Can Linex be used during pregnancy?

Linex: instructions for pregnancy

Indications for taking Linex during pregnancy

Prevention or treatment of diarrhea of various etiologies, constipation, gas formation, flatulence, loss of appetite, indigestion. Colonization of the intestines with beneficial microflora after antibiotic treatment.

Contraindications to taking Linex during pregnancy

Intolerance to the components of the drug.

Linux release form

For adults, the drug is available in capsules packaged in a blister or dark glass bottle with a plastic cap.

Especially for ease of use by the youngest patients, Linex is produced in the form of a liquid in a bottle with a drip dispenser and in the form of a powder in portioned sachets.

Composition of Linex

Active ingredients: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium infantis, Enterococcus faecium. The total content of beneficial bacteria in each capsule exceeds 1 billion 200 million colony-forming units.
Additional substances: lactose monohydrate, potato starch, dextrin, magnesium stearate.
Shell: gelatin, E171.

Composition of Linex Forte

Active substances: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis. The total amount of beneficial bacteria in one capsule is at least 2 billion colony-forming units.
Additional substances: anhydrous glucose, microcrystalline cellulose, potato starch, inulin, oligofructose, magnesium stearate.
Shell: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, E171, E172.

Linex during pregnancy: dosage

The daily dose for adults is 6 capsules, divided into 3 doses. During pregnancy, an increase or decrease in dosage is not required.

Linex forte during pregnancy: dosage

Linex Forte is used more economically. It is enough for an adult to take 1-3 capsules daily.

Linex: composition and medicinal properties

This medicine is available in capsule form. The product contains live dried bacteria. Linex is prescribed to pregnant women quite often, as it has a mild, but at the same time very effective effect on the body.

Compound

The capsules contain the following main active ingredients:

enterococci;
lactobacilli;
bifidobacteria.

The capsules have a shell that dissolves directly in the intestines, delivering beneficial substances directly to the site of action.

It is not advisable to drink Linex during pregnancy without a doctor's prescription . In the vast majority of cases, it is well tolerated and quickly produces a therapeutic effect.

Advantages of use

Advantages of using Linux:

elimination of diarrhea;
restoration of intestinal microflora;
improving the process of digesting food and assimilation of nutrients;
strengthening local immunity;
stimulation of bile acid processing.

Many other drugs, including those intended to normalize intestinal microflora, have side effects and have toxic effects. In this regard, Nystatin, for example, is not recommended for pregnant women.

For your information! It is not advisable to take Linex with other probiotics.

Medicinal properties

The main medicinal properties of Linex boil down to maintaining healthy intestinal microflora . If it works well, the body will receive more useful substances during pregnancy, including microelements and vitamins.

With the correct process of breakdown of food entering the gastrointestinal tract, its absorption takes place in both the small and large intestines. After treating dysbacteriosis, immunity increases, normal processes in the gastrointestinal tract are restored, and high-quality processing of bile enzymes is resumed.

The capsule will be more beneficial if you swallow it whole without breaking the shell. In this case, the release of its contents will occur directly in the intestines. The gelatin shell is completely harmless, but at the same time it protects the powdered contents from the effects of gastric juice.

Linex and Linex Forte: what is the difference

Linex contains lactobacilli, enterococci, bifidobacteria. The capsule in which the product is located is made on the basis of gelatin and is gastrosoluble.
There are no enterococci in Linex Forte, but the content of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria is several times higher than in classic Linex. Also, the composition of Linex Forte is enriched with prebiotics. The shell of Linex Forte is made on the basis of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and is enteric.

Consequently, Linex helps populate the intestines with a wider range of beneficial bacteria than Linex Forte. But the latter contains prebiotics, the effect of taking it appears faster, and the active substances have a better chance of reaching the site of action alive.

Composition and release form

Linex is available in one dosage form - capsules. This drug belongs to the group of eubiotics, which are live or dried microorganisms that can “come to life” in the human intestine. Linex contains lactic acid and bifidobacteria, enterococci, which are normally found in the digestive tract.

Once in the intestines, bacteria cause 5 main therapeutic effects:

A change in the environment in an acidic direction, which leads to the death of harmful microorganisms and better functioning of the intestinal digestive enzymes.
The release of vitamins K, C and some of group B. Due to this property, a person’s resistance to various diseases and infections increases.
Lactic acid bacteria are involved in the breakdown reactions of bile pigments and acids.
Lactic acid bacteria are capable of secreting their own antibiotics, which cause the death of pathogenic microflora.
Lactobacilli, being an essential component of the human intestinal microflora, increase immunological reactivity.

Controversy regarding the effectiveness of Linux

There is no consensus among doctors regarding the advisability of taking Linex.

According to the instructions, these drugs are useful because:

help fight pathogenic and opportunistic representatives of intestinal microflora by increasing intestinal acidity;
lactobacilli are involved in the synthesis of vitamins C, B, K, the metabolism of bilins and cholic acids;
increase the reactivity of the immune system.

According to research, Linex can indeed somewhat improve the course of some diarrhea, but is ineffective for chronic inflammatory or systemic diseases.

Skeptical medical professionals believe that probiotics are ineffective because:

the lactobacilli contained in the capsule are digested in the stomach or die in the intestines under the influence of the patient’s own microflora;
There are no large-scale randomized studies confirming the high effectiveness of drugs in this group.

Use during pregnancy

Pregnancy is not a contraindication to taking Linex, but its dosage, frequency of administration and duration of treatment must be agreed with your doctor . According to the instructions, the drug is taken 3 times a day, 1 (Linex Forte) or 2 capsules (Linex) after meals, washed down with plenty of water. The duration of the course depends on the indications and can range from 5–7 days to several weeks.

Taking Linex is allowed at any stage of pregnancy, including the first trimester, which is considered the most critical period, but only as prescribed by a doctor. In the early stages of gestation, the formation of vital organs and systems occurs, so the choice of medications should be treated with the greatest responsibility.

A specialist can prescribe Linex if the following symptoms of dysbiosis appear:

nausea and vomiting;
belching;
digestive disorders;
diarrhea;
constipation;
flatulence.

The drug is often prescribed during or after taking a course of antibiotics to restore intestinal microflora. But you should not take the drug on your own initiative, because the above symptoms can be caused not only by dysbiosis, but also by diseases that require other therapy. To establish an accurate diagnosis, as a rule, a coprogram is prescribed - a stool test for enzymes.

Consult your doctor about your existing intestinal problems to find the right and effective treatment

It is worth considering that Linex is not used as the main remedy for the treatment of acute intestinal infection. In this case, more serious medications are usually required, and prolongation of the disease can negatively affect the health of the mother and fetus. Call your doctor immediately if you have:

body temperature above 38 °C;
there were sharp pains in the abdomen;
blood or mucus was found in the stool;
diarrhea does not end after 2 days of taking Linex.

If you have diabetes or AIDS, you should consult your doctor before taking the drug.

The drug is usually well tolerated and does not cause side effects. Contraindications include only hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. In this case, allergy manifestations are possible - rash, itching and redness of the skin.

Linex contains lactose, so it is not suitable for people suffering from lactase deficiency and intolerance to milk proteins. An alternative to it could be Linex Forte, which does not contain lactose.

Linex during pregnancy: how to take it correctly

Capsules should be taken whole, without chewing, after meals. This will increase the chances that lactobacilli will reach the intestines unharmed. Take the capsules with at least 100 ml of warm liquid: water, milk.
Do not take capsules with hot liquids or drinks containing alcohol.
At least 3 hours should pass between taking an antibiotic or other drug and Linex.

Linex during early pregnancy

Linex will help the expectant mother in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the use of medications is significantly limited. It can help alleviate rotavirus infection or traveler's diarrhea.

Linex during pregnancy: 2nd trimester

In the second trimester, the product can be used to normalize microflora after treatment with antibiotics, to alleviate diarrhea caused by bacteria or viruses. Linex is also prescribed for increased gas formation, belching, and vomiting.

Linex during pregnancy: 3rd trimester

In the third trimester, the indications for use are the same as in the second.

Rules of application

If prescribed by a doctor, you can take Linex during pregnancy, following simple rules of administration:

If antibiotics are prescribed, then the interval between them should be at least 2, and preferably 3 hours;
Linex Forte is taken during pregnancy only if it is prescribed, since its composition differs from the main drug;
In case of severe diarrhea, it is necessary to drink Linex with a sufficient amount of water, avoiding dehydration;
Do not take the capsules with hot drinks or alcohol.

The exact dosage is selected for each woman individually. It depends on the severity of the disease and general health. Typically, during pregnancy, two capsules are prescribed three times a day. The duration of therapy is selected according to the condition: from a couple of weeks or more, if necessary.

It is not advisable to use Linex in the following cases:

at high temperature;
if there is blood in the stool or mucus;
abdominal pain;
lactose intolerance.

For your information! The body's reaction to Linex during pregnancy may differ from the reaction before its onset.

Linex for constipation during pregnancy

More than half of pregnant women experience constipation. First, the reason for this is progesterone, which has a relaxing effect not only on the uterus, but also on the smooth muscles of the intestines, and also slows down the digestion process. Also, the intestines of expectant mothers absorb liquid more abundantly, which makes the stool more dense. In the later stages, the enlarged pregnant uterus puts pressure on the intestines, disrupting peristalsis and making it difficult to pass feces.

According to the annotation for Linex, use during pregnancy is also possible for constipation. However, the drug may not help if the expectant mother’s defecation disorder is caused by physiological reasons.

Linex analogs

Linex is a third generation combined eubiotic; it includes several strains of microorganisms. The drug Bifiform has an almost similar composition; it is sold in various dosage forms: capsules, powders and tablets. The medications Atsipol and Atsilact also belong to the third generation of eubiotics, but they contain one strain of bacteria, which slightly reduces their effectiveness.

Fourth generation probiotics have a more advanced composition; in addition to bacteria, they contain sorbents (activated carbon), which increases their protective effect. Such drugs include Probiform, Florin Forte and Bifidumbacterin Forte. These drugs have an expanded list of indications; in addition to dysbiosis, they are used for gastroenteritis, rotavirus infections, shigellosis and other diseases. The use of fourth generation probiotics is possible only after examination and consultation with a doctor.

Contraindications and side effects

The main contraindication for using Linex during pregnancy is intolerance to the components of the drug.

As side effects, allergic reactions may occur, which are caused by the body's sensitivity to the components of the drug.

Did you know? The intestinal microflora includes about 500 types of microbes; they weigh more than 3 kg, half of which are found in the large intestine.

Thus, Linex is an effective and safe medicine for pregnant women; the main thing is to take the medicine on time and adhere to the dosage to achieve maximum results.

Indications for use

If symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain appear, a pregnant woman should consult her doctor to eliminate adverse health effects. Most often, a stool test is performed to make sure that the problem is caused by a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract. In other words - dysbacteriosis.

It is this diagnosis that is considered fundamental for prescribing Linex in the first trimester of pregnancy. During this period, disruptions in bowel function can haunt a woman quite often. The first trimester is unique in that in the first months the formation of the main organs and nervous system of the unborn child occurs. But the eubiotic does not affect these processes, which has been proven by long-term medical practice.

It is also possible to take Linex during pregnancy to restore intestinal microflora after using antibacterial drugs.

The drug is considered safe for women during breastfeeding, which makes it an even more attractive means for combating dysbiosis in women in an interesting position and after it.