Lactovita is a probiotic supplement — live bacteria taken to support the gut. It is used for diarrhoea, particularly after antibiotics, for bloating and irregular bowel habit, and for general digestive support. Check your pack for the strains and count, because those determine what it does.
What is Lactovita?
Lactovita is a probiotic — a preparation of live microorganisms intended to benefit the person taking them. It is a general-sale product in South Africa rather than a scheduled medicine, so read your own pack: probiotic formulations vary considerably, and the label is where the useful detail is.
Probiotics are not interchangeable, and this is the single most useful thing to understand about them. Their effects are strain-specific. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii have evidence for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea; a different Lactobacillus species may have none for that purpose. “Contains probiotics” tells you very little on its own.
What to look for on the label:
- The strain, not just the genus and species — the format is usually genus, species, then a strain designation.
- The count, given in CFU (colony-forming units), usually in the billions.
- A guarantee at expiry, not merely at manufacture — live organisms die off over time.
- Storage requirements. Some need refrigeration; others are shelf-stable.
How probiotics are thought to work: competing with harmful bacteria for space and nutrients, producing substances that inhibit them, strengthening the gut barrier, and interacting with gut immune tissue. They generally do not permanently colonise the gut — effects last while you are taking them and fade afterwards.
What is Lactovita commonly used for?
- Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, where probiotics have the strongest evidence.
- Acute infectious diarrhoea, where certain strains modestly shorten the episode.
- Travellers’ diarrhoea, for prevention in some cases.
- Irritable bowel syndrome, where some people find symptom relief.
- Bloating and irregular bowel habit.
- Restoring gut flora after a course of antibiotics or a gut infection.
- General digestive support.
- Thrush prevention in people prone to it after antibiotics, though evidence here is mixed.
After antibiotics
This is the use with the best support. Antibiotics kill useful gut bacteria along with the target, and diarrhoea is a common consequence.
Two practical points:
Space it from the antibiotic. Taking a probiotic at the same time as the antibiotic means killing much of what you have just swallowed. Two to three hours apart is the usual advice.
Continue after the course ends. The gut takes time to recover, and stopping the moment the antibiotic finishes cuts it short. A week or two beyond is reasonable.
But not all diarrhoea after antibiotics is minor. Severe, watery or bloody diarrhoea, particularly with fever and particularly if it starts after the course ended, can indicate Clostridioides difficile infection. That needs medical treatment, not a probiotic — and it is one of the more serious complications of antibiotic use.
And rehydration matters more than the probiotic. With any diarrhoea, fluid and electrolyte loss is the danger. Oral rehydration solution is the treatment that prevents harm, particularly in children and older adults.
Who commonly looks for Lactovita and why
- People taking or finishing a course of antibiotics.
- People with bloating, irregular bowels or IBS symptoms.
- People recovering from a stomach bug.
- Travellers, before or during a trip.
- Parents, for a child with a settled tummy upset.
- People prone to thrush after antibiotics.
- People with general digestive complaints looking for something gentle.
What to check on the label before taking Lactovita
Check the strains and the CFU count, and whether the count is guaranteed at expiry.
Check the storage instructions — a refrigerated product left in a warm car is largely wasted.
Check the expiry date. These are live organisms and viability declines.
Check for allergens. Probiotic products may contain dairy or soya, and some contain yeast — relevant if you are allergic or intolerant.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor before taking it if:
- You have a weakened immune system — chemotherapy, an organ transplant, advanced HIV, or immune-suppressing medicines. This is the important one.
- You have a central venous catheter or line.
- You are seriously ill or in hospital, or have recently had major abdominal surgery.
- You have short bowel syndrome or significant structural gut disease.
- You have valvular heart disease.
- The product is for a newborn or premature infant — never without medical advice.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are unsure about a specific product.
Safety, interactions and when to seek professional advice
Probiotics are safe for most healthy people. The commonest effects are mild and transient — bloating, wind and mild digestive upset in the first days, usually settling as the gut adjusts.
The exception matters. In people who are significantly immunocompromised or critically ill, live organisms can rarely cause serious infection — bloodstream infection or fungaemia has been reported, particularly with yeast-based probiotics in people with central lines. If you are immunosuppressed, ask a doctor before starting one rather than assuming a supplement is automatically safe.
Space them from antibiotics by two to three hours.
Do not use a probiotic to treat undiagnosed symptoms. Persistent change in bowel habit, blood in the stool, unintended weight loss, or symptoms starting for the first time over about 50 need investigating rather than supplementing. IBS is a diagnosis made after excluding other things.
Manage expectations. Probiotics may help specific problems, particularly antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. They are not a general health tonic, and the effect stops when you stop taking them.
Seek medical attention for severe, watery or bloody diarrhoea, especially with fever or after a course of antibiotics; for blood in the stool or black tarry stools; for unintended weight loss; for a persistent change in bowel habit; for fever or feeling unwell while immunosuppressed and taking a probiotic; or for signs of dehydration, particularly in a child or older adult.
Related supplement guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Lactovita used for? Digestive support — diarrhoea, particularly after antibiotics, bloating and irregular bowel habit. It is a probiotic containing live bacteria.
When should I take it relative to my antibiotic? Two to three hours apart. Taking them together means the antibiotic kills much of the probiotic you have just swallowed.
How long should I continue after antibiotics? A week or two beyond the end of the course is reasonable, since the gut takes time to recover.
Are all probiotics the same? No. Effects are strain-specific, so check the exact strains and the CFU count. “Contains probiotics” alone tells you little.
Is it safe for everyone? For most healthy people, yes. People who are significantly immunosuppressed, critically ill, or have a central line should ask a doctor first.
Does it need refrigeration? Check your pack — some do and some are shelf-stable. A refrigerated product left warm loses much of its viability.