Antibiotics and the Gut-Microbiome

The human microbiome can be affected by a superfluity of external and internal stimuli – from a change in diet, to contracting a disease. A common cause of microbiome depletion is the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as penicillins. Chemotherapy also have antibacterial abilities which can lead to a reduction in microbiome diversity. When a person undergoes a course of antibiotics or chemotherapy, not only are the pathogenic organisms destroyed/disabled, so are a lot of the normal, healthy microflora. This can affect a variety of bodily systems, such as the digestive system and the immune system. The effects that antibiotics have on the microbiome depend on: · chemical nature of the antibiotic · duration of the course of antibiotics · number of antibiotics being used · dosage (more potent antibi...