Broad-spectrum antibiotics use by children before the age of 2 years is associated with increased risk of obesity in early childhood. The study found that the greater the frequency of broad-spectrum antibiotic use, the greater the risk of obesity. No association was found between narrow-spectrum antibiotic use and obesity.
The thought is that broad-spectrum antibiotics may get rid of the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria. Previous studies have suggested that the diversity, composition and number of bacteria that live in our intestines may affect obesity. This study seems to support that notion.
Another previous study found that gastric bypass patients who took probiotics lost more weight. Probiotics are “good bacteria” that can be found in some foods and in supplements. Increasing your intake of probiotics can help change the diversity, composition and number of bacteria living in your intestine. More Information.
Antibiotic use may be one more piece of the complex obesity puzzle.
