An antibiotic is a poison used to kill bacteria. Only licensed physicians can prescribe antibiotics. Unfortunately, antibiotics do not discriminate between unfriendly and friendly bacteria. Adult humans have about three to four pounds of friendly — or beneficial bacteria and yeast living in their intestinal tracts. If the beneficial bacteria are abundant, the unfriendly and pathogenic (disease causing) ones remain in check. When in charge, beneficial bacteria fight harmful pathogens and produce B-vitamins.
When an oral antibiotic is swallowed, beneficial bacteria are killed, allowing yeast to grow unchecked in the intestines. Their tendrils poke holes in the lining of the intestinal walls creating a "leaky gut." Yeast can then escape and infiltrate other bodily tissues, causing suppression of the entire immune system.
Overuse and frequent misuse of antibiotics have created a serious situation of antibiotic resistance. Over prescribing by physicians is a major cause of antibiotic resistance. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that half of the 100 million antibiotic prescriptions by U.S. physicians each year are unnecessary.
When prescribed for cold or flu, antibiotics are worthless; yet this is a common practice. According to several studies, children who were given antibiotics for acute ear infections suffered double the rate of adverse effects as compared to children who were given placebos. Antibiotics are also routinely prescribed for recurring sinus infections. Their benefit is merely transient, according to John Hopkins and Mayo Clinic researchers. They discovered that most recurring sinus infections are not caused by bacteria, but by fungi that are a type of yeast. Repeated use of antibiotics can encourage fungi to become deeply imbedded making them increasingly difficult to eradicate.
The FDA has become so alarmed about the overuse of antibiotic prescriptions, that antibiotic labels will soon bear a new warning that states the overuse of antibiotics will render them less effective. In addition, other health organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics have published guidelines for physicians and consumers outlining the appropriate use of antibiotics.
A more hidden and insidious source of antibiotic resistance is the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed. More antibiotics are used for food animals — usually to encourage weight gain — than are used in all human medicine. Antibiotics resistance being transferred from food animals to humans is quite common. In addition, antibiotic residues found in many dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, and farm-raised fish have caused resistant strains of salmonella, shigella, and other opportunistic pathogens.
In 2001, a scientific task force of microbiologists determined that "the presence of resistant bacteria in the GI tract are of particular concern because, not only do they act as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes, but if established in other parts of the body, they can cause disease that cannot be treated." The problem could put a major strain on the entire healthcare system. Restricting farm practices that spread resistant genes is vital to curtailing this mounting health crisis.
We can all help physicians and governmental bodies to stop the overuse of antibiotics by taking these steps:
* Never take an antibiotic for a virus. Your doctor can order tests to definitively determine if an antibiotic is really necessary and which antibiotic, if needed, will prove the most successful.
* If an antibiotic is necessary, take the full course exactly as prescribed. Always take a probiotic, such as lactobacillus acidophilus, after taking an antibiotic to restore beneficial bacteria.
* Avoid the long-term use of oral antibiotics for acne. There are many safer treatments available. Often, taking a natural anti-fungal preparation such as grapefruit seed extract or capryllic acid with probiotics and healthy dietary changes will arrest acne problems.
* Don’t eat animal products from antibiotic treated animals. Certified organic animal foods are your safest choices. Even the fast food giant, McDonalds, has directed its meat suppliers to phase out the use of growth-promoting antibiotics in animals (although it doesn’t serve organic products). (See Choice News, page 11, for more info on this.)
* Maintain a healthy immune system, which begins with eating a healthy diet.
The American public is drowning in an ocean of antibiotics. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when the cure, in this case, actually encourages the attack of the super bugs.
Disclaimer: This column is for information only and no part of its contents should be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, recommendation, or endorsement by Ms. Minsky.
Bonnie Minsky is a Licensed and Certified Nutrition Specialist, Public Health Educator and Certified menopause Educator with a private practice in Northbrook, IL. She can be reached at nutritionalconcepts.com.