Drug & supplement interaction

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus + Meropenem

Meropenem brand name: Merrem IV.

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

Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus has a moderate interaction with Meropenem. 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 Meropenem

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Meropenem

Meropenem 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 key thing to keep in mind: meropenem is a powerful antibiotic, and antibiotics don't tell the difference between harmful bacteria and the friendly bacteria in a probiotic. Lactiplantibacillus pentosus supplements contain live organisms, so taking them at the same time as meropenem could simply kill off a good chunk of the probiotic. The result is that you may not get much benefit from the probiotic, not that meropenem becomes dangerous or stops working.

This is a theoretical concern based on how these products work, not something proven in studies, so there's no need to worry. A simple fix is to space them apart by at least two hours. Since meropenem is given as an IV in a hospital or clinic, your care team can help you time things, so check with your pharmacist or doctor.

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.

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 Meropenem 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. Meropenem)
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 Meropenem

This page covers Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Meropenem page lists 33 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Bacillus Coagulans (moderate), Bacillus Subtilis (moderate), Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. Lactis (moderate), Bifidobacterium Bifidum (moderate) and Bifidobacterium Breve (moderate).

By severity: 32 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Meropenem page

“Meropenem (Merrem IV) is a powerful intravenous antibiotic reserved for serious infections, usually given in a hospital, and its supplement list is more manageable than that setting might suggest. None of the 33 ingredients on file carries a major rating; 32 are moderate and one is minor.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Meropenem interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Meropenem 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

#1,220 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Meropenem
Top 5%

#70 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 Meropenem Injection

What Is Meropenem Injection Used For?

Brand name: Merrem IV

Meropenem for injection is used intravenously to treat three serious types of bacterial infection: complicated skin and skin structure infections (in adults and children 3 months and older), complicated intra-abdominal infections such as appendicitis and peritonitis (in adults and children of all ages), and bacterial meningitis (in children 3 months and older only).

It works against a range of specific bacteria. Your doctor will choose it based on which bacteria are causing — or are strongly suspected of causing — your infection. Using it only when truly needed helps prevent antibiotic resistance.

See full Meropenem 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
181 Moderate 2,648 No 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

We also checked Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus 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 Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus list.

See the full Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus interactions page
See every supplement checked against Meropenem, 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
Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Meropenem supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Meropenem, ranked by severity Meropenem Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus and Meropenem Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus with Meropenem?
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 Meropenem 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 Meropenem and Lactiplantibacillus Pentosus?

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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.