We are sure you know by now that your gut does more than digest food; it plays a key role in your overall physical and mental health! With the right foods, daily habits, and a bit of extra support, you can keep your digestive system running smoothly and feel your best, whether you’re at home or exploring the world. In this article, our Nutritional Therapist Annie will be talking about how to avoid digestive upset while travelling.
When you’re away from home, your digestive system can take a hit from unfamiliar foods and water, changes in routine, and new environments. Just like packing sun protection and bug spray, probiotics can help keep you on top of your health and well-being and reduce any digestive trouble, whether you are out exploring or relaxing on the beach.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics offer a simple way to help keep your gut balanced and resilient. These live bacterial strains make antibacterial compounds, including bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide, and organic acids, helping to modify the microbiome to prevent harmful bacterial growth. Not only this, but probiotics also: i
- Assist in digestion and absorption
- Support the immune system
- Synthesise and support the bioavailability of nutrients
- Reduce the risk of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes
- Support the integrity of the intestinal lining
- Support neurotransmitter and hormone production and activation
Are probiotics really needed for travel?
It is estimated that up to 40 million people suffer from diarrhoea when travelling per year, which lasts on average two days. While this is often resolved, many people seek medical attention and may even experience subsequent digestive disturbances for weeks, if not months, after. To support your gut health and help prevent diarrhoea during your time away, it is often recommended to take probiotics before, during, and after travel.[i]
Is there a specific type of probiotic to take when travelling?
Saccharomyces Boulardii
Saccharomyces Boulardii (SB) is a type of non-pathogenic probiotic yeast that has been shown in research to be effective in preventing and managing traveller’s diarrhoea and alleviating various gastrointestinal diseases. This specific strain is used in the management of various gut conditions, with research supporting its use in antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, acute infections, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. The versatility of SB may be due to its multitude of actions in the gut, including disrupting pathogen activity and their ability to adhere to the gut lining, supporting the restoration of healthy gut microbiota, modulating the immune system, and promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids, which all contribute to a healthier gut environment.[ii]
How does Saccharomyces Boulardii support gut health when travelling?
One of the ways SB supports gut immunity is by enhancing the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), both of which play key roles in helping the immune system respond to infections.iii Research has shown that SB can break down toxins produced by Clostridium difficile and Escherichia coli, and can also inhibit the growth and spread of Candida albicans. [iii] The use of SB has been explored alongside standard treatment in the eradication of H Pylori, where it was seen to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.[iv],[v] Additional studies suggest that SB, when used alongside standard treatment, may be effective in managing Giardiasis, highlighting its potential for multitarget therapeutic applications.[vi]
The research into Saccharomyces Boulardii
Research into the use of SB began decades ago, with early studies showing a notable reduction in travel-related diarrhoea.[vii], More recent research has found its beneficial use with participants experiencing acute inflammatory diarrhoea. Participants taking SB reported noticeable improvements within 3 to 4 days, whereas those in the control group who did not receive the supplement did not experience relief until day 5 or later. This suggests that SB may shorten the duration of diarrhoea by approximately 19.7 hours, which is a long time when you’re trying to enjoy your time away! ii
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluated the overall effectiveness of probiotics in preventing traveller’s diarrhoea (TD). The review included various strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces boulardii. Among these, SB stood out as one probiotic strain shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of TD.[viii]
SB is frequently recommended by practitioners to support a client’s gut health in cases such as bacterial overgrowth, candida, and more. It may be used as a standalone intervention in more sensitive individuals or integrated into a broader therapeutic protocol. Clinical experience and research also support its effectiveness in managing loose stools and alleviating symptoms associated with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). [ix]
A note on antibiotics and the gut ecosystem
Any disruptions in the gut ecosystem, whether it be an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria or low levels of the beneficial species, can be detrimental to overall health. Any changes in the microbial community, as a result of taking antibiotics, for example, can alter the functionality of the microbiota and affect the metabolites they produce. Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and digestive dysfunction are common adverse effects of systemic antibiotic treatment that can last up to 2 months post-treatment. The symptoms range from mild to severe diarrhoea, the latter often co-existing with post-antibiotic infections such as Clostridium difficile.viii
It is well-known that broad-spectrum antibiotics reduce microbiota diversity, which, as mentioned, can predispose individuals to the overgrowth of pathogenic or undesirable bacteria, further disrupting the ecosystem. We know that antibiotics certainly have a place in modern medicine, however, their overuse may have contributed to the issue of global antibiotic resistance, which has implications for both the health of the microbiome and the health of the host.[x]
Taking probiotics during antibiotic therapy appears to have a protective effect on the gut microbiome, by helping to minimise the damage and limit the long-term health concerns that may result from a disrupted gut microbiome. [xi] Post-antibiotic therapy is a prime time for opportunistic pathogens to be activated.[xii]
Summary: Probiotics and travel
The use of probiotics to prevent travellers’ diarrhoea, digestive upset, and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea is well known in Nutritional Therapy practice, with research supporting the use of a multi-strain formula to support the microbiome before, during, and after both travel and antibiotics. Certain strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii have been shown to be additionally protective.[xiii]
References
[i] Alharbi BF, Alateek AA. Investigating the influence of probiotics in preventing Traveler’s diarrhea: Meta-analysis based systematic review. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2024;59:102703. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2024.102703
[ii] Fu H, Chen Z, Teng W, et al. Effects of fructooligosaccharides and Saccharomyces boulardii on the compositional structure and metabolism of gut microbiota in students. Microbiol Res. 2024;285:127741. doi:10.1016/j.micres.2024.127741
[iii] Salazar-Parra MA, Cruz-Neri RU, Trujillo-Trujillo XA, et al. Effectiveness of Saccharomyces Boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic in acute inflammatory viral diarrhoea in adults: results from a single-centre randomized trial. BMC Gastroenterol. 2023;23(1):229. Published 2023 Jul 3. doi:10.1186/s12876-023-02863-8
[iv] Seddik H, Boutallaka H, Elkoti I, et al. Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 plus sequential therapy for Helicobacter pylori infections: a randomized, open-label trial. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2019;75(5):639-645. doi:10.1007/s00228-019-02625-0
[v] Yu J, Cui C, Ma K, Yang P, Jiang Y, Wang X. Effectiveness and safety of vonoprazan and amoxicillin dual regimen with Saccharomyces boulardii supplements on eradication of Helicobacter pylori. BMC Gastroenterol. 2024;24(1):430. Published 2024 Nov 26. doi:10.1186/s12876-024-03524-0
[vi] Besirbellioglu BA, Ulcay A, Can M, et al. Saccharomyces boulardii and infection due to Giardia lamblia. Scand J Infect Dis. 2006;38(6-7):479-481. doi:10.1080/00365540600561769
[vii] Kollaritsch H, Holst H, Grobara P, Wiedermann G. Prophylaxe der Reisediarrhöe mit Saccharomyces boulardii. Ergebnisse einer plazebokontrollierten Doppelblindstudie [Prevention of traveler’s diarrhea with Saccharomyces boulardii. Results of a placebo controlled double-blind study]. Fortschr Med. 1993;111(9):152-156.
[viii] McFarland LV, Goh S. Are probiotics and prebiotics effective in the prevention of travellers’ diarrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2019;27:11-19. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2018.09.007
[ix] Bustos Fernández LM, Man F, Lasa JS. Impact of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 on Bacterial Overgrowth and Composition of Intestinal Microbiota in Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients: Results of a Randomized Pilot Study. Dig Dis. 2023;41(5):798-809. doi:10.1159/000528954
[x] Patangia DV, Anthony Ryan C, Dempsey E, Paul Ross R, Stanton C. Impact of antibiotics on the human microbiome and consequences for host health. Microbiologyopen. 2022;11(1):e1260. doi:10.1002/mbo3.1260
[xi] Plummer, S. F et al (2005) ‘Effects of probiotics on the composition of the intestinal microbiota following antibiotic therapy’, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 26(1), pp. 69–74.
[xii] Hodzhev V, Dzhambazov K, Sapundziev N, et al. High-dose Probiotic Mix of Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Bacillus coagulans, and Saccharomyces boulardii to Prevent Antibiotic-associated Diarrhea in Adults: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial (SPAADA). Open Forum Infect Dis. 2024;11(11):ofae615. Published 2024 Oct 21. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofae615
[xiii] Kim SK, Guevarra RB, Kim YT, et al. Role of Probiotics in Human Gut Microbiome-Associated Diseases. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2019;29(9):1335-1340. doi:10.4014/jmb.1906.06064
All of our blogs are written by our team of expert Nutritional Therapists. If you have questions regarding the topics that have been raised, or any other health matters, please do contact them using the details below:
nutrition@cytoplan.co.uk
01684 310099
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Last updated on 18th June 2025 by cytoffice
