Drug & supplement interaction

Lactobacillus Jensenii + Methenamine Hippurate

Methenamine Hippurate brand names: Urex, Hiprex.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Lactobacillus Jensenii has a moderate interaction with Methenamine Hippurate. Theoretically, taking Lactobacillus jensenii 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

Lactobacillus Jensenii and Methenamine Hippurate

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Methenamine Hippurate

Methenamine Hippurate falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Lactobacillus Jensenii interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Lactobacillus jensenii with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. jensenii.
Lactobacillus jensenii 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. jensenii 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 know about pairing a Lactobacillus jensenii probiotic with Methenamine Hippurate (Hiprex, Urex). The concern runs in one direction only: the medication may weaken the probiotic, not the other way around. Methenamine works by turning into formaldehyde in acidic urine to kill bacteria, and it has antibacterial-type activity. Since your probiotic is made of live, friendly bacteria, taking them at the same time could kill off a good chunk of those organisms before they ever get a chance to do their job.

This is a theoretical interaction based on how these products work, not strong human studies, so don't panic. Your UTI prevention from the methenamine should stay just as effective. To get the most from the probiotic, simply separate the two by at least two hours. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions.

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

Lactobacillus Jensenii Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lactobacillus Jensenii has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Methenamine Hippurate 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 Lactobacillus Jensenii

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Methenamine Hippurate

This page covers Lactobacillus Jensenii only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Methenamine Hippurate page lists 44 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 1 major · 33 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Methenamine Hippurate page

“Most people taking methenamine hippurate (Hiprex, Urex) use it daily to prevent repeat urinary tract infections, and many also take probiotics, which is where the bulk of this 44-ingredient list sits. Even so, the page deserves real vigilance, because one entry is rated major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Methenamine Hippurate interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Lactobacillus Jensenii and Methenamine Hippurate 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 Lactobacillus Jensenii
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Methenamine Hippurate
Steady interest

#1,932 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 Lactobacillus Jensenii

What is Lactobacillus Jensenii?

  • Vaginal health
  • Maintaining healthy vaginal flora
  • Bacterial vaginosis support
  • Yeast infection support
  • General probiotic use

Lactobacillus jensenii is one of the natural 'good' bacteria found in a healthy vagina, and it is sometimes added to probiotic products marketed for vaginal health. While its role in the body is well recognized, there is only limited human research on taking it as a supplement, so the benefits are not proven. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a weakened immune system.

Read the full Lactobacillus Jensenii monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Methenamine

What Is Methenamine Used For?

Brand names: Urex, Hiprex

Methenamine is used to suppress or prevent frequently recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs), including pyelonephritis (kidney infection) and cystitis (bladder infection). It is intended for long-term or ongoing use after another antibiotic has already cleared the active infection — not as a first treatment for a new, acute infection.

Methenamine Mandelate (available as an oral solution and tablet) is also indicated for infected residual urine that can occur with certain neurologic diseases. It is not appropriate as the sole treatment when an infection is causing systemic symptoms like chills and fever.

See full Methenamine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lactobacillus Jensenii

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Lactobacillus Jensenii — 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 Lactobacillus Jensenii 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 Lactobacillus Jensenii and Methenamine Hippurate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lactobacillus Jensenii with Methenamine Hippurate?
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 Lactobacillus Jensenii and Methenamine Hippurate 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.