Super Fitness Health BlogThe effect of antibiotics on the digestive system
Most of us have heard of antibiotic resistance, that is in essence a sort of drug resistance where a microorganism is able to survive exposure to an antibiotic. This regrettable trend is assumed to have come about as a consequence of over-prescription and use of antibiotics.
Yet, long-term application and unneccessary use of antibiotics has other sorts of significant side effects, aside from resistance. One of the most well known effects is their impact on the gastrointestinal system and the balance of micro flora in the stomach.
How can antibiotics damage the digestive system?
Antibiotics operate by either killing bacteria (bacteriocidal antibiotics) or by precluding bacteria from expanding (bacteriostatic antibiotics).
Undoubtedly, they can be highly effective in dealing with bacterial infections, in spite of the antibiotic resistance that exists. Nonetheless, as pointed out above, they do carry a danger of negative effects.
One of the leading difficulties with antibiotic usage us that, while they’re created to eradicate bacterial cells, they cannot be programmed to kill only harmful bacteria (i.e. the pathogen causing the infection). The fact is, they also destroy the critical healthy bacteria in the human body.
Healthy bacteria develop in their millions throughout the body – on the skin, in openings including the mouth area, nostrils and vagina and, most importantly, in the intestines of the gastrointestinal system. They carry out crucial tasks at all of these areas, however their key task is to guard our bodies against potential pathogens. The antibiotics are therefore destroying our bodies’ natural power to protect itself later on.
Can an imbalance of intestinal flora affect your wellbeing?
Healthy intestinal flora is very important for a number of physiological processes, including forming stools, sustaining a robust gastrointestinal system and manufacturing critical vitamins (such as B vitamins). Yet, they’re most crucial to the ideal functioning of our immune systems.
You may well be shocked to be told that the key to our immune system is in our gut. In fact, seventy percent of all antibody producing cells in your body are located in what is named “Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue” or GALT. This represents the biggest group of immune cells in the body.
Imbalances of intestinal flora can have a range of bad side effects and manifest in several ways. By way of example, fungi (such as Candida) and bacteria like pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C difficile are likely to use the chance given by the body’s decreased immunity and are then much better placed to increase considerably more easily. This is a primary reason why antibiotic courses frequently trigger thrush (a fungal infection caused by Candida overgrowth).
Likewise, C difficile infections have become very common in medical facilities and nursing facilities during the last ten years. This is because, after antibiotic therapy, the C difficile can grow swiftly in the absence of the usual limitations. The bacteria develop poisons that inflame and kill the cells that line the large intestine, be a catalyst for acute diarrhoea and internal bleeding. Many other digestive ailments and complaints are also quite typical, such as dysbiosis, toxic bowels and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to mention but a few.
A variety of tests have also identified differences between the gut flora of chronically overweight subjects and individuals of a “normal” size, meaning that an imbalance could have an effect on your weight and/or cause it to be more difficult to reduce weight.
Maintaining a healthy balance of friendly and unfriendly bacteria
Studies have shown that the damage done by antibiotics to the gut can last for a far longer timeframe than was once assumed. Stanford University experts in the USA analysed the beneficial gut bacteria in 3 healthy adult women both before and after each of 2 rounds on the antibiotic Cipro. After the initial cycle, they discovered that the medication affected the level of the women’s beneficial bacteria in the gut significantly, even perhaps permanently. After the second cycle six months later, they noted that the effect was exponentially greater.
Consequently, it is advisable to take antibiotics only when absolutely necessary, i.e. when an infection is severe enough to cause discomfort and distress, or is life threatening or a hazard to others. They should never be utilised as a recurring “quick fix” for trivial afflictions and lengthy courses should be avoided wherever reasonably possible.
If antibiotic usage is unavoidable, many people find it beneficial to supplement their diets with additional good bacteria (called probiotics), before, during and after the course of antibiotics is completed. It’s considered that this will help to re-populate the digestive tract with the friendly bacteria that the antibiotics have annihilated.
Specialist Supplements Ltd supply a selection of premium 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.
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