Antibiotics and probiotics
and how it affects your gut health

Antibiotics can upset the balance of your gut, which increases the risk of certain gut-related illnesses.30

1

Antibiotics disrupt the intestinal flora by reducing the diversity and abundance of microorganisms, this is known as dysbiosis which leads to gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea.30

2

Diarrhoea is a common side effect of antibiotic treatment, which can affect up to 39% of people. Diarrhoea can occur from day one of treatment and can last up to two months after the end of treatment. All types of antibiotics can cause diarrhoea however aminopenicillins, cephalosporins and clindamycin have been known to be associated with greater risk of side effects.31

3

The consequences of antibiotic use are not fully reversed even after several months of stopping treatment. Eventually the gut microflora imbalance caused by the antibiotic can weaken the immune system, increase the risk of intestine-related diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and immunity related diseases such as allergies, skin conditions and type 1 diseases.30

4

In addition, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea is a major reason why patients do not complete their course of antibiotics.32

Gut health

Best probiotics for gut health and why they’re important.

Gut health supplements like probiotics have been proven to reduce episodes of diarrhoea and are therefore recommended to support antibiotic use.30,31

Studies have shown that infants and children given probiotics to avoid or reduce the risk for certain infections have a 29% lower risk of being prescribed antibiotics.33

Further findings confirmed that certain probiotic strains reduced the duration of diarrhoea symptoms from 8 days to 2 days and abdominal pain was reduced from 39% to 23% in adults.30

The use of probiotics for gut health can decrease the incidence and severity of common acute infections which can therefore lead to decreased need for antibiotic therapy.33

Probiotics have valuable benefits in reducing the risk of antibiotic associated diarrhoea, to improve or normalise the microbial balance.34

For more information refer to your healthcare provider.

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