#1

Antibiotics can reduce diversity in the gut microbiome, raising the risk of infections that cause diarrhea - and the effects may last years

Taking a single course of antibiotics for less than two weeks can reduce the diversity of your gut microbiome for years. When the balance of microorganisms in the gut is disrupted, certain bacteria can dominate, leading to diarrhoea.

Researchers already knew that antibiotics can reduce the diversity of bacterial species in the gut for up to two years, but the longer-term consequences were less clear.

Paywalled article (if someone has access to the full article, please post):

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453800-one-course-of-antibiotics-can-change-your-gut-microbiome-for-years/

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966842X24002592

https://ashpublications.org/blood/article-abstract/doi/10.1182/blood.2024025366/518296/Antibiotic-induced-loss-of-gut-microbiome?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03274-2

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/antibiotics-screwed-up-my-gut-now-what

https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/are-we-getting-closer-to-defining-a-healthy-gut-microbiome-heres-what-recent-studies-show/

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#2

Scary. I avoid antibiotics like the plague. I have already had a lifetimeā€™s worth of gut wrecking.

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#3

What would you use instead of antibiotics when you have a bacterial infection, like bronchitis or pneumonia?

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#4

If you are asking me, I should say I avoid bacterial infections even harder. But if I get one, Iā€™ll use the old ways before resorting to antibiotics. In my past I went to antibiotics as fast as I could convince the doc to prescribe it. I didnā€™t care about anything but getting well fast. Now, only if the old ways donā€™t work will I get antibiotics. I might be crazy but Iā€™m not stupid.

Old ways:

  • breathing steam into lungs (what my mom taught me to do; I also add essential oils to water)
  • getting sunlight or NIR on skin (my mom taught me to use an incandescent bulb close to skinā€¦now I use NIR lamp)
  • methylene blue (on skin, in mouth, eat it to get into bloodstream and into bladder)
  • topical antibiotics (no gut impact)

Iā€™ll bet there are many other ways to help the body fight bacterial infections. Who knows any that work?

#5

Bacterial pneumonias are extremely serious and need to be treated with abx. IF are you prone to bacterial pneumonias there is something major wrongly with you. Very healthy people that eat well, exercise a lot, sleep well, etc. donā€™t get bacterial pneumonias.

BTW I seen a ton of asthmatics that are misdiagnosed with ā€œpneumoniaā€ or ā€œbronchitisā€ and urgent care saw something on the CXRā€¦ it usually turns out to be viral URI with reactive asthmatic bronchitis

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#6

Inhaling any amount of oil is not good for the lungs. Those who have become addicted to vaping are going to pay as big, if not a bigger price than ā€œregularā€ smokers. Watch for the class action lawsuitsā€¦

There is a difference between a steam generator and a vapour generator. You can make cool vapour without adding any heat, You can also make vapour from steam as steam does cool down quickly into a basic vapour

Real steam is 212F or 100C, water vapour is another thing. If you can put your face over something and it doesnā€™t burn you, itā€™s not ā€œsteamā€, water vapour, yes.

Real steam may be helpful in the nasal passages (heat can kill some bacteria and virus) but if not done properly will cause burns. Steam drops rapidly in temp to a vapour and has minimal effect on bacteria and virus but benefits as a moisturizer which is already going into a moist environment. The benefit of that is enabling better flow of mucus.

Iā€™ve got a pretty good steam unit for the nasal passages and I use at the first sign of a cold. Also use an iota-carrageenan based nasal spray, those 2 process do seem to cut down on the severity and duration of a cold. The little steamer I use will burn you if your not careful. Yes it makes real steam.

Veridian 11-525 Steam Inhaler - Amazon has taken this off their platform several times due to the potential for burns

1 Like
#7

Can virus casing pneumonia become bacterial at a later stage that would require antibiotics? I donā€™t have any at this point but itā€™s confusing to me how to treat a residual pneumonia or bronchitis if not with antibiotics.

#8

It could, but post infectious residual inflammation is more likely. You probably should see someone like me in your area.

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#9

Thanks. No, thereā€™s nothing wrong with me. As of today Iā€™m in perfect health. Some of my friends are doctors from Russia, and I noticed that they have a different approach of treating pneumonia or bronchitis, regardless of origin, and itā€™s always with antibiotics.

#10

Hereā€™s a new finding. I donā€™t know if the study is reliable but it sure doesnā€™t weaken my reluctance to take antibiotics casually or prophylactically.

ā€œ Antibiotics were hailed as miracle drugs, making once fatal infections seem mundane and casual. This success of antibiotics in improving human lives has led to their overuse in both medicine and agriculture. For a person living in the industrialized world, avoiding antibiotic exposure has become very difficult. The consequences of this overuse and overexposure have led to the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and, according to casual association, also development of a plethora of chronic diseases. Diseases such as diabetes, growth defects, and chronic inflammations have been linked in multiple studies to antibiotic use. As antibiotics target microbes directly, it is widely assumed that the effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiota are the main drivers of these diseases. While antibiotic use affects the host by disrupting its microbiota, recent evidence suggests that antibiotics might act directly on host cells.ā€

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp4119

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#11

The minute someone uses an absolute term like ā€œalwaysā€ you know that cannot be right. Bronchitis just means inflammation of the airways - it can be viral, bacterial, asthmatic, environmental (smoke inhalation), etc. Yes, sometimes it needs to be treated with antibiotics, definitely NOT always.
Unfortunately some doctors are just too lazy to go beyond cliche heuristics.

#12

Itā€™s just a figure of speech, a common colloquialism :grinning:didnā€™t mean ā€œalwaysā€ as always, but rather as ā€œfrequentlyā€.

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#13

Iā€™m trying to stay away from antibiotics as much as possible. Healthy gut microbiome is really important and I do much to keep it that way - eat a lot of veggies, kefir and yogurt, sprouts, fermented cabbage, no added sugars, little salt, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, etc.

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#14

Best way to prevent bacterial pneumonia is through a flu vaccine. For me, viral infections lead to bacterial ones. Preventing viral pneumonia helps prevent bacterial pneumonia.

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#15

"methylene blue (on skin, "
IMG_20250219_072509

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#16

This came up somewhere in the Optispan episode with the naturopath. But they didnā€™t discuss it in any detail. Forthwith:

ChatGPT said:

 *How Saccharomyces boulardii Protects the Gut from Antibiotic Damage*

Taking Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) alongside an
antibiotic helps prevent antibiotic-associated gut issues such as
diarrhea, dysbiosis, and Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection.
This probiotic yeast provides several protective mechanisms to
maintain gut health during antibiotic use.

  *1. Antibiotic Resistance ā€“ It Survives Where Bacteria Die*

:white_check_mark: S. boulardii is a yeast, not a bacterium ā†’ Antibiotics do not kill
it.

  • While antibiotics wipe out beneficial bacteria, S. boulardii
    continues to grow and support gut function.
  • Unlike bacterial probiotics (e.g., Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium),
    it does not compete for space with gut bacteria but works
    independently to maintain gut homeostasis.
  *2. Prevents Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (AAD)*

:white_check_mark: Reduces gut inflammation and stabilizes the intestinal barrier.

  • Antibiotics can cause diarrhea by disrupting the gut microbiota
    and increasing gut permeability.
  • S. boulardii produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), like
    butyrate    , which help nourish the gut lining and reduce
    inflammation    .

:pushpin: Study Evidence:

  • Multiple studies show S. boulardii reduces antibiotic-associated
    diarrhea risk by ~50%    , especially with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
  *3. Reduces the Risk of C. difficile Infection*

:white_check_mark: Prevents the overgrowth of harmful bacteria like C. diff.

  • S. boulardii secretes proteases (enzymes) that degrade C. difficile
    toxins A & B    , which cause colitis.
  • It stimulates secretory IgA production, enhancing the immune
    defense against pathogens.

:pushpin: Study Evidence:

  • A meta-analysis found that S. boulardii reduced C. diff infection
    risk by 60%     when taken with antibiotics.
  *4. Supports Healthy Gut Microbiota & Regrowth of Beneficial Bacteria*

:white_check_mark: Helps beneficial bacteria recover faster post-antibiotics.

  • S. boulardii promotes the regrowth of Lactobacillus and
    Bifidobacterium species     after antibiotic treatment.
  • It produces polyamines, which enhance bacterial regrowth and gut
    repair.

:pushpin: Best Practice:

  • Continue taking S. boulardii for at least 1ā€“2 weeks after finishing
    antibiotics     to help restore gut flora balance.
  *5. Prevents Candida Overgrowth*

:white_check_mark: Competes with Candida yeast, preventing fungal overgrowth.

  • Some antibiotics allow Candida overgrowth (oral thrush, yeast
    infections).
  • S. boulardii produces capric and caprylic acids, which have
    antifungal properties, reducing the risk of Candida-related infections.
  *Best Practices for Taking S. boulardii with Antibiotics*

:heavy_check_mark: Start S. boulardii at the same time as the antibiotic (ideally
within the first 24 hours).
:heavy_check_mark: Take at least 5 billion CFU daily (higher doses of 10-20 billion
CFU are optimal for C. diff prevention).
:heavy_check_mark: Continue for at least 1ā€“2 weeks post-antibiotic course for full
microbiome recovery.
:heavy_check_mark: Do NOT take with antifungal medications (since antifungals can kill
S. boulardii).

  *Key Takeaways*
  • S. boulardii is antibiotic-resistant, making it effective during
    antibiotic use.
  • Prevents antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) by reducing gut
    inflammation and maintaining gut lining integrity.
  • Lowers the risk of C. difficile infection by neutralizing its toxins.
  • Promotes faster recovery of beneficial gut bacteria post-antibiotics.
  • Reduces the likelihood of Candida overgrowth (yeast infections).

Would you like help selecting a specific S. boulardii supplement or
determining the best dose for your situation?

I bought this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Now-Foods-Saccharomyces-Boulardii-Gastrointestinal-Support-60-vcaps/39493982?athcpid=39493982&athpgid=AthenaMyItemsPage&athcgid=null&athznid=MyItems&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=_lmHhyVye5kmp2nxpP-kTs808IIWRDzVXziC&athancid=null&athena=true

Shipped with an ice pack, needs to be refrigerated.

2 Likes
#17

Yes, I use this one whenever antibiotics are needed.

1 Like