Antibiotics are one of the miracles of modern medicine.  They have been used in phenomenal, life saving ways.  When used sparingly and appropriately, antibiotics can be life changing.  However, recently antibiotic use has become a quick fix solution to a multitude of conditions and issues in traditional, Western medicine.  The use of antibiotics is not without its fair share of side effects.  When used inappropriately, your body can become resistant to the positive effects of the drugs and they can cause side effects that can affect your health long term.  While this is true for anyone, these long term effects can be more prevalent when antibiotics are used in children 3 and under.

Children under 3 are still developing the most important, beneficial bacteria in their gut that forms their microbiota.  Studies have shown that antibiotic use early in life or mother’s antibiotic use during pregnancy or lactation can cause gut dysbiosis of the child.  This dysbiosis can have several different effects on the child both short term and long term.

The most common side effect of antibiotic use is diarrhea.  While this is a more short term effect, it is the most obvious sign of microbiota disruption in children and adults alike.

Research has shown that early use of antibiotics can have a direct effect on body weight.  Studies have shown a correlation between this type of drugs and an increased BMI by ages 4-7.

Interestingly, antibiotic use among young children has also been linked to immunity and food allergies.  The studies have specifically noted that dairy allergies have been the most common type of food allergy in young children treated with antibiotics.  Children that were breast fed by a mother who was treated with antibiotics during lactation also saw an increased risk for a dairy allergy, most commonly cow milk.

Antibiotic use in infancy is also a risk factor for allergic rhinitis and early onset childhood asthma.  

Antibiotic use before one year of age had the highest risk of inflammatory bowel disease development.  The risk, while still present, did decline through age 5.

Studies show a correlation between early antibiotic use and type 2 diabetes, however it is unclear if the antibiotics were prescribed over time to treat symptoms of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes or if the antibiotic use was the catalyst.  Studies are still suggesting that it is due to the use of antibiotics.

Finally, and possibly the most concerning in my opinion, is that antibiotic use has been shown to increase the risk of certain types of cancers.  The risk did increase with multiple rounds of antibiotics over time.  Several cancers were listed.  Among them: pancreatic, prostate, esophageal, gastric, lung and breast cancers.

The point here is to not fear antibiotics.  You should be mindful of the frequency and dosage of the medications.  You should also just be aware and be educated.  Awareness is key.  Don’t walk blindly into anything.  Ask questions.  Your doctor should have your best interest in mind and should be happy to answer questions. If not, you may need a new primary care physician.

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You’re probably a little confused right now . . . Let me break it down for you.

I have clients that struggle terribly with allergies and asthma.  They’ve tried everything.  Expensive allergy testing shows no allergies.  NONE.  Believe it or not, the problem may not be allergies, it may be issues with the gut.

It may sound crazy that your gut health would affect your sinuses, but the two systems are very intertwined. Both the respiratory tract and the digestive tract are immune barriers, meaning it’s their job to protect the body from outside invaders.

The gut in particular profoundly influences the entire immune system. When gut health suffers so does the rest of your body. This can even result in allergy symptoms that flare up each spring. 

Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, is a condition in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed and porous, allowing undigested foods, bacteria, yeasts, and other toxins into the bloodstream. The immune system launches an attack on these toxins, which creates inflammation throughout the body. For many people, this happens every time they eat.

This inflammation manifests in different ways for different people.  Gut symptoms don’t have to be present to suffer from inflammation caused by leaky gut.  It can cause joint pain, skin problems, digestive complaints, autoimmune disease, issues with brain function, fatigue, chronic pain, asthma, and…seasonal allergies.

Chronic stress also weakens and inflames the digestive tract, causing leaky gut. Stress doesn’t just have to come from a stressful lifestyle or lack of sleep, although those certainly play a role. Eating a diet high in sugar, fried and processed foods is stressful to the body, as is an unmanaged autoimmune disease, or hormones that are out of whack. These are just a few metabolic factors that can contribute to leaky gut.

If you need help managing chronic conditions or gut health, shoot Coach Kayli or I a DM. We’d be happy to jump on a coaching call with you to discuss your issues and help you get to the root cause.