How Long Does the Microbiome Recover After Antibiotics? | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz | The Proof Clips #271

When the gut microbiome is in a state of harmony, teeming with diversity and richness, it supports our immune system, aids digestion, and even influences our mental well-being. However, even the healthiest individuals with robust microbiomes can face disruptions, especially when faced with an infection that requires antibiotic treatment.

In Ep. 271, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz walks us through how the body responds when prescribed a course of antibiotics. From reducing diversity and richness to entering into dysbiosis, Dr. B explains the serious consequences when our gut bugs are out of whack.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Dr. B explains that, for most people, the gut eventually recovers its pre-antibiotic state after the medication is completed. But how long? Well, it's not as simple as it sounds. Tune in to find out some valuable information.

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[Jojoma]

How does one do a microbiome study and not look at what people are eating. Blows my mind

[jargolauda]

Answer: 2 months, but this can not be said, it depends on individual, some don't recover at all even in 6 months.

[lasurfette]

I was on immunotherapy for my breast cancer and had to take antibiotics for a UTI. Entered a state of dysbiosis, and the immunotherapy caused my body to go into overdrive, attacking my pituitary and adrenal functions. Dysbiosis is no joke. I'm desperately trying to restore the gut as soon as I can to heal the brain/adrenals.

[aliciab]

Dr. B is always a wealth of information. Great conversation. Thank you Simon and Will.

[kst]

First class & detailed & hugely relevant - many thanks to both of you for this key summary clip. :)

[EliShanti]

Great answers and great questions !!!❤❤❤❤ Thank you so much !

[selinaserenelli]

I’m curious what happens after having a colonoscopy? It appears the good the bad and the ugly are all cleared out by the preparation protocols.

[paradinha_]

That's so fascinating. Excellent piece of information in a bite sized video. Thank you so much from Uzbekistan 🇺🇿

[larrysellers]

I was put on antibiotics for acne as a teen. I was told to continue taking them by my GP for over 7 months. A locum took me off them. I had skin infections, developed a broad range of allergies, joint pains and depression.

[yakoobyasseen]

Very interesting watching from Johannesburg South Africa 🇿🇦

[PoeticBostonian]

I’m really so lost and don’t know where to turn. My newborn daughter had to be put on antibiotics daily for kidney reflux disease. She was on them every day until that went away when she was 4 years old. I don’t know why it happened this way, but when she came off the antibiotics she started gaining weight. The doctor told me she’d grow and it would be fine. But she kept gaining and gaining. I did my own research and found that her gut flora was likely destroyed by the antibiotics. The doctors looked at me like I was crazy or said that wouldn’t be the cause of her weight gain. As she got older, one day she asked me what I meant by feeling full. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. To this day, she doesn’t feel full. She’s 15 and I just want to help her. I try feeding her brown cow yogurt with live cultures, but other than that I don’t know what to do. If anyone knows, could you please comment? 🥺

[suzettebavier]

Very interesting, yet disturbing. Thank you sirs

[gdarionb]

Thanks so much for admitting the link between antibiotics and gut disbiosys. I took levaquin for 10 days and on day 8 had my first rheumatoid arthritis flare up. I had no idea what was going on with my body. It took months and getting good information this this video to make the link. My doctor still denies that the anti-biotic had such an affect.

[Last-responder]

Big big big connections here for me. I regularly struggle with UTI issues and earlier this year it led to a double kidney infection. Was put on antibiotics which killed the infection but has left me rebuilding my biome with kimchi, kraut, yogurt, and other fermentation foods. Sadly I ended up with another infection after visiting a hot springs recently and now must take another round of antibiotics.
Tis a journey and have learned so much thru- i have hope this will be my last round of infections for a few years at least.

[helenstaniskov]

One of my daughter’s friends, who is 27 (in Aus) has this and has had her colon removed, her bladder now and is fed through a tube 😔 she is on antibiotics for the remainder of her life!

[curious_g]

Thank you for uploading this useful content! I currently have sinus/ear infection with a prescription for antibiotics so I'll wait a few days to see if it clears by itself before taking the AB and possibly wrecking my microbiome for months.

[anastasiailieva]

Are the intestinal biofilms getting disrupted with the intake of antibiotics or do data concern only planktonic microorganisms in the gut? TY

[abigaila]

I took antibiotics about every 2-3 years for UTIs or other random infections like tooth infections but mostly UTIs. All the times I took them I was fine and recovered relatively quickly but i was young and not eating well, drinking alcohol, and not eating fiber etc. I had really bad acid reflux so I was on PPIs and antacids for many years. I got a stomach infection one day which led to significant changes in my body and health but I still felt somewhat healthy. One year after that I took my last dose of antibiotics for a UTI and 💥 all hell broke loose. I have been suffering with so many symptoms since. I believe I set myself up for this by eating shitty, taking PPIs and tums everyday, living an unhealthy lifestyle. Now I’m struggling just to have a conversation with someone and my body pains are significant.

[DanielleA]

Do antibiotics (for the mircrobiome) damage other areas of the body and what is the maximum amount of microbiome ntibiotics one can take in 3, 6, 12, 24whatever months

[Danielle-knqg]

I was put on doxycycline for rosacea and I developed IBS. I have just realized that this was the cause now I am trying to heal my gut. I have had diarrhea for 6 months. I have been off doxycycline for five months. I am currently sitting on the toilet. I am open to any suggestions anyone has on how to heal my gut.