Health Viewpoints
It’s not just one class of oral antibiotics, but five that have been identified as risk factors for this painful condition. And that’s on top of research showing how antibiotics may make you more prone to this gut-related disease and malignancy, likely due to their harsh effects on your microbiome.
Story at a Glance
- Five classes of oral antibiotics have been identified as risk factors for kidney stones: broad-spectrum penicillins, fluoroquinolones, nitrofurantoin, cephalosporins, and sulfas.
- The association is most pronounced among younger children, and remains statistically significant for up to five years after exposure, except for broad-spectrum penicillin.
- Between 1997 and 2012, the annual incidence of kidney stone disease rose by 16 percent. The highest increase was seen in 15- to 19-year-olds, among whom the incidence rate increased 26 percent per five years.
- Previous studies have found an association between oral antibiotics and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer, likely due to disruption of the gut microbiome.
- Fluoroquinolones, frequently prescribed for upper respiratory infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs), have been linked to an increased risk for aortic dissection (tears in the aorta), which can be fatal.
Joseph Mercola
Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-selling author, and recipient of multiple awards in the field of natural health, his primary vision is to change the modern health paradigm by providing people with a valuable resource to help them take control of their health.
