Study finds antibiotics may do more harm than good if you’re not actually sick.

Antibiotics have long been scrutinized for their misuse, overuse, and harsh side effects.

If taken incorrectly, researchers believe antibiotics can do more harm than good. They can cause bacteria to become increasingly resistant to treatment, for example, and destroy healthy flora in the gut.

Now, a new study from Case Western Reserve University shows that antibiotics can damage immune cells and worsen oral infections.

Antibiotics damage the ability of our white blood cells
The body’s natural defenses are very effective in killing off certain oral infections and regulating inflammation, according to the research, which was published in Frontiers in Microbiology last month.

The research team examined resident bacteria in the body, their effect on the production of white blood cells, and the role they both play in combating infections of the mouth.

“We set out to find out what happens when you don’t have bacteria to fight a fungal infection,” study lead Pushpa Pandiyan, PhD, an assistant professor of biological sciences in the School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, said in a statement. “What we found was that antibiotics can kill short-chain fatty acids produced by [the] body’s own good bacteria.”

When the body is healthy, it houses good bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which, in turn, promote the development and maintenance of white blood cells.

Those white blood cells — called Tregs and Th-17 — are then able to fight and protect us from fungal infections and harmful pathogens and keep inflammation at bay.The researchers discovered that antibiotics destroyed the good bacteria, which, consequently, depleted the production of SCFAs and damaged the ability of white blood cells from fighting off fungal infections, such as Candida, in a laboratory setting.

In other words, the antibiotics hurt the body’s own immune response and made it difficult to protect itself against harmful germs.

In addition, continued misuse and overuse of antibiotics gives bacteria the opportunity to grow resistant to treatment and poses the threat of bacterial infections that are much harder to treat.

“Long-term and mindless use of antibiotics could also hamper how the immune system works in other infections such as viral and other fungal infections,” Pandiyan told Healthline.

Our bodies already fight off infections

The findings bring focus to the level of function of the SCFAs when it comes to oral health.

“The study shows that these short-chain fatty acids promote the proper function of Th-17 and Treg cells and that this protects us from oral fungal infections, reduces damaging inflammation, and helps the body’s immune system resolve Candida infections of the mouth,” said Dr. Aileen Marty, a professor of infectious diseases at Florida International University College of Medicine.

We need those SCFAs to power up our white blood cells — the Th-17 and Treg cells — to protect us from sickness.“While many cells in the body play some roles in protecting us against infections, [it’s] the primary responsibility of white blood cells,” Marty added. “White blood cells are the professional soldiers against infection, while other cells perform protective roles more as ‘deputized citizen militia.’”

These natural defenses had no problem fighting off inflammation and infection on their own, but antibiotics can prevent these defenses from doing their job.

Should you take antibiotics for an oral infection?

Researchers stress that physicians must be sure that antibiotics are really necessary to treat an infection before prescribing them.

Needless overuse of antibiotics isn’t helpful, the study suggested.

“We have good bacteria doing good work every day, why kill them?” Pandiyan noted in the statement. “As is the case with many infections, if you leave them alone, they will leave on their own.”

While for more serious cases antibiotics are a necessary — and sometimes life-saving — treatment, many health experts also recommend taking probiotics alongside antibiotics to maintain good bacteria and restore healthy flora.

Lastly, if you have a bacterial infection and are prescribed antibiotics, be sure to finish out the prescription.

Failure to take the entire course of treatment only contributes to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

If you stop short, your immune system might not be up for the challenge next time you’re not feeling so hot.

Source>> http://sutured.com/antibiotics-can-hurt-your-health-if-you-dont-have-an-infection/
More >> http://sutured.com/blog/

THANKS This is helpful

Good and useful information for mankind

Some people use antibiotics for almost every ailment including flu and malaria. Antibiotics should not be used anyhow, but our people will not hear.

Why most it be this particular time when I'm on antibiotics medications before a related topic must be push to front-page?
let me sink remaining dosage away...

Really?

Good information

I already know

WetinConsignMe:
I already know

why you no post am since? you are very wicket

People go just de comment for anything way them see, which one be ds naa. Who no no say drug abuse can kill, me I no fit comment for this kind thing.

Now most drugs have adverse effect if used longterm the wrong way.

Is that so...?tym to start using agbo(herbal tea)

Hmmm educative

A lot of the processed meat that you eat in fast food joints like Chicken, beef burgers, etc is made out of animal meat containing antibiotics.

Resistance from aggressive use of antibiotics is the biggest side effect. It doesn't only diminish the immunity of the drug abuser, it depreciates herd immunity, and affects everyone in the long haul.

Nigeria is in an emergency. With quacks, aggressive health workers, professional and non professional dishing out prescription without check, the crises has just begun. Amoxyl doesn't work for most respiratory tract infections anymore, antimalarials are failing, and the country is sleeping to this crises.

Those who have visited foriegn climes know that u don't get any medication for flu's except steam inhalation, and advice to stay hydrated. Here someone has running nose from a viral cause and is gulping Cefuroxime-Clavulanic acid.

Another plausable reason the ditch this clime.

All this epistle sef,like say if u misuse any drug side effect no go dey.

Rem when I was on self med after getting an sti from my ex

Ampiclox Becham was amongst the dose, one every 6hrs

3days and my neck bone was on a 4D display
Had to stop, everyone was going on about me drying up

Op this is awesome info. Kudoz!

Offpoint:
Why most it be this particular time when I'm antibiotics medications before a related topic must be push to front-page?
let me throw remaining dosage away...

Don't o.. Read the article to the end... It's very dangerous to stop your prescription.

Guys tk it as bulletproof after raw-prack

SarcasticGenius:
A lot of the processed meat that you eat in fast food joints like Chicken, beef burgers, etc is made out of animal meat containing antibiotics.

MrBigiman:
Resistance from aggressive use of antibiotics is the biggest side effect. It doesn't only diminish the immunity of the drug abuser, it depreciates herd immunity, and affects everyone in the long haul.

Nigeria is in an emergency. With quacks, aggressive health workers, professional and non professional dishing out prescription without check, the crises has just begun. Amoxyl doesn't work for most respiratory tract infections anymore, antimalarials are failing, and the country is sleeping to this crises.

Those who have visited foriegn climes know that u don't get any medication for flu's except steam inhalation, and advice to stay hydrated. Here someone has running nose from a viral cause and is gulping Cefuroxime-Clavulanic acid.

Another plausable reason the ditch this clime.

SarcasticGenius:
A lot of the processed meat that you eat in fast food joints like Chicken, beef burgers, etc is made out of animal meat containing antibiotics.

@ SarcasticGenius
Correct! Thanks to our farmers, herdmen and quacks who do not follow stated withdrawal period.
Eggs included also.
@ MrBigiMan
We are not careful about alot of things. Ignorance is also a major cause.

Rayhandrinni:
Rem when I was on self med after getting an sti from my ex

Ampiclox Becham was amongst the dose, one every 6hrs

3days and my neck bone was on a 4D display
Had to stop, everyone was going on about me drying up

How did you then treat the STI?

Thanks for the info. Too much of everything, frankly, is bad.

MrBigiman:
Resistance from aggressive use of antibiotics is the biggest side effect. It doesn't only diminish the immunity of the drug abuser, it depreciates herd immunity, and affects everyone in the long haul.

Nigeria is in an emergency. With quacks, aggressive health workers, professional and non professional dishing out prescription without check, the crises has just begun. Amoxyl doesn't work for most respiratory tract infections anymore, antimalarials are failing, and the country is sleeping to this crises.

Those who have visited foriegn climes know that u don't get any medication for flu's except steam inhalation, and advice to stay hydrated. Here someone has running nose from a viral cause and is gulping Cefuroxime-Clavulanic acid.

Another plausable reason the ditch this clime.

very true most people don't know there is no cure for Flu or Common cold you just have to wait for the viruses to stop replicating in the body. Back to antibiotics, there are some Normal flora in the body let's say microorganisms that protect us from other pathogenic microorganisms the use antibiotics destroy the Normal flora of the body weaken the immune system of the body.

Panther7:
very true most people don't know there is no cure for Flu or Common cold you just have to wait for the viruses to stop replicating in the body. Back to antibiotics, there are some Normal flora in the body let's say microorganisms that protect us from other pathogenic microorganisms the use antibiotics destroy the Normal flora of the body weaken the immune system of the body.

Yes thats another twist to it. Several women with recurrent vaginal discharge actually have no issue per say but have destroyed their vaginal flora by aggressive antibiotic use. Also children with reccurent diarrhoal diseases. That's why the new buzz of probiotics is hitting the market.

This is for Nigerians. We abuse drugs a lot especially pain medications and antibiotics.

MrBigiman:


Yes thats another twist to it. Several women with recurrent vaginal discharge actually have no issue per say but have destroyed their vaginal flora by aggressive antibiotic use. Also children with reccurent diarrhoal diseases. That's why the new buzz of probiotics is hitting the market.

Very true

#Ampiclox #Team

kay29000:


How did you then treat the STI?

had to go to a hospital