7 Dangerous Long-term Consequences Of Using Antibiotics

The twentieth century was marked by colossal discoveries, but one of them was bound to change the course of human history forever. In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming, a British scientist, discovered penicillin—the first antibiotic ever.
This breakthrough has opened a new chapter in the
never-ending war between humans and their
microscopic enemies, the bacteria. Before penicillin,
our means of fighting back infections were severely
limited, and the chances of anyone dying due to a
sudden case of pneumonia (an inflammation of the
lungs, roughly speaking) were quite significant.
So this must be a great thing, right? Well, not exactly.
As any other discovery of such magnitude, it is a
double-edged sword that turned out to be a threat no
less dangerous than the smallest of bacteria.
Nowadays, antibiotics often do more harm than good,
so it’s crucial to see the whole picture.
PRESCRIPTION ANTIBIOTIC: WHAT IT DOES IN YOUR
BODY
As the name implies, a prescription antibiotic is a type
of antibacterial drug that is sold to the customer only
after he or she shows an official prescription from a
certified doctor. But why is this important? Are these
drugs so powerful that they require documents to be
bought and sold, just like firearms?
Oh yes, they are!
All antibiotics can be roughly divided into two major
groups:
1. Bactericidal
Bactericidal is usually highly toxic itself, enough to
directly kill the target bacteria. But the problem
doesn’t end just there, as when the bacteria die, they
often release their own toxins into your body. This
phenomenon is often referred to as Jarisch–
Herxheimer reaction. Although rarely lethal, it’s still a
crushing blow to your kidneys and liver—organs that
take care of the toxins circulating in your body.
2. Bacteriostatic
Bacteriostatic don’t kill the bacteria directly, instead,
they just stop the latter from actively growing and
reproducing. This way your body would (theoretically)
have enough time to activate its immune system and
take care of the matter itself. But what if it doesn’t
make it in time? You’ve guessed it right. The bacteria
will start growing back again.
Not to mention that antibiotics have dozens of side
effects each, often much more harmful than the
original disease. Is it worth the price?
As you see, this is a very delicate matter. And the
saddest thing is that, according to the US Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, around 30% of all
antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, meaning that
they were NOT needed at all!
WHY DO DOCTORS COMMONLY PRESCRIBE
ANTIBIOTICS AT ALL?
antibiotic wrong use
In many cases, prescribing antibiotics is like firing a
shotgun at a mosquito. You may even get the
monster in a couple of shots, but the collateral
damage is just absurd.
For example, certain doctors tend to prescribe
antibiotics “just in case”. Others recommend taking
them for a quick effect, as the fever caused by an
infection usually subsides on the same day you start
taking the right antibiotic.
There are also certain physicians who prescribe
antibiotics because they receive a certain cashback
amount from the manufacturer each time a patient
buys this or that drug!
Of course, it goes without a trace of doubt that
antibiotics are strongly recommended for the
treatment of such life-threatening diseases like
severe sepsis, bacterial pneumonia, peritonitis, and
meningitis. The latter scenario is exceptionally
demonstrative, as studies indicate that a single hour
of delay in antibiotic treatment may increase
mortality rates by up to 30%.
But, just as there are cases in which this therapy is
absolutely required, certain diseases are 100%
immune to antibiotics. You can take a whole truck of
them, it doesn’t matter, they just need a different
approach.

NFECTIONS THAT DO NOT RESPOND TO ANTIBIOTIC
TREATMENT
First of all, viral infections are absolutely immune to
antibiotics. Period.
What does this mean to you? Forget about taking
antibiotics during a common cold! Almost 70% of all
cases of this disease are caused by viruses, and this
rate is even higher in children, reaching up to 92%.
But, even if your infection is a bacterial one, there is a
chance that it won’t respond to antibiotic treatment,
as the causing agent may be resistant to the drug
prescribed.
WHAT IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE?
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, as good
old Nietzsche once said! And bacteria are a bright
example of that. If even one of these microscopic
organisms survives an antibiotic, it gradually comes
up with a way to produce special substances to
counteract the drug next time it faces it. And what’s
even scarier is that the little survivor will pass on this
knowledge to its millions of spawns!
Roughly speaking, this is what the whole
phenomenon of antibiotic resistance is all about. Each
time the wrong antibiotic is prescribed, or in the
wrong dose, or for a shorter period than needed,
certain bacteria develop resistance to it. Then the host
transfers a bit of these bacteria to another human,
and in the blink of an eye, the whole country is
carrying a strain of multi resistant superbugs ready to
destroy the planet!
The same problem happens when antibiotics are
uncontrollably used for the treatment of farm
animals, as certain bacteria are universal for all
mammals (and so are antibiotics).
But even if all goes well, and your infection is
obliterated, it doesn’t make your drug a safe and
innocent one.
7 DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES OF USING
ANTIBIOTICS
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Antibiotics are not too
specific in killing bacterial strains, they destroy both
the bad and the good ones. In 5 to 35% of the cases,
this crushing blow to the little creatures in your guts
results in prolonged and highly unpleasant periods of
diarrhea. Remember that beneficial bacteria are
absolutely essential for the health of your guts.
Pseudomembranous colitis: A dangerous inflammation
of the large intestine. It turns out that almost all
antibiotics that are commonly prescribed nowadays
can induce this life-threatening disease. The highest
rates of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous
colitis were observed after treatment with
cephalosporins, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and clindamycin.
Kidney failure: Many antibiotics are known to have a
certain degree of nephrotoxicity, meaning that they
are able to damage your kidneys up to the point of
kidney failure in the worst case scenario.
Cephalosporins and aminoglycosides (especially
gentamicin) are particularly dangerous in this matter.
Liver failure: Certain antibiotics are highly toxic, thus
require the liver to do a heavy work in neutralizing
them. Sometimes this can seriously damage the
organ, and even lead to a fulminant (severe and
lightning-fast) hepatitis and death. Such antibiotics
are, for example, isoniazid, used for the treatment of
tuberculosis.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (Lyell’s syndrome): A rare
condition caused by the administration of a drug,
often an antibiotic. This nightmare is characterized by
the appearance of huge painful blisters and wounds
on the person’s skin and mucous membranes. The
mortality rate for this condition is 25-50%.
Stevens–Johnson syndrome: This is similar to the
Lyell’s syndrome, but is somewhat less severe. It
usually starts with innocent flu-like symptoms, but
manifests with generalized skin and mucous blisters
in a couple of days. When these blisters burst, they
form large wound-like areas. The mortality rate
ranges from 5 to 10% according to different studies.
Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock: Can be the cause
of immediate death after the ingestion or injection of
any antibiotic, but cephalosporins and certain types of
penicillin are the most usual cause.
THE LONG-LASTING EFFECTS OF ANTIBIOTICS ON
CHILDREN
When it comes to antibiotics, it’s not just your own
health that you should worry about. In fact, the long-
term effects that they impose on the health of our
children are impossible to be ignored!
Did you know that pregnant women who took
erythromycin or co-amoxiclav during their pregnancy
eventually gave birth to babies who had a higher risk
of developing cerebral palsy? Or that 1.3% of
neonates who receive gentamicin (or other
aminoglycosides) experience hearing loss and even
total deafness?
Another recent study revealed that children who
received three or more antibiotic therapy courses
during their first two years of life are more likely to
develop childhood obesity later.
And these are just tiny additions to the seven
dangers we’ve mentioned in the previous section.
Once again, there are certain conditions that demand
the usage of antibiotics. But let’s be honest here,
these diseases are rare, and most other cases can be
treated with something safer, more pleasant, and
utterly natural. Yes, that’s right. Centuries ago, Mother
Nature has created a couple of miracles that your
body will love so much more than prescription
antibiotics!
SAFER ALTERNATIVES: 6 NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS THAT
ARE SAFE
1. Goldenseal (a.k.a. Yellow Puccoon or Orangeroot)
This herb was used for centuries to treat local
infections, and modern science has revealed why.
Berberine, one of the most powerful alkaloids present
in goldenseal, has antibacterial properties, and it also
fights fungal and protozoan infection. That’s one feat
natural antibiotics can brag about!
2. Echinacea
Echinacea can inactivate a wide range of bacteria,
including the dreadful Streptococcus strains (which
are a common cause of a wide range of infections).
Besides that, Echinacea is a well-known adaptogen,
which means that it helps you to get over stressful
periods much more effectively.
3. Ginger And Garlic
Governments and pharmaceutical brands invest
billions of dollar each year into finding the next big
shot in the antibiotic world, a new drug that could kill
resistant bacteria. But, most likely, you already have
a much better alternative in your own kitchen! Ginger
and garlic have both shown great antibiotic
properties, so don’t pass on those when you feel that
common cold lurking around the corner.
4. Oregano
Numerous modern studies confirmed that oregano oil
has powerful antimicrobial feats, but that’s just the
start of the benefits list that this plant can offer you.
Oregano is rich in antioxidants (which may lower risk
of cancer development), and can fight back not only
bacterial infections but viral and fungal as well.
5. Maitake Mushrooms
Besides being a great natural antibiotic, maitake
mushrooms have shown potent anti-tumor properties
in several studies. In short, they help to modulate
your immune system to a state in which it will be
able to fight both infectious and non-infectious
diseases much more efficiently!
Related reading: 12 natural antibiotics from Mother
Nature that are safe.
BEFORE YOU GO
All in all, there is no magical answer to the antibiotics
question. In some cases, taking a cephalosporin in the
right dose may save your life, and this fact can’t be
ignored. In some other cases, you may have to give
your child another powerful drug to prevent serious
complications of sudden pneumonia.
Yes, such cases exist. But they are relatively rare, and
we all know that! Instead of jumping straight to the
heavy artillery, it’s always better to start with
something natural, safe, and gentle to your health. It’s
always worth a try.
But don’t take our words for granted! Next time you
feel that scratching pain on the back of your throat,
that terrible fever slowly rising, and that annoying
headache drilling its way to your brain’s core—get
yourself some ginger, drink a lot of water and get
enough sleep.
Your body will thank you for this decision. After all,
natural is always better, don’t you think?