What Are The Effects Of Overusing Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are drugs used to prevent bacterial infections. They are crucial in curing pain and infections in several health conditions. However, overusing antibiotics can result in another serious condition called antibiotic resistance. This, along with some other drawbacks or ill effects of overusing antibiotics, is shared in this blog.
What are antibiotics? Why is overusing antibiotics a bad idea?
Antibiotics are medicines that possess powerful anti-microbial properties. They typically work against bacteria that spread diseases or cause infections. However, they might not work against all types of bacteria.
Penicillin, the first antibiotic, was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. It was extracted from a mould that prevented bacterial growth. Many other types of antibiotics have been found since then. Some of the later discoveries include Ceftazidime, Plazomicin, Cefiderocol, Clovibactic, and Nafithromycin.
Though antibiotics play a key role in medical treatment, overusing it may lead to other serious problems. Antibiotics prevent bacterial growth by destroying their key parts, such as cell walls, DNA, etc. They control the production of proteins that the bacteria require to multiply.
However, while antibiotic medicines destroy most bacteria, some survive and multiply rapidly. These new bacteria show resistance to antibiotics. So, if you keep overusing antibiotics, bacteria will evolve and become immune to them. Yet, this is not the only reason to stop overusing antibiotics. Some other disadvantages of antibiotic overuse are listed below:
Bad For Gut Flora
Gut flora, the ecosystem of microorganisms thriving in your gut, contains around 100 trillion bacterial strains. Some of them support digestion and improve your body's natural immunity.
Overusing antibiotics can wipe away these helpful bacteria from your gut, thus lowering your immunity and digestive power.
Causes Harmful Side Effects
Antibiotics, like any other medicine, also come with some side effects. Some of the common side effects include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Damage to the vital organs
While most of the side effects are manageable, overusing antibiotics can worsen their impact on your body. Some people are also allergic to antibiotics. Such people should reveal their medical history and medications to the doctor before ordering antibiotics from an online medical store.
Wondering why antibiotics often lead to stomach issues? Here's a simple explanation: Why do antibiotics cause diarrhea?
Increases Your Medical Expenses
Your body is capable of treating most bacterial infections on its own. So, you need not use antibiotics for all diseases and health conditions.
Also, some diseases like viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics as they work only on bacteria, not viruses. Thus, using antibiotics unnecessarily leads to unnecessary medical expenses. The viral infections that don't resolve upon taking antibiotics include:
- Influenza or flu
- Common cold
- Many types of cough
- Ear infections
- Sinus infections
- Bronchitis
- Covid-19
Also, overusing antibiotics in such conditions may lead to worse side effects and other health issues.
Not sure if your illness is bacterial or viral? Here's how to tell the difference — Bacterial vs Viral Infection: Know the Difference.
Reacts With Other Drugs/Medication
Antibiotics tend to react with other medications. So, if you overuse them, it can lead to serious reactions that can harm your body. If you have taken any medications before, you must inform your doctor before they prescribe any medicines. The doctors might avoid prescribing antibiotics or suggest alternative methods for treating your infection.
Takes Longer Time For Recovery
Once your body develops antibiotic resistance, it may take longer to recover completely from an illness. This also happens when you do not complete the course of antibiotics.
Incomplete courses can help the bacteria adapt and evolve, eventually making it harder to kill them. So, while overusing antibiotics is not recommended, incorrect or insufficient usage can also be equally dangerous.
Lowers Immunity
The habit of taking antibiotics regularly for every issue will lower your immunity. It is because it affects your body's ability to fend off infections.
Effects On The Environment
Overusing antibiotics is not only detrimental to your health, but it also harms the environment. When you keep using antibiotics and don't dispose of the leftover antibiotics properly, they may enter water sources, land, and vegetation upon which animals feed. Gradually, the environment's bacteria will be destroyed or become immune to the antibiotics.
For instance, antibiotics may mix with the soil and kill the bacteria that enhance soil structure and support plant growth. They may enter the freshwater streams and ultimately into the bodies of animals, degrading their health and immunity. So, overusing antibiotics can also have a far-fetched impact on the environment!
Ever Wondered Which Antibiotics Doctors Prescribe the Most?
Here are the top 3 commonly used antibiotics you should know about — Amoxicillin, Azithromycin, and Ciprofloxacin — which are widely trusted for treating many bacterial infections.
How do you use antibiotics properly?
Here are some tips that help you use the antibiotics properly:
- Don't pressure your doctor to prescribe antibiotics, especially when your body doesn't need them to cope with an illness.
- Stay away from unhygienic places and habits that can result in bacterial infections. For instance, washing your hands with a hand wash or sanitiser whenever you come home from outside is a good practice. Also, wash your hands properly before and after eating.
- Cleanse the wounds properly with an antiseptic lotion or ointment to prevent the infection from spreading.
- Get the vaccines that protect you from bacterial infections.
- Follow the antibiotic dosage strictly as per the doctor's instructions. Complete the course and promptly communicate the side effects to the doctor.
- Don't use the prescribed antibiotics for your friends or family members. Also, don't allow others to take the antibiotics that were prescribed for you.
- Dispose of the remaining antibiotics after completing the course. Never use them in the future.
Final Thoughts
Antibiotics are important medications that have helped mankind recover from various bacterial infections. However, overusing them is not the solution, especially when you don't thoroughly know their usage instructions or dosage. The best way to deal with bacterial infections is to consult a doctor before buying any medicine, let alone antibiotics.