Live Cultures in Foods
Hello! I have a question regarding live cultures such as those found in yogurts, fermented foods etc. I am on Orencia infusions and have had conflicting information regarding the safety of live cultures and probiotic types of foods. Orencia has been a game changer for me and I don't want to invite any unnecessary problems. In one of the drug interaction sites it says to use caution with lactobacillus acidophilus. From Drugs dot com "Depending on the dose and length of time you have been on abatacept, you may be at risk for developing rare infections from exposure to products containing live bacteria or yeast." I have avoided some of my go to "healthy" foods due to the risk of bacteremia or fungemia. Any feedback on this would be helpful. Thanks!
I definitely understand your concern, and it makes sense that you’d want to be cautious with the foods you normally enjoy. Since you’ve come across conflicting information about live cultures and probiotics, your rheumatologist or pharmacist would be the best person to clarify what’s appropriate while you’re on Orencia. In the meantime, until others chime in and share their experience, I wanted to share this article that discusses probiotics and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/should-i-take-probiotics. Hopefully, it gives you some helpful information to discuss with your care team. -All the best, Latoya (Team Member)
