Antibiotics may do more damage to kids in the long-run: study

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – In the long-run, antibiotics could do more damage to your little ones. That’s according to new research out of UBC.

It finds the drugs could make your kids more susceptible to certain diseases, eventually doing more damage.

According to the study, the medication wipes out both the good and bad bacteria in the gut., which hurts your immunity later on.

Researcher Kelly McNagny hopes the results will help pinpoint which bacteria make us less susceptible to disease.

“We’re not saying ‘Don’t take antibiotics,'” he emphasizes. “They’re life-saving drugs. When your kid really needs an antibiotic, they should get it.”

“But you should also be aware that when you do take an antibiotic, you’re really changing the flora in your gut — at least temporarily. And that’s not always the best thing for you.”

“If we can identify those bacteria that are protective… you could develop a yogurt or a probiotic or something that kids could take early in life, which might make sure that they get colonized with the right bacteria and not with the wrong bacteria,” he adds.

McNagney notes most bacteria living in the gut play a positive role in promoting a healthy immune system.

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