Antibiotics are a staple of modern medicine and help us combat many illnesses that plague us throughout our lives. However, while antibiotics might eliminate the harmful infections that enter our system, they also harm the beneficial bacteria system that our health and specifically our gut relies on. So the question stands, when we take antibiotics to cure illnesses are we also permanently damaging the health of our gut?
In order to properly answer this question, we must dive deeper into the relationship between our gut health and antibiotic use as well as the complexity and importance of beneficial bacterial presence in our gut.
The Gut Microbiome and The Role of Beneficial Bacteria in the Gut
The gut microbiome refers to the group of bacteria, pathogens, and microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract. The presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut is essential for proper digestive health. The beneficial bacteria helps your body properly function and act out certain responsibilities such as nutrient absorption, immune system regulation, and proper nutrient breakdown. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance, in one’s microbiome causes a host of health issues including, but not limited to, inflammation, malnutrition, bloating, constipation, and poor immune responses.
Let’s discuss the many roles that beneficial bacteria have in the human body.
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Breaking Down Complex Carbohydrates and Fibers: Certain complex carbohydrates and fibers cannot be broken down by the human body alone. The beneficial bacteria helps our body be able to break down these essential nutrients properly. Once broken down, they turn into short-chain fatty acids that offer energy to certain cells throughout the body.
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Helps With Nutrient Absorption: Nutrient absorption is boosted with the help of beneficial bacteria. Without proper nutrient absorption, the body will not be able to reap the benefits of said nutrients. For example, it is crucial that we are able to absorb carbohydrates so that we maintain our energy levels.
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Supports the Immune System: There is a connection between the gut microbiome and the immune system that must be protected. A strong gut microbiome will help the immune system be able to distinguish between harmful and beneficial bacteria meaning less potential for illness and a higher tolerance to antigens.
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Supports a Strong Intestinal Lining: A strong gut microbiome goes hand in hand with a strong intestinal lining. If we struggle to maintain the beneficial bacteria in our gut, our gut lining becomes compromised allowing a chance for harmful substances to enter.
Given these many responsibilities that are tied to a strong gut microbiome, it comes to no surprise that we must protect our gut at all costs. Antibiotics can become an issue in our work towards achieving this goal, but there are ways to reverse the issues. However, we must first understand the relationship between antibiotic use and gut bacteria in order to address how to manage the setbacks we might experience.
The Side Effects of Antibiotic Use Including Digestive Complications
The elimination of beneficial bacteria alongside the harmful bacteria is what makes antibiotics a helpful yet complicated solution of modern medicine. Since a person’s gut health is connected to just about all sectors of our health, it comes to no surprise that this setback causes more than just bloating or digestive complications. We have addressed how this setback can cause immunity issues and poor nutrient absorption, but have you considered its connection to complications like yeast infections?
Antibiotic use can cause an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina causing an overgrowth of yeast to occur. When this happens, an infection develops that we now have to manage. In a similar fashion, the lack of beneficial bacteria present allows for harmful bacteria like clostridium to overgrow causing complications including diarrhea. Antibiotic overuse only further exacerbates these issues meaning we must try and keep our antibiotic use to a minimum.
While we appreciate the elimination of the original infection that the antibiotic was intended for, we must find a way to also protect our bodies against the harmful setbacks that occur due to antibiotic use. Luckily, there are some preventative measures we can take to ensure our body is protected.
How To Reduce The Side Effects Caused By Antibiotic Use
First and foremost, it is crucial to take the antibiotics prescribed to you as directed. This is incredibly important in ensuring that you avoid as many negative side effects as possible. For example, some antibiotics are required to be taken with food. When we avoid these directions, we make ourselves more susceptible to side effects such as nausea. We must also be sure to finish the antibiotic course as prescribed. While your symptoms might start to get better before the end of your antibiotic course, the bacteria might still be present in your system. We must ensure we get rid of all the bacteria in order to avoid reinfection or other issues.
We must also avoid unhealthy habits more than ever. Usual dehydrating habits such as drinking alcohol will only be further impacting while taking antibiotics. There can even be dangerous and severe complications by combining antibiotics and substances like alcohol. It is important to adhere to these warnings.
Probiotics are the item we do recommend keeping on hand to limit the negative effects of antibiotics. Probiotics can act as a defense for our gut microbiome and contribute beneficial microorganisms to our gut microbiome. We recommend taking a supplement that helps with bloating such as Probiotic Renu before, during, and after your antibiotic regimen. This will ensure that your body has the tools it needs to stay protected.
Probiotic-rich foods such as greek yogurt and sauerkraut are also great sources of probiotics similar to that of a supplement for bloating. The foods we consume and the beverages we drink are just as important as the substances we avoid. Water consumption is crucial in helping flush out the infection from your system and help you to avoid potential dehydration caused by the antibiotics.
When we are able to properly protect our bodies and know the items to avoid, we can safely take antibiotics without experiencing their potential setbacks.