The effect of antibiotics on the digestive tract
Everyone’s heard of antibiotic resistance, and that’s in essence a type of drug resistance where a microorganism is able to overcome exposure to an antibiotic. This regrettable phenomenon is thought to have come about because of over-prescription and usage of antibiotics.
However, long-term use and excessive use of antibiotics has various other major side effects, apart from resistance. One of the most well known effects is their impact on the digestive system and the balance of micro flora in the stomach.
How do antibiotics impact the digestive system?
Antibiotics accomplish the task by either destroying bacteria (bacteriocidal antibiotics) or by hindering bacteria from growing (bacteriostatic antibiotics).
No doubt, they can be extremely valuable in overcoming bacterial infections, in spite of the antibiotic resistance that exists. Having said that, as pointed out above, they do carry a danger of unwanted effects.
One of the major troubles with antibiotic usage us that, while they are intended to eliminate bacterial cells, they can’t be made specific to only harmful bacteria (i.e. the pathogen causing the condition). Regrettably, they also get rid of the crucial healthy bacteria in the body.
Healthy bacteria grow in their millions all over the body – on the skin, in openings including the mouth, nose area and genitals and, most of all, in the intestines of the gastrointestinal tract. They carry out crucial tasks at all of these locations, yet their principal job is to safeguard our bodies against potential pathogens. The antibiotics are therefore wiping out our bodies’ natural capacity to shield itself down the road.
So how exactly does an imbalance of intestinal flora affect your wellbeing?
Healthy intestinal flora is essential for several bodily processes, including forming stools, maintaining a robust gastrointestinal system and synthesising critical vitamins (such as B vitamins). However, they’re most important to the proper functioning of our immune systems.
You may be astonished to be told that the key to our immune system is in our gut. Believe it or not, 70% of all antibody producing cells in your body are found in what is known as “Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue” or GALT. This represents the biggest collection of immune cells in the body.
An imbalance of gut flora can have a wide variety of unpleasant side effects and manifest in numerous ways. For instance, fungi (such as Candida albicans) and bacteria such as pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C difficile are inclined to use the opportunity offered by the body’s decreased protection and are then much better placed to develop far more easily. This is one of the reasons why antibiotic courses generally trigger thrush (a fungal infection caused by Candida overgrowth).
Similarly, C difficile infections have become common in hospital wards and nursing facilities during the last 10 years. The reason is, after antibiotic therapies, the C difficile can grow swiftly without the body’s natural constraints. The bacteria generate unhealthy toxins that irritate and eliminate the cells that line the large intestine, which can lead to intense diarrhea and internal bleeding. Various other digestive symptoms and complaints are also really common, such as dysbiosis, toxic bowels and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to mention but a few.
Numerous tests have also noted variations between the gut flora of obese people and those of a “normal” size, implying that an imbalance may well have an impact on your weight and/or mean that it is tougher to slim down.
Sustaining a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria
Research indicates that the damage done by antibiotics to the gut may last for a far longer timeframe than was formerly thought. Stanford University scientists in the United States evaluated the friendly gut bacteria in 3 fit adult women both before and after each of 2 rounds on the antibiotic Cipro. Following the initial cycle, they discovered that the drug decreased the level of the women’s beneficial bacteria in the gut significantly, perhaps even permanently. Following the second round half a year later, they discovered that the effect was exponentially greater.
Therefore, it is best to take antibiotics only when essential, i.e. when an infection is bad enough to result in pain and distress, or is life threatening or a risk to others. They shouldn’t be utilised as a recurring “quick fix” for slight ailments and lengthy courses ought to be avoided whenever realistically practicable.
If antibiotic usage is unavoidable, a lot of people find it helpful to supplement their diets with additional good bacteria (called probiotics), before, during and after the course of antibiotics is finished. It’s believed that this will assist to re-populate the gut with the good bacteria that the antibiotics have eliminated.
Specialist Supplements Ltd offer a selection of high quality probiotics, including:
Multi-Flora ProBio: An 8-strain spectrum of friendly lactic bacteria, which should inhabit a healthy gut. 4 billion viable (living) probiotic organisms per vegetable cellulose capsule. Suitable for vegetarians.
ProBiotic MAX: Practitioner strength of 20 billion live probiotic bacteria per vegetable cellulose capsule. Also provides 8 strains of friendly bacteria for full spectrum support of the whole digestive and intestinal system. Suitable for vegetarians.
InternaCALM: A yeast probiotic, which contains 5 billion cfu Saccharomyces boulardii per vegetarian capsule. Suitable for vegetarians.
Check them out now by clicking on any of the links above!
* Before taking supplements, you are recommended to consult a physician or qualified health practitioner – particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication.