Antibiotics and Gut Health

Antibiotic Resistance and Microbiome

There are millions of people who have damaged gut flora resulting from the use and overuse of chemical medication and antibiotics. The consequences can be dire, the symptoms can become debilitating. According to the University of Copenhagen, The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, antibiotics have long been linked to the depletion of healthy gut bacteria. The function of gut bacteria can recover after antibiotic treatment in healthy people. However, after six months, the gut still lacks nine common beneficial bacterial species.

It has been proved time and time again there is no magic pill for healing. The human body was not designed to ingest artificial chemically based medications or semi-synthetic antibiotics. It has taken many years and unpleasant symptoms for us to become aware of just how much damage these antibiotics can do to our digestive system. For decades, we have been unconsciously programmed and drawn away from natural healing, mostly by advertising, conditioning, big pharmaceutical companies, and unaware doctors, with little or no training in natural medicine or nutrition. We are now having natural healing modalities removed from our health insurance due to the massive lean towards natural healing and away from Big Pharm and their hold on the direction and suppression of our health.

Doctors Are Not to Blame

This is not the fault of doctors, and many are now far more open to natural medicine, which is promising. Unfortunately for most people, the chemically-based medication produces many side effects, which then have to be treated with even more chemically-based medication, piling one problem onto another. Pharmaceuticals do have their place in healing, and I am not disputing that. Many people are living longer and healthier lives due to the help of medications. They do have their place in the healing spectrum, but many are simply band-aid solutions covering up the underlying health problem and keeping the health issue suppressed.

What is the gut microbiome?

Gut microbiomes are communities of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes that live within the human gastrointestinal tract.
There are over 1000 different species that have been identified, and they play a key role in physiological functions:

• Digestion
• Metabolism
• Immune system
• Behaviour

Gut microbiomes help break down food that the human digestive system alone cannot process. They also produce essential nutrients and play a critical role in protecting the immune system against invading pathogens. Imbalances or disruptions in the gut microbiome, known as dysbiosis, have been linked to various conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and even neurological conditions like depression and anxiety.

Gut Health and Chemically Based Antibiotics

The worst thing for your body, particularly your gut health is chemical-based or semisynthetic antibiotics. The consequences of just one course will weaken your immune system leaving you open to all sorts of infections, including candida, thrush, and fungal infections, which can be stubborn to eliminate and hard on your diet as you have to eliminate so many foods for such a long time. The answer to improving your gut health after antibiotics are to focus on your whole digestive system. Once you have balanced your digestive system, your body has a good vantage point for ongoing healing.

7 Main-Stream Antibiotic Drug Treatments and Unpleasant Side Effects

Antibiotics can have significant impacts on the gut microbiome, often leading to imbalances with various consequences. Here are some of the key side effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome:

1. Dysbiosis: Antibiotics can alter the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome, often by killing off beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones. This disruption can lead to a state of dysbiosis, where there is an imbalance in the gut microbial community.
2. Reduced diversity: Antibiotics can decrease the overall diversity of bacteria in the gut, as they non-selective in their killing action, affecting both harmful and beneficial species.
3. Overgrowth of pathogens: With the reduction of beneficial bacteria, there’s a risk of opportunistic pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff), proliferating in the gut. C. diff infections can cause severe diarrhoea.
4. Increased antibiotic resistance: Prolonged or repeated use of antibiotics can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut. These resistant strains may persist after antibiotic treatment.
5. Immune system effects: The gut microbiome helps regulate the immune system. Antibiotics can affect immune function, potentially leading to increased susceptibility.
6. Metabolic effects: Changes in the gut microbiome composition can influence metabolic processes, including the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.
7. Gastrointestinal symptoms: Antibiotics can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. These symptoms may be related to gut microbiome disruption or direct irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.

What About Healthy Gut Flora?

Gut flora is responsible for maintaining the correct gastrointestinal functions Gut flora balances several types of bacteria that produce vitamin B and vitamin K2; which are needed for the production of healthy digestive enzymes. Your gut responds to signals from your brain, indicating out-of-balance flora and inflammation. This is why it is so important to re-balance the imbalance in your gut flora after antibiotics.

When your gut is toxic this can result in unpleasant symptoms, that may well go undiagnosed by medical practitioners and are labeled irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or some other Gastrointestinal Disorders such as chronic constipation, diverticular diseases, colitis, colon polyps.

If you decide to take your health into check nurture yourself and focus on healing your gut with a lifestyle change and add natural herbs, supplements, and a diet based on healthy food then it is likely your health will improve and balance out any gut issues will be reduced significantly, including the symptoms. This can be done with the help of a qualified natural health practitioner, or by taking an active role in your healing and researching the many healing tools available.

Where Does Good Gut Bacteria Come From?

85% of the function of the healthy human immune system is the good bacterium found in the gut? Naturally born babies arrive sterile with gut flora pasted on all over from our mothers via the birth canal and then via breast milk. If you were not lucky enough to have been breastfed or your mother had unhealthy gut flora, or you were born by caesarean section it is more than likely you encountered unhealthy bacteria right from the start of your life.

Lack of Good Bacteria and Digestive Problems

Lack of healthy bacteria can result in the establishment of digestive problems very early in life, that never get diagnosed, and end later on with a host of gastrointestinal disorders, including parasite infestation, and other health problems mentioned above. Because bad bacteria and yeast tend to overgrow in people with poor digestive functions, the toxins that are produced can lead to bloating, gas and indigestion, and a list of other symptoms that cannot always be identified by a GP.

This leads to further investigation that can come up with negative results and ongoing tests that can be very expensive. The digestive tract is layered with healthy bacteria, which provides natural barriers against unwelcome foreign invaders, food that has not been digested correctly, nasty toxins, heavy metals, and parasites.

This barrier can be damaged by a host of different things, especially your colon. The good bacteria that protect the lining of the gut wall work hard to fight off invading bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms that over time lead to disease. They do this by creating substances like antibiotics, anti-fungal and anti-viral substances, that wake up the immune system which then deals efficiently with unwanted invaders.

Improving gut health after antibiotics

It is important to restore the balance of beneficial bacteria and promote overall digestive wellness. Here are tips to help improve gut health after antibiotics:

• It helps the gut to balance if you add probiotic-rich foods – incorporate foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and kombucha into your diet. These foods contain live beneficial bacteria that can help replenish the gut microbiome.
• Consider probiotic supplements: Taking a high-quality probiotic supplement containing a variety of beneficial bacterial strains can help restore gut flora. Look for supplements with strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Choose a broad-spectrum brand.
• Add prebiotic foods: Prebiotics are types of fibre that feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Include foods like onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, bananas, and whole grains in your diet to support the growth of beneficial bacteria.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps support overall digestive health and prevents constipation, which can be a side effect of antibiotics.
• Eat a diverse diet: Consume a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to provide your gut with a broad range of nutrients and promote microbial diversity.
• Limit sugar and processed foods: High-sugar and processed foods can negatively impact gut health by promoting the growth of harmful bacteria. Limit your intake of these foods and opt for whole, unprocessed foods instead.
• Manage stress: Stress can disrupt gut health by affecting digestion and altering the composition of gut bacteria. Practice stress-reducing activities such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, or spending time in nature.
• Get enough sleep: Adequate sleep is essential for overall health, including gut health. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support your body’s natural healing processes.
• Consider digestive enzyme supplements: Digestive enzyme supplements can help support digestion and nutrient absorption, especially after antibiotic use when gut bacteria may be temporarily disrupted.

Note: It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or supplement regimen, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

Article for further reading

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181023110545.htm

To Summarise

Even though our gastrointestinal tract is an ecological niche for bacteria in the human body, there is still more to learn about its characteristics. Your whole intestinal tract is very susceptible to many external and internal factors that affect the quantity and quality of the microbiome living there.