Antibiotics - When to Use Them
and Not to Use Them
"Doc, I can't seem to shake this sore throat, do you think that I should take antibiotics?"
"Should I take antibiotics for a bad cold to prevent it from becoming a bacterial infection?"
"Should I take probiotics when I take antibiotics?"
I seem to be getting questions like this quite a bit lately. My wife Melissa is a Nurse Practitioner and she's getting barraged by people demanding antibiotics even though they don't have a bacterial infection.
So I decided to set the record straight. A little research and I ended up on the website of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) - the ultimate authority. I have attached a link to their article on the topic below; but first a quick synopsis of their recommendations:
Antibiotics cure bacterial infections not viral infections.
Antibiotics are not for runny noses.
Antibiotics are not for colds and flu.
Antibiotics are not for sore throats that are not caused by strep.
Antibiotics are not for most coughs and bronchitis.
When you are prescribed an antibiotic, take the entire prescription exactly as it is directed. If you don't, you only kill part of the infection; some bacteria may survive and re-infect you (mine: or possibly create resistant strains of bacteria that can be very difficult to treat).
The bottom line, in my opinion, is that people rush to take antibiotics too soon. In doing so, they may be taking them inappropriately and unnecessarily. By taking antibiotics too soon you are not allowing your body to beat the infection on it's own. This will allow you to be infected multiple times by the same bacteria rather than developing natural immunity. Conversely, when your body kills the foreign invader on its own, it creates immune memory cells that can quickly detect and destroy the same invader in the future.
When it is appropriate to take an antibiotic, please do so correctly and completely, to reduce the risk of creating drug resistant strains.
I always recommend that my patients take a good probiotic during and after treatment with antibiotics. Keep in mind that while antibiotics kill the bad "pathological" bacteria, they also kill your body's healthy good bacteria which are meant to inhabit your GI tract. These healthy bacteria are important for your immune system; so we want to repopulate our gut with the healthy, good bacteria as quickly as possible.
I recommend Multi-Probiotic 4000 by Douglas Labs with 7 different types of probiotic cultures and over 4 billion certified CFU (colony forming units). Take 2-3 per day while you are taking an antibiotic and 2 per day for an additional 10 days to restore your healthy gut flora. Then take 1 every other day to maintain a healthy GI tract (note: if you tend to suffer with yeast infections, take 2 capsules per day for several months while reducing your sugar intake. Once your infections resolve, take one a day to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria, reducing your risk of future yeast flare-ups.)
To read the original CDC article... click here
I hope this synopsis has been helpful. If you're sick and unsure about the best approach, please consult your doctor.
In Health,
Dr Neil Levin, Chiropractor, Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer