Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), most notably including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a serious digestive condition for which we are only beginning to understand the underlying causes. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance of the gut microbes, is one relatively recent factor found to contribute to the development of IBD. One major contributor to the development of dysbiosis is antibiotic use.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology concluded, “Subjects diagnosed with IBD were more likely to have been prescribed antibiotics 2–5 years before their diagnosis. This possibly implicates antibiotic use as a predisposing factor in [the cause of] IBD.”
Antibiotic use alters the gut flora, with some studies finding the alteration to last months or even years after discontinuation of the antibiotic. IBD is known to involve a decrease in gut flora diversity and an increase in bacteria that penetrate the protective lining of the intestine. Thus, the interest of researchers in the role of antibiotic use as a possible cause of IBD is well supported.
In the study, involving over 24,000 individuals (more than 2,000 diagnosed with IBD), it was found that the risk of developing IBD 2–5 years after antibiotic use increased as the number of antibiotic uses increased. In other words, if a person used antibiotics 3 times, they had a greater risk of IBD than those who used antibiotics only once.
Antibiotic use is obviously necessary for certain conditions (and often unnecessary for others). Supporting the ensuing gut imbalance that follows antibiotic use with probiotics (beneficial gut bacteria) is recommended. Talk to your doctor about it.
People with IBD face a long journey of healing during which the optimization of gut function is very important. Addressing gut imbalance is vital in these folks.
I have IBD, My sister has IBD. I was born with a defect where I could not digest mothers milk and was put on goats milk. My father’s brother 30 years ago died of a strange liver disease and he never drank alcohol. My father died at the age of 70 with ALS,
We subsequently know a few things. One he was exposed to hexane a known chemical that causes ALS like symptoms. Two he had a high iron diet. In my youth I was on antibiotics every year as I was prone to diseases of the throat every year. This year I had a molar pulled because of an infection. The dentist discovered the metal amalgam was resting on tissue not hard tooth. Because the infection was in the middle of the tooth it could not be cleaned. Removing the tooth gave me relief. Today I have uncovered two possible causes in our family one porphyria and hemochromatosis.
Your video on PBS started something new to discover. I have literately given up on doctors as they tell me everything other than what ails me and a possible cure. If I take iron or eat iron my iron levels spike and my IBS increases. If I eat low iron my iron levels are normal. I am so confused now as to what I should do it is causing uncertainty. Any thoughts are warmly accepted, sometimes I feel so messed up.
I am taking 80 million of your pro-biotic. Sometimes it makes me so hot I go out with just a t-shirt to cool off. Is this normal?
Please e-mail me with any tips or anything.