Antibiotics — Making an Informed Decision.
Most people have been prescribed antibiotics at some point in their lives.
However, as patients and consumers, it is important that we empower ourselves with enough knowledge about the benefits and potential harm that can occur as a result of taking this drug.
Therefore, my questions are;
Do we really know why antibiotics are being prescribed?
What is their actual purpose?
Are they being over-prescribed?
At what point do they go from being therapeutic to detrimental, not only to our health as an individual but the health of the collective?
This blog sets out to answer these questions and explain the risks associated with the misuse of antibiotics.
What is the purpose of antibiotics?
They are designed to fight infections caused by bacteria. They work by either killing off the pathogenic bacteria or by inhibiting its growth. (4).
Some Bacterial infections that antibiotics can treat: (this list is not extensive).
· Strep throat
· Whooping cough
· Urinary tract infections
Therefore, it is important for us to understand that antibiotics will not treat any viral infections such as:
· Influenza
· Colds
What are the risks involved in the overuse and overprescribing of antibiotics?
Here is a typical scenario of what happens when we get a bacterial infection, i.e tonsilitis.
We visit our GP, and they will provide us with a two-week prescription of antibiotics and generally this will clear the infection up and we can go on with our lives.
But what happens if the infection doesn’t go away?
We go back to our GP and they prescribe us with more antibiotics, that are often of a stronger strain. This repeated pattern of prescribing can cause some of the following problems:
· Antibiotic Resistance
· Increases in Disease Severity
· Inflammation
· Adverse Health Effects
· Candida Albicans
Let’s look at each one of these in a little more detail.
Antibiotic Resistance
The over prescribing and overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance. This is because pathogenic bacteria mutate into a stronger strain in which most antibiotics are unable to fight against.
Bacteria that now exists as a result of antibiotic resistance include;
- methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)
- multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
- carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) gut bacteria (3).
According to the World Health Organisation this leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and a higher risk of mortality (death). (9).
Increase in Disease Severity
Whilst antibiotics are known for targeting pathogenic bacteria, they are unable to differentiate between bad bacteria and our own healthy microbiome, especially broad-spectrum anti-biotics which are developed for the purpose of treating many types of bacteria, when the exact one isn’t known.
When our own microflora is depleted, it can have a detrimental effect on how our immune system functions. It not only effects the immune systems response to illness such as influenza, but it also promotes inflammation within the intestine and other organs.
Inflammation
When inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract occurs for a prolonged period of time, this can lead to increased gut permeability, also known as ‘leaky gut’ but what does this mean?
Within the small intestine there are epithelial cells, and they contain tight gap junctions. These junctions are designed to filter through nutrients to the blood stream, and to keep out any larger proteins and waste debris. When inflammation occurs over a period of time, these junctions start to develop larger gaps and as a result allow proteins and other harmful substances to enter the blood stream having a detrimental effect on the immune system. (5).
Intestinal Permeability is associated with:
Asthma
Eczema
Food Allergies and Intolerances
Coeliac Disease
Crohn’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriasis
And more….
I will discuss all of these different conditions, in another post, but for now let’s keep it on topic.
Candida Albicans
Candida Albicans is a yeast infection that is generally found within the mouth, or within vaginal area and is commonly known as Thrush.
This usally can be treated by taking a simple tablet for the internal issue and a cream for the external problem.
However, what most people do not know is that it can become systemic affecting many areas of the body including, gut, nervous system and brain, nails, skin and it can ultimately have an effect on immune function.
The reason that this occurs as a result of antibiotic use is because when the antibiotics take out our beneficial microbiome this leaves space for Candida to grow. When Candida becomes systemic, it can become increasingly tricky to treat, candida feeds off of sugar and carbohydrates, so it is then a case of completely eliminating those foods for a period of time in order to kill off the fungus. For anyone that has ever tried to give up carbohydrates you will know how incredibly difficult this is to implement. (1,2). However, this does not mean that it is impossible to treat and heal, especially with the help of a qualified natural health practitioner.
Final Thoughts
Antibiotics have been revolutionary in the way that we treat bacterial infections, without them there would have undoubtedly been more deadly illnesses and higher motality rates. However, along with almost any substance on the planet there is a tipping point for when it becomes detrimental to our health.
It is therefore our responsibility as conscious independent adults, to educate ourselves in this area so that we can make informed decisions when it comes to taking prescription antibiotics.
If you feel that you may be suffering as a result of long term use of antibiotics, or any of the conditions mentioned in this post. Then please contact your GP and Natural Health Practitioner as soon as possible.
Here is to a future of knowledge and empowerment.
Reference List
(1) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/candida-symptoms-treatment
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC441005/?page=1
(3) https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria
(4) https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/community/about/should-know.html
(5) https://www.naturmend.com/blog/2013/02/22/leaky-gut-intestinal-permeability/
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26857/
(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26857/
(8) https://www.leaf.tv/3722371/side-effects-of-long-term-antibiotic-use/
(9) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance
