The Effects of Antibiotics on the Microbiome

6min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

When you develop an infection, your gut will be in a state of dysbiosis. When people take antibiotics, they are causing widespread damage to the species and choosing or selecting resistant microbes. In this study, the vast majority of people recovered their microbiome by two months. And if you look at the research, it is clear the gut does eventually recover. We do get the species back. How long does that take usually? This is the million dollar question.

Episode #271. Have you ever wondered just how much of an effect antibiotics have on your health? Gastroenterologist and gut health expert Dr Will Bulsiewicz returns to the show in this episode, breaking down how antibiotics impact our microbiome and the steps you can take to protect and restore your gut health before, during, and after taking them.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (00:00)
What are antibiotics? (03:01)
Efficacy, prescription, and 'antibiotic scar' (08:26)
The healthy gut microbiome (15:58)
Effects of antibiotics to gut the microbiome (21:32)
Clostridioides difficile (28:30)
Do you really need antibiotics? (31:04)
High-fibre diet (39:44)
Sprouts, lentils, and fermented foods (43:25)
Prebiotics and prebiotic supplements (46:30)
Probiotics and microbiome recovery after antibiotics (58:06)
Who may benefit from taking probiotics? (1:05:00)
Foods to limit to avoid dysbiosis (1:07:45)
Why do antibiotics cause yeast infections? Do probiotics help? (1:09:35)
Antibiotics and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) (1:11:04)
Lifestyle changes to boost microbiome recovery after taking antibiotics (1:13:49)
Outro (1:18:56)

Connect with Dr Will Bulsiewicz on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Discover more resources and Dr B’s books on his website, theplantfedgut.com, and learn more about supplementation at 38tera.com. Listen to Dr B’s past appearances on The Proof here.

My team and I have also put together a PDF of resources for this episode, helping you better understand the science behind this conversation. Download it at theproof.com/drb.

Optimise your health with InsideTracker’s biomarker analysis. Get exclusive access to InsideTracker’s new ApoB test, and a significant discount at insidetracker.com/simon.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also show your support by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and/or sharing your favourite episodes with your friends and family.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Watch the episodes on YouTube or listen on Apple/Spotify

Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide

Download my complimentary Two-Week Meal Plan and high-protein Plant Performance recipe book