Most of us we find ourselves, at least once a year, sitting in the doctor’s office to get a prescription for antibiotics, or even reaching for last years leftovers. If this sounds familiar, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. Antibiotics are the number one most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States.
We understand that when used properly, antibiotics can eliminate life threatening bacterial infections. However, according to a 2014 study published in BMC magazine, nearly 50% of antibiotics prescribed for home use are unnecessary. What’s the big deal, aren’t we better off being “safe than Sorry?” The answer to that is no.
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections; however, when taken it cannot differentiate between the “bad” microbes and the “good,” consequently it kills both. The microbes in your gut play crucial roles in digestion, immunity, metabolism, and mental health. Sixty to eighty percent of your immune system is located in your gut and ninety percent of your neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that help regulate mood, are produced in the gut. Not only is the gut often referred to as the second brain, it is recognized as an organ itself.
Taking antibiotics affects the body in areas of glucose metabolism, food digestion, memory development and brain cell growth and damages the immune system. Let’s not forget, antibiotic resistance is also a serious problem associated with overuse. Maintaining the proper balance of bacteria and other microorganisms in the gut is crucial, not just to digestion, but overall health and wellbeing. Studies suggest after one round of broad spectrum antibiotics it can take the body up to a year for the gut to get back to healthy homeostasis.
What can we do? First, get a good probiotic and use it during and after taking antibiotics. Second, eat “gut healthy” foods such as yogurt, kombucha kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut, that help cultivate new microbiota. Lastly, and most importantly, remember that antibiotics should always be carefully used. Sinus infections, middle ear infections, cough and even sore throat are most often viral and antibiotics will not help.