Sugar consumption during antibiotic treatment may worsen gut microbiome damage

Consuming increased amounts of sugar while taking antibiotics is linked to greater disruption of the gut microbiome, Science Daily Exercise, Yahoo Health, and Forbes reported. The research shows that high sugar intake during antibiotic treatment allows potentially harmful bacteria to grow more rapidly. [1][2][4]

Science Daily Exercise reported that sugar may intensify the damage that antibiotic medications cause to beneficial intestinal bacteria. The intestinal microbiome is a vast bacterial community that lives within the human digestive system. [1]

Antimicrobial resistance develops when microbes build mechanisms to protect themselves against antimicrobial drugs. The misuse and improper management of these drugs are primary drivers of resistance. [5]

Researchers suggested that temporarily cutting back on sweet foods during and after antibiotic treatment could provide a simple way to reduce microbial damage. However, Science Daily Exercise noted that clinical trials in humans are still needed to confirm these findings. [1]