WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD Aug. 24, 2011 --
Antibiotic overuse doesn’t just lead to drug-resistant
superbugs, it may also permanently wipe out the body’s good
bacteria. Good bacteria in the gut help people in many ways,
including helping make vitamins and boosting immunity. Some
researchers think that killing them off with antibiotics may be
contributing to rises in chronic health conditions such as
obesity, asthma, and cancer. A commentary published in the
latest issue of Nature calls for more careful prescribing of
antibiotics, particularly in pregnant women and babies, who are
just establishing their colonies of good bacteria in the gut.
The commentary was written by Martin Blaser, MD, who heads the
department of medicine at New York University’s Langone Medical
Center. Blaser points out that in a developed country like the
U.S., the average child gets 10 to 20 courses of antibiotics by
age 18. Blaser says there’s no question that antibiotics, when
given appropriately, save lives. But they're n