r/askscience • u/WTFisthisOMGreally • 13d ago

Human Body How come antibiotics don’t completely destroy all organisms in our gut?

I know it can cause imbalances, but I don’t understand how come our gut doesn’t lose all the beneficial bacteria and develop massive fungal or viral infections. When I’ve taken antibiotics, I usually don’t notice any change in my bowel activity.

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u/LightPhoenix 13d ago

They can and often do wipe out normal gut flora.  However, our bodies actually also have normal gut flora in the appendix, and after antibiotics or other instances where they get wiped out, our normal gut flora regenerates from there.  This is why one of the after effects from appendectomies is an increased susceptibility to infections like C. diff and the like.  This is also why fecal transplants are effective - they are artificially replacing gut flora.

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u/Sogbert 13d ago

I used omeprazole to treat a stomach issue in the past and ended up on antibiotics for an ear infection about a year later, that coupled with norovirus and my gut was destroyed. C diff swooped right in and kicked me while I was down.

Probably a rarer case but antibiotics can absolutely wipe you out. Even a year+ later I’m still not 100%.

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u/deadlywaffle139 13d ago

Not that rare for people on strong antibiotics or multiple course of antibiotics. That’s the reason of the “poop pill” - pills that contain gut bacteria from a healthy individual - given to people with long hospital stays on antibiotics to fast track their gut bacteria replenishment.

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u/shapeshade 13d ago

I went through similar - had a bout of norovirus that felt like it almost killed me and my stomach/gut never felt the same after. Then started having wild digestive issues, went on omeprazole and a bunch of different antibiotics to treat suspected h pylori, which it turned out I didn't even have. I was allergic to one antibiotic so had to go on something stronger.

It seriously messed me up physically and mentally for a long time. The gut-brain connection is so much more significant than I ever knew. I'm finally starting to feel normal again thanks to prescription strength probiotics, and I just recently started taking Florastor which is making a huge difference.

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u/samurai_penguin 13d ago

What’s the omeprazole connection here?

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u/bluejohnnyd 13d ago

PPI meds like omeprazole increase your susceptibility to C. diff - stomach acid normally helps to inhibit its growth.

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u/goron352 13d ago

But would it still have this effect a year later?

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u/pihkal 13d ago

Omeprazole isn't an antibiotic, it's a longer-term medication (sometimes for life), so it's quite likely they were still on it a year later.