Gut Health

Is it Die-Off or Something Else?

How to tell and speed through it comfortably.

You’re taking probiotics, and it seems like they’re making you feel worse.

But you were having gut problems before, and that’s why you started taking the probiotics. So maybe it’s just a flare up? Or maybe you ate something that triggered more discomfort? But the timing… what if it is the probiotics?

If this came on suddenly and dramatically, what you are experiencing is probably being caused by pathogens dying off. Which is great news because that’s a sure sign that your probiotics are working exactly the way you want them to! Because fewer pathogens in your system means you’ll be healthier and happier every day.

Even though die-off is a good sign, going through it can feel awful… but not if you handle it the right way. You can speed through this temporary issue with minor discomfort—or maybe no discomfort at all—with a few simple tricks.

How to Tell If It’s Die-Off

Die-off side effects are easy to mistake for other issues, but there is a way to tell the difference. The most common issues associated with die-off include:

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A lot of those feelings could be what led you to take probiotics in the first place. And you’d thought they’d go away, but now you suddenly feel dramatically worse.

That’s the key—suddenly and dramatically. Die-off can come on hard and fast. And usually there’s been some kind of change like starting a probiotic, switching probiotic brands, adding in prebiotics, taking antibiotics, or experiencing something that altered your gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria in your gut).

So while die-off often hits when you’ve just started a new probiotic regimen, it can happen at any time.

And while it sounds awful… and temporarily feels awful… die-off is actually a very good thing.

Die-Off Is a Positive Sign

Your gut microbiome contains trillions of bacteria, good and bad. In a healthy gut microbiome, beneficial probiotic bacteria greatly outnumber harmful pathogens… but there are still pathogens hanging around all the time. The probiotic bacteria can keep those pathogen populations down most of the time. But sometimes, the pathogens start to take over, growing until they outnumber the probiotics, contributing to all kinds of health problems.[1]

Getting your gut microbiome into a healthy balance involves maximizing probiotics and minimizing pathogens. And die-off is a crucial part of detoxing and balancing your gut. Your microb