Drug & supplement interaction

Lactobacillus Johnsonii + Rifamycin

Rifamycin brand name: Aemcolo.

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

Lactobacillus Johnsonii has a moderate interaction with Rifamycin. Theoretically, taking Lactobacillus johnsonii 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 Johnsonii and Rifamycin

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Rifamycin

Rifamycin falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Lactobacillus Johnsonii interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Lactobacillus johnsonii with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. johnsonii.
Lactobacillus johnsonii 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. johnsonii 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: rifamycin (Aemcolo) is an antibiotic, and your probiotic, Lactobacillus johnsonii, is made of live bacteria. If you swallow them at the same time, the antibiotic may simply kill off a good chunk of those probiotic organisms before they get a chance to do anything helpful. So the loser in this matchup is the probiotic, not your treatment for travelers' diarrhea.

The good news is your rifamycin still works fine, and this is a theoretical concern based on how the two interact, not a dangerous one. A simple fix is timing: take your probiotic and rifamycin at least two hours apart so the bacteria have a better shot at surviving. If you're unsure how to space them out, your pharmacist can help you map out a schedule.

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

Lactobacillus Johnsonii Also Interacts With Other Medications

Lactobacillus Johnsonii has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Rifamycin 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. Rifamycin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Lactobacillus Johnsonii

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Lactobacillus Johnsonii or Rifamycin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Lactobacillus Johnsonii or Rifamycin, 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 Rifamycin

This page covers Lactobacillus Johnsonii only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rifamycin 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 Rifamycin page

“Rifamycin (Aemcolo) is an antibiotic that stays mostly in the gut to treat travelers' diarrhea, and I would give its supplement list genuine care, chiefly for one major-rated entry among the 44. Activated charcoal, often taken for the very stomach upset this drug treats, can soak up rifamycin and cut how much survives to do its job.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rifamycin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Lactobacillus Johnsonii as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 17 real supplement products containing Lactobacillus Johnsonii, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lactobacillus Johnsonii. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Rifamycin too, on top of Lactobacillus Johnsonii — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Lactobacillus Johnsonii and Rifamycin 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 Johnsonii
Steady interest

#1,221 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Rifamycin
Top 25%

#550 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 Johnsonii

What is Lactobacillus Johnsonii?

  • Digestive and gut health
  • Supporting healthy gut bacteria
  • Diarrhea prevention or relief
  • Immune support
  • Helping with stomach (H. pylori) discomfort

Lactobacillus johnsonii is a probiotic bacterium found naturally in the human gut and in some fermented foods, and it is used mainly for digestive and immune support. Human evidence for most specific health claims is still limited, so its benefits are uncertain. It is generally well tolerated in healthy people, but anyone with a weakened immune system, serious illness, or who is pregnant should talk to a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Lactobacillus Johnsonii monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Rifamycin

What Is Rifamycin Used For?

Brand name: Aemcolo

  • Rifamycin is used to treat of travelers' diarrhea caused by certain bacteria. Rifamycin is in a class of medications called antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of the bacteria that cause diarrhea.

  • Antibiotics such as rifamycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

See full Rifamycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lactobacillus Johnsonii

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Lactobacillus Johnsonii — 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 Lactobacillus Johnsonii page.

No interaction 2,648 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Lactobacillus Johnsonii 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 Lactobacillus Johnsonii list.

See the full Lactobacillus Johnsonii interactions page
See every supplement checked against Rifamycin, 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
Lactobacillus Johnsonii monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Rifamycin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Rifamycin, ranked by severity Rifamycin 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 Lactobacillus Johnsonii and Rifamycin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Lactobacillus Johnsonii with Rifamycin?
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 Johnsonii and Rifamycin 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 Rifamycin and Lactobacillus Johnsonii?

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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.