Drug & supplement interaction

Levilactobacillus Brevis + Rifaximin

Rifaximin brand name: Xifaxan.

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

Levilactobacillus Brevis has a moderate interaction with Rifaximin. Theoretically, taking Levilactobacillus brevis 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

Levilactobacillus Brevis and Rifaximin

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Rifaximin

Rifaximin falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Levilactobacillus Brevis interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Levilactobacillus brevis with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. brevis.
Levilactobacillus brevis 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. brevis 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 pair: Rifaximin is an antibiotic, and like other antibiotics, it doesn't know the difference between unwanted bacteria and the friendly bugs in your probiotic. Levilactobacillus brevis supplements contain live, active organisms, so taking them at the same time as Rifaximin may simply kill off many of those probiotic bacteria before they can do anything useful.

This won't make your Rifaximin dangerous or less able to treat your traveler's diarrhea, IBS, or hepatic encephalopathy. It mostly means you could be wasting your probiotic. A simple fix is to space them apart by at least two hours. This concern is based on pharmacology rather than strong human studies, so it's more practical than alarming. If you're unsure about timing, 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

Levilactobacillus Brevis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Levilactobacillus Brevis has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Rifaximin 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. Rifaximin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Levilactobacillus Brevis

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Levilactobacillus Brevis or Rifaximin

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

This page covers Levilactobacillus Brevis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rifaximin 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 Rifaximin page

“Activated charcoal is the one entry here I would treat as a hard stop while taking rifaximin (Xifaxan). Charcoal binds drugs in the gut and can cut how much gets absorbed, and it carries the only major rating among the 44 supplements on this page.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rifaximin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Levilactobacillus Brevis and Rifaximin 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 Levilactobacillus Brevis
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Rifaximin
Top half

#1,209 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 Levilactobacillus Brevis

What is Levilactobacillus Brevis?

  • Digestive health
  • Gut microbiome support
  • Immune support
  • Oral and dental health
  • Vaginal health

Levilactobacillus brevis (formerly Lactobacillus brevis) is a lactic acid bacterium found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi, and is used as a probiotic. Early research suggests possible benefits for gut and immune health, but strong human evidence is still limited. It is generally well tolerated in healthy people, but anyone with a weakened immune system or serious illness should talk to a doctor first.

Read the full Levilactobacillus Brevis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Rifaximin

What Is Rifaximin Used For?

Brand name: Xifaxan

Xifaxan (rifaximin) tablets treat three distinct conditions. For travelers' diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli, it is approved for adults and children 12 and older. For irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), it is approved for adults. It is also used in adults to reduce the chance that hepatic encephalopathy (confusion and other brain symptoms caused by liver disease) will come back.

Important limits apply: Xifaxan should not be used for travelers' diarrhea that comes with fever, blood in the stool, or when a pathogen other than E. coli is suspected. It is also not suitable for bacterial infections outside the gut, because very little of the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream.

See full Rifaximin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Levilactobacillus Brevis

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Levilactobacillus Brevis — 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 Levilactobacillus Brevis page.

No interaction 2,648 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Levilactobacillus Brevis 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 Levilactobacillus Brevis list.

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

Can you take Levilactobacillus Brevis with Rifaximin?
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 Levilactobacillus Brevis and Rifaximin 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 Rifaximin and Levilactobacillus Brevis?

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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.