Numerous lives have been saved by antibiotics from bacterial diseases that would have otherwise claimed them thanks to their essential function in contemporary medicine. This is valid provided that we continue to exercise responsibility in managing such a potent resource. Unfortunately, organisms change throughout time, and as a result, we now have to deal with microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics because of the improper and excessive use of antibiotics.
Literally, “antibiotic” means “against life.” Antibiotics are indiscriminate when it comes to the beneficial bacteria our bodies still require to exist, despite their crucial function in eliminating the life of bad bacteria. According to studies, using antibiotics during children can impede the development and proliferation of good gut bacteria. Our gut is home to trillions of bacteria that are vital to both our physical and mental health and makes up more than 70% of the immune system. We are now understanding how our early gut health can influence how our immune systems and diseases affect us in the future.
Antibiotics target ALL bacteria, making us susceptible to illnesses that result from the loss of essential strains of beneficial bacteria needed to fight disease. Without healthy bacteria replacement, prolonged or repeated use of antibiotics leaves us vulnerable to the chronic intestinal inflammation that we now understand results from this depletion.
Several high-dose antibiotics were given to pregnant female mice in a study, and the infants of those mice were also given the drugs for the first three weeks of life. As tests were performed on the animals at the age of eight weeks, it was evident that the gut bacteria had significantly decreased when compared to the control group, which had not received any antibiotics. In order to determine whether CD4 T cells may cause intestinal inflammation in additional mice, they were investigated in both the treated and untreated mice. It was discovered that the immune cells of the treated group induced an illness that was substantially more severe and developed quickly than those of the control group. Antibiotic-treated mice also showed a rise in stress hormones, indicating a link between gut flora and the body’s reaction to stress.
White blood cells called CD4 (T-cells) are essential for our body’s defense against infection by triggering an inflammatory reaction. Gout, Crohn’s, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and other autoimmune illnesses can develop as a result of an overactive immune system and persistent inflammation.
A careful equilibrium of microorganisms is needed in our stomachs. To treat and stop microorganisms that cause inflammation and disease, this is essential. In the end, stress, nutrition, “overly clean” settings, antibiotics, and other factors change gut flora. Interventions that can change, prevent, and even treat autoimmune disorders can still affect these conditions. For those who are interested in illness control and prevention, adopting gut-healthy lifestyles through improved dietary balance, stress management, immune and organ strengthening vitamins and supplements, taking high quality probiotics, regular water intake, and exercise can open up new possibilities.
