Antibiotics that reduce gut bacteria linked to obesity

[Celebration]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/antibiotics-that-reduce-gut-bacteria-linked-to-obesity-2278042.html

Scientists believe that the widespread use of antibiotics may be playing a significant role in exacerbating the obesity epidemic.

Growing evidence suggests that oral antibiotic medicines may be affecting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the human intestine which is influencing whether some people put on weight when they overeat or take too little exercise, they said.

The latest study, which has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, centres on a technique for counting the bacterial genes in the human intestine. It found that lean people are likely to have a more diverse community of gut flora compared to obese individuals.

Previous work has already established a difference in the gut bacteria of lean and overweight people, but the latest work is being seen as lending support to the controversial idea that bacteria-killing antibiotics may be playing a role in predisposing some people to being fat.

[WhiteTara]

1. Yet another reason to shun the AMA medicine. n/t

[SheilaT]

2. That's interesting.

Several years ago I came to the conclusion that at least some of the epidemic obesity might be linked to a virus, but I'm not a scientists and have no way to test the hypothesis. But there is something about the current obesity epidemic that seems to go beyond mere overeating, as important as that is.

[cilla4progress]

3. Well - my family has been chugging home-made Kefir

all winter to stave off colds and viruses (it worked - nary a one amongst us!), and my slightly overweight teenage daughter has lost upwards of 10 lbs., at the same time. I never considered a connection...but possibly? Wow!

[supernova]

4. I've taken antibx all my life

I' was born with cardiac anomalies and have taken antibiotics off and on throughout my life: I had endocarditis in high school wich meant 6wks of continuous IV antibiotics. I also take them for every dental visit and if I have internal GI procedures, I have to take them for that too. It's not an option, endocarditis can kill you and one of the leading reasons for it is dirty dental equipment.

I'm also about 60 lbs overweight and do not overeat. I'm a moderately active petite female and eat about 1200-1300 calories most days. According to that, my weight should be in line with my height. I wonder if part of my weight problem is the amount of antibiotics I've had to take over my life?

I have experimented with probiotics over the past couple of years and did notice I felt better when I took them. Perhaps I should try them more consistently.

[Lars39]

5. Antibiotics had once overwhelmed my system...

I got over it by taking live antibiotics that needed refrigeration. Wish I could remember the brand and type.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Check this out:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20161775

PLoS One. 2010 Feb 10;5(2):e9074.
Vancomycin treatment of infective endocarditis is linked with recently acquired obesity.
Thuny F, Richet H, Casalta JP, Angelakis E, Habib G, Raoult D.
Source

Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Gut microbiota play a major role in digestion and energy conversion of nutrients. Antibiotics, such as avoparcin (a vancomycin analogue), and probiotics, such as Lactobacillus species, have been used to increase weight in farm animals. We tested the effect of antibiotics given for infective endocarditis (IE) on weight gain (WG).
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

Forty-eight adults with a definite diagnosis of bacterial IE (antibiotic group) were compared with forty-eight age-matched controls without IE. Their body mass index (BMI) was collected at one month before the first symptoms and one year after hospital discharge. The BMI increased significantly and strongly in vancomycin-plus-gentamycin-treated patients (mean <+/-SE> kg/m(2), +2.3 <0.9>, p = 0.03), but not in controls or in patients treated with other antibiotics. Seventeen patients had a BMI increase of >or=10%, and five of the antibiotic group developed obesity. The treatment by vancomycin-plus-gentamycin was an independent predictor of BMI increase of >or=10% (adjusted OR, 6.7; 95% CI, 1.37-33.0; p = 0.02), but not treatment with other antibiotics. Weight gain was particularly high in male patients older than 65 who did not undergo cardiac surgery. Indeed, all three vancomycin-treated patients with these characteristics developed obesity.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:

A major and significant weight gain can occur after a six-week intravenous treatment by vancomycin plus gentamycin for IE with a risk of obesity, especially in males older than 65 who have not undergone surgery. We speculate on the role of the gut colonization by Lactobacillus sp, a microorganism intrinsically resistant to vancomycin, used as a growth promoter in animals, and found at a high concentration in the feces of obese patients. Thus, nutritional programs and weight follow-up should be utilized in patients under such treatment.

PMID:
20161775

PMCID: PMC2818846

Free PMC Article

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. And this as well:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17604300

BMJ. 2007 Jul 14;335(7610):80. Epub 2007 Jun 29.
Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial.
Hickson M, D'Souza AL, Muthu N, Rogers TR, Want S, Rajkumar C, Bulpitt CJ.
Source

Nutrition and Dietetic Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London W12 0HS. [e-mail]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:

To determine the efficacy of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus for the prevention of any diarrhoea associated with antibiotic use and that caused by Clostridium difficile.
DESIGN:

Randomised double blind placebo controlled study.
PARTICIPANTS:

135 hospital patients (mean age 74) taking antibiotics. Exclusions included diarrhoea on admission, bowel pathology that could result in diarrhoea, antibiotic use in the previous four weeks, severe illness, immunosuppression, bowel surgery, artificial heart valves, and history of rheumatic heart disease or infective endocarditis.
INTERVENTION:

Consumption of a 100 g (97 ml) drink containing Lactobacillus casei, L bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus twice a day during a course of antibiotics and for one week after the course finished. The placebo group received a longlife sterile milkshake.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Primary outcome: occurrence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. Secondary outcome: presence of C difficile toxin and diarrhoea.
RESULTS:

7/57 (12%) of the probiotic group developed diarrhoea associated with antibiotic use compared with 19/56 (34%) in the placebo group (P=0.007). Logistic regression to control for other factors gave an odds ratio 0.25 (95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.85) for use of the probiotic, with low albumin and sodium also increasing the risk of diarrhoea. The absolute risk reduction was 21.6% (6.6% to 36.6%), and the number needed to treat was 5 (3 to 15). No one in the probiotic group and 9/53 (17%) in the placebo group had diarrhoea caused by C difficile (P=0.001). The absolute risk reduction was 17% (7% to 27%), and the number needed to treat was 6 (4 to 14).
CONCLUSION:

Consumption of a probiotic drink containing L casei, L bulgaricus, and S thermophilus can reduce the incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and C difficile associated diarrhoea. This has the potential to decrease morbidity, healthcare costs, and mortality if used routinely in patients aged over 50.