply wipe out a good chunk of the live probiotic organisms before they ever get a chance to do anything.

Importantly, this works one direction only. The probiotic does not make cefazolin weaker or change how well it fights your infection, so your treatment is fine. This is a theory based on how these things work, not strong human studies. If you want to take both, a common tip is to space them out by at least two hours. Your pharmacist can help you set up the timing.

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

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cefazolin 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefazolin

This page covers Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefazolin page lists 43 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 2 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefazolin page

“Cefazolin (Ancef), an antibiotic given by injection, usually before surgery or for skin and bloodstream infections, carries 43 supplement interactions on file, and the two rated major are where I would start reading. Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca can each damage the kidneys, the same organ that clears cefazolin, and asarabacca is f…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefazolin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Cefazolin 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus
Steady interest

#1,204 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cefazolin
Steady interest

#1,666 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus

What is Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus?

  • Digestive and gut health
  • Immune support
  • Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome
  • Fermentation of foods (such as olives and vegetables)

Lactiplantibacillus pentosus is a 'friendly' probiotic bacterium found in many fermented foods and used in some supplements for gut and immune health. Research is still early, so it is not proven to treat any specific condition. It is generally considered safe for healthy adults, but people with weakened immune systems or serious illness should talk to a doctor first.

Read the full Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefazolin Injection

What Is Cefazolin Injection Used For?

Brand name: Ancef

Cefazolin Injection is used to treat bacterial infections in adults and children 1 month of age and older, including respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, skin and skin structure infections, biliary tract infections, bone and joint infections, genital infections (such as prostatitis and epididymitis), septicemia (a serious bloodstream infection), and endocarditis (infection of the heart's inner lining).

It is also used in adult patients — and in pediatric patients aged 10 to 17 years for the premixed formulation — to help prevent infection around the time of surgery, particularly for procedures that carry a higher risk of postoperative infection.

See full Cefazolin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus — 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Cefazolin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus with Cefazolin?
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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Cefazolin 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.