Contrary to the opinion of the conventional medical establishment, there is no free lunch when it comes to antibiotics. Doctors, for the most part, are still handing out prescriptions like candy to their patients despite the continuing and growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
There is now a strain of tuberculosis (TB), the scourge of the last century, that is completely resistant to all antibiotics. Doctors have nicknamed this TB strain “TDR” for Totally Drug-Resistant. As of January 2012, a dozen patients in India were infected with this TB superbug.
The problem with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections continues to expand with babies and children representing a large chunk of the cases. I’ve been contacted by more than one young mother recently who was beyond desperate to resolve an MRSA infection in her child – an infection which was resisting all conventional treatments like antibiotics.
Beyond the problem of antibiotic resistance, however, are the long term effects of even a single round of antibiotics. The expectation in the health community that you can just fix the damage with probiotics and/or fermented foods and that gut flora magically returns to normal seems to be far from accurate.
Evidence is now emerging from multiple sources that gut flora may actually be permanently altered by drugs or, at the very least, the damage persists for several years.
Gut Damage from Antibiotics Persists for Long Periods of Time
The Journal Microbiology reports that the generally acknowledged precept that use of antibiotics only causes disruption of the gut flora for a few weeks is highly flawed.
Gut flora does not quickly return to normal after a round of antibiotics.
Even a short course of antibiotics can lead to resistant bacterial populations taking up residence in the gut that persists for up to 4 years – maybe even longer.
As a result, researchers are urging prudence and restraint in the use of antibiotics in order to prevent treatment failure for patients that have resistant bacterial populations still residing in their intestines from previous courses of antibiotics.
What this means is that taking antibiotics today for an illness that is not life-threatening may, in fact, lead to a growth of superbugs in your gut that could actually threaten your life down the road and prevent antibiotics from working for you when you desperately need it.
Could Damage to Gut Flora Be Permanent?
Dr. Martin Blaser MD of New York University’s Langone Medical Center who writes in the August 2011 edition of Nature, has this to say about damage to gut flora from antibiotics:
Early evidence from my lab and others hints that, sometimes, our friendly flora never fully recover. These long-term changes to the beneficial bacteria within people’s bodies may even increase our susceptibility to infections and disease. Overuse of antibiotics could be fueling the dramatic increase in conditions such as obesity, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, which have more than doubled in many populations.
As evidence, Blaser goes on to say that infections with H. pylori, the bacterial cause of ulcers, has plummeted in recent years. H. pylori, as it turns out, is very susceptible to the same broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat children’s ear infections and colds which are doled out without much thought at most pediatrician offices.
Shockingly, the majority of children routinely receive up to 20 courses of antibiotics before the age of 18. In addition, between one third and one-half of pregnant women receive antibiotics during pregnancy. The high C-section rate also negatively affects the composition of gut flora of these children. They completely miss out on exposure to Mom’s friendly bacteria as they travel through the birth canal.
This is a lot of antibiotic exposure for our younger generations and the implications for those children who don’t acquire H. pylori due to excessive antibiotics appear to be dramatic with a higher risk for both allergies and asthma. This may be the case even when attempts to repair the gut after a course is completed are followed.
Blaser’s research group has also observed that lack of H. pylori in the human body affects the production of ghrelin and leptin, 2 hormones that play a factor in weight gain.
Preservation of the MicroBiome
The composition of a person’s microbiome, not only in the gut but also on the skin and everywhere in the body, has huge implications for long term health. Altering this balance with antibiotics not only negatively affects the variety of bacterial species present but also promotes the retention of resistant bacteria in the gut for up to 4 years and perhaps far longer.
Preservation of your personal microbiome is critical and affects not only your health but the health of your children as parents bequeath their microbiome to their offspring.
Blaser observes that:
“Each generation … could be beginning life with a smaller endowment of ancient microbes than the last.”
If Dr. Blaser and the other researchers are correct, it seems that people need to guard their microbiome against the assault of antibiotics in the same manner that they protect their home and possessions with locks on the doors.
Bottom line?
If your illness is not life-threatening, skip the antibiotics even for something like strep which even WebMD admits will almost always resolve without drugs or complications. The risk to your future health is just too great otherwise.
Sources and More Information
Long-Term Impacts of Antibiotic Exposure on the Human Intestinal Microbiota
Short-term antibiotic treatment has differing long-term impacts on the human throat and gut microbiome
Stop the Killing of Beneficial Bacteria
Are Antibiotics Always Necessary for Strep Throat?
The 11 Best Natural Antibiotics and How to Use Them
How to Kick Strep Throat Faster and Better Without Antibiotics
First i must say that i am a HUGE fan of your blog and ideas … and i thank you for such amazing work … but i must confess: the more i read your blog (i kind of read most of it already) the more i feel doomed and that made me really depressed … i cannot eat entirely like you and the WPF suggest because where i live there is no access to most of the things you suggest … i took so much antibiotics during my lifetime and i messed up really good and now i hear that there is no way out … i spend a fortune buying the supplements and getting them delivered to my country … and i became obsessed with fermented food and everything good i can get my hands on … but no matter how hard i try i always get the message loud and clear from your blog (and many others who are similar) that i am doomed and it’s not going to work … i just wanted to let you know how desperate this almost dogmatic view to nutrition might seem to people … sorry if i was too harsh
Sasha- For 9 years, I wrote a column for my local paper. It was to be about events in the community or light-hearted issues of general interest. But some weeks, coming up with material to write about was difficult. Either things were too quiet in town, or I simply felt like I had nothing to say in particular that week. I was always thankful in those times for a piece of news that i could spin and turn into a column. If I didn’t write a column, then I didn’t get paid.
Why am I telling you all this? Because perhaps when a blog post is expected as often as Sarah’s come out, it becomes difficult to find something that will appeal to everyone, but it still has to be written, so she simply goes with it. I can’t speak for Sarah, but it seems like running a blog would be a horrendous task; not only to continue to come up with interesting topics, but to research them, fact check them, etc. Sometimes the info she shares is going to be a downer, but the bottom line is that, it is informative.
But overall I get the jist of what you are saying. When you follow all these blogs the overall message can get heavy on some days. Don’t eat this, avoid that, make sure you eat more of that! UGH! Its maddening. I was getting to the point where it was overwhelming me too! So now, on many days, I scan the info and put it on the back burner. If I ever need it, I’ll Google it and then do further research from the bloggers I respect. You aren’t the only person I’ve seen express this message. It seems like many people are feeling overwhelmed by all the messages of doom and gloom on many of the sites I frequent. Its stressful and exhausting! So, I just decided to say “F it” and eat well, sleep well, laugh hard and play daily, and let the rest worry about itself!
I agree with Susan. Ultimately you have to find what works for you. I have just about done it all – and I’m only 36!! I did a traditional type diet back in Europe, then went the lowfat route. Then went back to somewhat traditional diet, then WAPF, then gluten free, then GAPS and now… well, it’s a GAPS style, somewhat traditional whole foods is the best I can describe!! I do the best I can. Like you, because of my situation I can only get some things in the ‘best’ category: grassfed local beef, organic produce, etc. but not others (pastured eggs here are not that great). My bottom line is this: you can only do the best with what you have right now. GAPS has taught me that miracles are possible, even with substandard food (not local, grassfed, organic, etc.). So keep on plugging!! Do the best you can, take small steps in the right direction, etc.
The quote above only that the evidence ‘hints’ that flora may not recover. Who’s to know for sure??? This may mean that some people may simply have to eat more fermented food for longer, take a stronger probiotic, etc. but they may heal. So what if we’re only 95% or 90%? Who’s to say??
P.S. Stress will do you no good – and will only harm you in the long run.
Yes, I agree not to get too crazy about every new thing that you learn; I also have to say that I am working my way through the Weston Price book and unless I misread, it seems that once some of these folks that he studied went off and then back on their native eating, their health problems began to relent. The human body is an amazing thing and has “talents” that we just don’t fully understand. So, trust that when you are doing the best you can, learning more all the time and praying for God to direct you, it will work out. God bless all those who are searching for TRUTH.
Sadly, after doing tons of reading, I gave up and began to give antibiotics to my 2 and half year old for a uti, (proteus penneri). I read that D-Mannose was ineffective against this bacteria, and that she risked liver damage. Does anybody know of any alternative treatment? Either way, I think that I will have to complete this treatment anyway. It has been one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made since becoming a parent. Sarah, do you have any advice for me? I feel defeated. I am giving her Culturelle in between the two daily doses of Septra. I really, really did not wanted to give it to her and always allowed her to heal everything naturally in the past, but this time I got really scared.
This is info on the homeopath we use. She is truly amazing. I met her during her visit to our island, but she consults most of her clients long-distance. She has been successful in treating all manner of illness and you can just check in with her whether she could help with your problem as well. She sure helped us with ours! Best wishes!
Phyllis Georgic, Pennsylvania Homeopath,
One of the nation’s best classical homeopath’s, Phyllis Georgic, She works with Amish communities in Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio, and has literally reversed major illnesses for children and adults treating everything from measles, to cancer, to the common cold. She also treats people with their constitutional homeopathic remedy, and works long-term with her patients.
Call her at:412-708-2167 or 412.445.0970 or 724.887.4001
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She is also available for acute consultations which will assess a situation like a broken bone, sprain, common cold, etc., rashes, etc.
Testimonials:
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“During my first pregnancy, I was sick for 9 months. During my second pregnancy, in the fourth month I was referred to Phyllis. I went from throwing up 3-5 times a day, extreme exhaustion, constant nausea, and within one day, of taking the remedy prescribed, I went to throwing up once a day and within 5 days, I was cured and had a beautiful pregnancy and beautiful healthy baby. When Phyllis first began treating me for the insistent vomiting, I was so malnutritioned from not being able to keep food down, I woke up with an ear infection, pink eye, and a sore throat. She was able to provide me a remedy that cured my ailments without antibiotics.”
“I call Phyllis regularly to treat my family for common colds — sore throats, flu, etc.. Upon telling her our symptoms, she’ll prescribe a remedy, and usually within 24 hours, we are completely better. She is so quick and experienced that she knows which remedy to prescribe within minutes.”
“My son got whooping cough a few years ago when it was prevalent on Kauai. With the right remedy, he was over it within three weeks, while many other children were sick for up to 90 days.
I’ve used pure oregano oil for earache and infection. Cleared the problem.
@ Margaret. Would tea tree oil have worked on an ear infection? I shop with melaleuca, so ofCourse I have some on hand, just never heard this before. I reluctantly took my daughter to the dr for amoxicillin last week. I didn’t know what else I could do for her.
Friends also used garlic oil on a bad ear infection their toddler had, very successfully. Knock on wood, we haven’t had any at our house.
I can’t remember the link at the moment, but I heard recently that a doctor cured a disease that had to do with bad bacteria overgrowth using a “fecal transplant.” Not an entirely pleasant idea, but it has the potential to quickly replenish gut bacteria to healthy levels.
Hi, Amber. I’m pretty sure you’re talking about curing an infection with Clostridium difficile (C. diff, for short) with a fecal transplant. C. diff can be caused by a number of things that disrupt gut flora, including antibiotic use. It is notoriously difficult to treat and sometimes it recurs despite persistent treatment. Fecal transplant can be used in some of these cases.
Hi Sarah,
I’ve been wondering for quite some time now… what are your thoughts on rice cakes? I’ve can’t make up my mind whether to put them in the same category as popcorn or processed cereal… Do you think they’re suitable for a healthy diet?
Love, Leanne — a fellow foodie & certified nutritionist with a huge passion for “alternative health” 🙂
The website is for WHO facts on TB. Being in the health field, this is something I am concerned about. Over prescription of antibiotics is common, mostly because people are uninformed and think it will help viral infections, asking for it. Physicians can fell pressured to prescribe it not wanting to lose patients, or just by incompetence. I have seen some Drs starting to prescribe probiotics when patients are on them, which I think is a good step toward greater awareness of the problem. As for TB, many cases or drug resistance are because of noncompliance due to poverty or lack of quality medication. The course of treatment is 6 months, and some people just stop taking them. That only wounds the bacteria, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger goes for bacteria as well. Thanks for educating people in the judicious use of antibiotics.
Sorry, heres the link. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/index.html
Are you willing to say what brand you are using?
my 7.5 yr old son sounds like he has just developed bronchitis. i was going to take him to the doc today but i know that he will come out with a scrip for antibiotics. what are my alternatives????
This reaffirms my choice to not use antibiotics just recently to treat a skin infection in my daughter. It felt like a bit of an experiment, and I did not know how serious the infection could be, so I was ready to pick up the Rx if needed. However, we successfully navigated it by removing grains, sugar, and dairy from her diet for almost a week, used colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and liquid garlic. She broke her own fever and the infection visibly appeared better within a day, improving each day thereafter.