Study: Antibiotics can alter gut microbiome for years
A new Swedish study just found that certain antibiotics can change your gut microbiome for up to eight years (even from a single course of treatment).
These changes aren't just temporary either; lower microbiome diversity has been associated with conditions such as obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Research team is now working to identify which gut microbiomes are most susceptible to disruption
Not all antibiotics are equal here: penicillin V was linked to more short-lasting changes in gut bacteria, but others like clindamycin and fluoroquinolones can shake things up for much longer.
The team looked at nearly 15,000 adults' microbiomes using national health data.
As Tove Fall, professor of molecular epidemiology and principal investigator, put it, understanding these effects helps doctors pick medications that are gentler on our guts when possible.
The researchers are now collecting additional samples to clarify recovery time and identify which gut microbiomes are most susceptible to disruption.