Overuse of Antibiotics May Harm Good Bacteria

Too much use of the miracle drugs we know as antibiotics can lead to harmful, long-term effects on the body. In an editorial recently published in the journal Nature, Dr. Martin Blaser, chairman of the department of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, cautioned that although antibiotics provide many health benefits for those who are in need of them, overuse of the drugs may be changing our entire bacterial makeup.

Blaser warns of the potential dangers of these changes, in addition to the increase in risk for the development of antibiotic resistance, and beseeches doctors to be more cautious when prescribing antibiotics. Blaser also theorized that too much use of antibiotics could promote a dramatic increase in the occurrence of a number of diseases and medical conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and allergies, due to the destruction of protective bacteria in the body.

Antibiotics are chemical substances derived from microorganisms like fungi and bacteria that are used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms. The most common use is in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, though it can also be used to treat minor discomforts and aid in the healing of minor wounds.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in a way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs. So it is important that antibiotic drugs be used appropriately and carefully and used only to people with bacterial infections who need them the most.

In an interview with ABC News, Blaser acknowledged, “Antibiotics are miraculous…. They’ve changed health and medicine over the last 70 years. But when doctors prescribe antibiotics, it is based on the belief that there are no long-term effects. We’ve seen evidence that suggests antibiotics may permanently change the beneficial bacteria that we’re carrying.”

Blaser pointed out that until science finds a way of creating antibiotics designed to destroy specific organisms, rather than wiping out all bacteria, elimination of overuse of the drugs is the best method for prevention of rampant disease, and preservation of good bacteria necessary to maintaining health.

Good Bacteria and What it Does: Page 2