Drug & supplement interaction

Probiotics + Colestipol

Colestipol brand name: Colestid.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Probiotics and Colestipol in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Colestipol states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Probiotics and Colestipol

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Colestipol and Probiotics in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Probiotics safety at a glance

Probiotics overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in healthy people, but those who are seriously ill or immunocompromised should use them only under medical guidance.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Limosilacto... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum are used... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Colestipol and Probiotics? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Colestipol

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Colestipol is filed under 2 classifications — bile acid sequestrants, oral drugs. Probiotics has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being antibiotic drugs (moderate) and antifungals (minor) — and none of Colestipol’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Probiotics Does Interact With Other Medications

Probiotics has 182 moderate, 40 minor known drug interactions in our database — Colestipol isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 182 Minor 40 No known interaction 2,608 (incl. Colestipol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Probiotics

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Probiotics and Colestipol May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Bloating or gas / Stomach upset / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    Probiotics

    “Orally, gastrointestinal adverse effects such as diarrhea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, belching, and flatulence have been reported rarely with probiotics (2,3169,16841,90235,90239,90271,90291,95381,107520,110846). See individual topics for details.”

    Probiotics · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    6 sources cited
    1. 2. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    2. 3169. Phuapradit P, Varavithya W, Vathanophas K, et al. Reduction of rotavirus infection in children receiving bifidobacteria-supplemented formula. J Med Assoc Thai 1999;82:S43-8.
    3. 16841. Miele E, Pascarella F, Giannetti E. et al. Effect of a probiotic preparation (VSL#3) on induction and maintenance of remission in children with ulcerative colitis. Am J Gastroenterol 2009;104:437-43. PubMed
    4. 90235. Beerepoot MA, ter Riet G, Nys S, van der Wal WM, de Borgie CA, de Reijke TM,Prins JM, Koeijers J, Verbon A, Stobberingh E, Geerlings SE. Lactobacilli vs antibiotics to prevent urinary tract infections: a randomized, double-blind, noninferiority trial in p DOI
    5. 90239. Chatterjee S, Kar P, Das T, Ray S, Gangulyt S, Rajendiran C, Mitra M. Randomised placebo-controlled double blind multicentric trial on efficacy and safety of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium BB-12 for prevention of antibiotic-associated
    6. 90271. Krag A, Munkholm P, Israelsen H, von Ryberg B, Andersen KK, Bendtsen F. Profermin is efficacious in patients with active ulcerative colitis--a randomized controlled trial. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2013;19(12):2584-92. PubMed

    Colestipol

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Colestipol. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Probiotics

    “Orally, probiotics have been reported to cause rare cases of rash, itching and redness, and dermatitis. See individual topics for details.”

    Probiotics · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 90236. Begtrup LM, de Muckadell OB, Kjeldsen J, Christensen RD, Jarbøl DE. Long-term treatment with probiotics in primary care patients with irritable bowel syndrome--a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Scand J Gastroenterol 2013;48(10):1127-35 PubMed
    2. 110848. Hanifi A, Culpepper T, Mai V, et al. Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis R0179 on gastrointestinal viability and general wellness: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults. Benef Microbes 2015;6(1):19-27. PubMed
    3. 93707. Merenstein DJ, Smith KH, Scriven M, Roberts RF, Sanders ME, Petterson S. The study to investigate the potential benefits of probiotics in yogurt, a patient-oriented, double-blind, cluster-randomised, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 20 PubMed

    Colestipol

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Colestipol. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Probiotics but not commonly for Colestipol: a higher chance of infection and itching.

Effects for Colestipol come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Probiotics come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Probiotics in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Safe

When Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Ligilactobacillus salivarius, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium longum are used orally and appropriately, short-term. See individual topics for details. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of other probiotics during pregnancy.

Lactation Possibly Safe

When Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum are used orally and appropriately, short-term. See individual topics for details. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of other probiotics during lactation.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Colestipol Products Have a Food Rule — Probiotics Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Colestipol says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Probiotics included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Colestipol on its own and move Probiotics to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Colestipol products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

Patients should take other drugs at least one hour before or four hours after colestipol hydrochloride tablets to minimize possible interference with their absorption.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Colestipol — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Colestipol Is Prescribed For, and What Probiotics Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Colestipol is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Probiotics is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Colestipol is prescribed for: Colestipol — available as oral suspension and tablets under brands including Colestid, Flavored Colestid, and Colestipol Hydrochloride — is used as part of a broader treatment plan (including diet) to lower elevated LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (a condition where LDL cholesterol stays high despite dietary changes). It is not a standalone fix. Diet, weight management, and other lifestyle changes come first, and colestipol is added when those steps alone aren't enough to reach target LDL levels.

Probiotics has been studied for:

  • Hypercholesterolemia Natural Medicines rates the evidence for Probiotics: Possibly Effective Read what the research shows

    Probiotics for hypercholesterolemia

    Oral probiotics seem to be beneficial for hypercholesterolemia.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Colestipol on your own; if you are taking Probiotics for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Probiotics or Colestipol

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

This page covers Probiotics only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Colestipol page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 8 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Colestipol page

“Take colestipol (Colestid), a cholesterol drug that works by trapping bile acids in your gut, and nearly every one of the 18 supplement interactions on file comes down to absorption. Only one rates major, activated charcoal, and it belongs at the top of your reading.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Colestipol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 15 real supplement products containing Probiotics, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Probiotics. Even though Probiotics itself has no known interaction with Colestipol, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Probiotics and Colestipol 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 Probiotics
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Colestipol
Top half

#1,038 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Probiotics reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Probiotics and Colestipol records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Probiotics

What is Probiotics?

  • Digestive health and regularity
  • Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Vaginal and urinary health
  • Immune support
  • General gut microbiome balance

Probiotics are live 'friendly' microbes that may help certain digestive conditions, such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and some cases of IBS, though benefits depend heavily on the specific strain and dose. They are generally well tolerated for healthy people but should be used with caution by those with serious illness or weakened immune systems. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor to pick a product that matches your goal.

Live microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) · Capsules, tablets, powders, chewables, gummies, drops, and fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Probiotics is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Probiotics record says about it on its own.

Probiotics: dosing

There is no single standardized dose for probiotics, because the right amount depends on the specific strain and the reason for use. Doses are often listed in colony-forming units (CFU), and products can range widely.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and choose a product whose strain has been studied for your specific goal. A pharmacist can help you match a product to your needs and check that it is appropriate for you. Store probiotics as directed—some require refrigeration to keep the organisms alive.

From our Probiotics monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Probiotics monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Colestipol

What Is Colestipol Used For?

Brand name: Colestid

Colestipol — available as oral suspension and tablets under brands including Colestid, Flavored Colestid, and Colestipol Hydrochloride — is used as part of a broader treatment plan (including diet) to lower elevated LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (a condition where LDL cholesterol stays high despite dietary changes).

It is not a standalone fix. Diet, weight management, and other lifestyle changes come first, and colestipol is added when those steps alone aren't enough to reach target LDL levels.

See full Colestipol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Probiotics

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Probiotics — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
182Moderate
40Minor
2,607No known interaction
182 Moderate 40 Minor 2,607 No interaction
Moderate

182 interactions

Showing 60 of 182 moderate interactions — see all 182 on the Probiotics page.

Minor

40 interactions

No interaction 2,607 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Probiotics against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,607 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Probiotics list.

See the full Probiotics interactions page
See every supplement checked against Colestipol, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Probiotics References

The 77 references that drive our Probiotics monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Niault M, Thomas F, Prost J, et al. Fungemia due to Saccharomyces species in a patient treated with enteral Saccharomyces boulardii. Clin Infect Dis 1999;28:930.
  3. Pierce A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York: The Stonesong Press, 1999:19.
  4. Phuapradit P, Varavithya W, Vathanophas K, et al. Reduction of rotavirus infection in children receiving bifidobacteria-supplemented formula. J Med Assoc Thai 1999;82:S43-8.
  5. Pletinex M, Legein J, Vandenplas Y. Fungemia with Saccharomyces boulardii in a 1-year-old girl with protracted diarrhea. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1995;21:113-5. DOI
  6. Fredenucci I, Chomarat M, Boucaud C, et al. Saccharomyces boulardii fungemia in a patient receiving ultra-levure therapy. Clin Infect Dis 1998;27:222-3.
  7. Elmer GW, McFarland LV, Surawicz CM, et al. Behaviour of Saccharomyces boulardii in recurrent Clostridium difficile disease patients. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 1999;13:1663-8.
  8. Lewis SJ, Freedman AR. Review article: the use of biotherapeutic agents in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 1998;12:807-22. PubMed
  9. Saxelin M, Chuang NH, Chassy B, et al. Lactobacilli and bacteremia in southern Finland 1989-1992. Clin Infect Dis 1996;22:564-6. PubMed
  10. Tynkkynen S, Singh KV, Varmanen P. Vancomycin resistance factor of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in relation to enterococcal vancomycin resistance (van) genes. Int J Food Microbiol 1998;41:195-204. PubMed
  11. Klein G, Zill E, Schindler R, et al. Peritonitis associated with vancomycin-resistant Lactobacillus rhamnosus in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patient; organism identification, antibiotic therapy, and case report. J Clin Microbiol 1998;36:
  12. Kalima P, Masterton RG, Roddie PH, et al. Lactobacillus rhamnosus infection in a child following bone marrow transplant. J Infect 1996;32:165-7. PubMed
  13. Goldin BR. Health Benefits of probiotics. Br J Nutr 1998;80:S203-7. DOI
  14. Rautio M, Jousimies-Somer H, Kauma H, et al. Liver abscess due to Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain indistinguishable from L. rhamnosus strain GG. Clin Infect Dis 1999;28:1159-60.
  15. Cesaro S, Chinello P, Rossi L, Zanesco L. Saccharomyces cerevisiae fungemia in a neutropenic patient treated with Saccharomyces boulardii. Support Care Cancer 2000;8:504-5. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Probiotics and Colestipol Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Probiotics with Colestipol?
We do not list a known interaction between Probiotics and Colestipol. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Probiotics and Colestipol have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Probiotics and Colestipol at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Colestipol says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Colestipol on its own and move Probiotics to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Probiotics and Colestipol used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Probiotics in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Colestipol is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Probiotics and Colestipol combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Colestipol is filed under 2 classifications, and Probiotics has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Colestipol's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Probiotics interact with any other medications?
Yes. Probiotics has 222 documented drug interactions in our database — Colestipol is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Colestipol interact with any supplements?
Yes. Colestipol has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Probiotics is not one of them. The Colestipol interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Probiotics monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Colestipol drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Colestipol supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Colestipol, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 77 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Colestipol and Probiotics?

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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.