Taking Antibiotics Triples the Risk of Childhood IBD, Study Warns
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a very prevalent gastrointestinal condition that usually results in chronic abdominal pain or discomfort.
A new study reveals that children are more vulnerable to this condition if they take antibiotics or consume a typical Western diet from a young age. While wealth often equates to better health, scientists add that even children from families with a higher socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to IBD.
"Paediatric IBD cases are rising globally, and approximately 1 in 4 of all IBD cases are now diagnosed before age 21," says Nisha Thacker, the study's lead author and a gastrointestinal dietitian.
Scientists are watching these numbers closely, largely due to the ongoing concern about the impact of paediatric IBD on puberty and child growth patterns. It is imperative that parents are aware of the condition and the factors that can influence its onset and progression.
Thacker conducted a meta-analysis of 36 observational studies representing around 6.4 million children. She found that antibiotic exposure before the age of five was associated with a three times greater risk of paediatric IBD. Exposure to four or more courses of antibiotics increased this risk to three-and-a-half times.
The War of the Worlds, and What We're Missing
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds is a remarkable science fiction novel in which humanity was pitted against an invading race from Mars. The one thing that saved us from total annihilation was bacteria, against which the Martians had no defence. And we think we are making the same mistake.
The realisation that our diets and environmental factors affect our health, as well as the way our genes express themselves, is gradually becoming commonplace. But one major factor that has received less attention is how our diet and environment are affecting our bacteria's genes.
Like our own genes, bacterial genes can be switched on or off in response to external factors such as diet and environment.
The Antibiotic Problem
Children in the UK receive multiple courses of antibiotics before adulthood, many of which research suggests are unnecessary. This may mean that our gut bacteria, including their genes, are meaningfully different from those of our parents and grandparents.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics are indiscriminate by nature. They kill off a wide range of bacteria indiscriminately, including the beneficial species essential to our health, while surviving bacteria with resistance traits are left to multiply, driving the spread of antibiotic resistance.
These beneficial bacteria act as a critical part of our internal defence system, supporting immune function, regulating inflammation and keeping harmful bacteria in check within our bodies. When we deplete them repeatedly and unnecessarily, the long-term consequences for our health may be far greater than we currently appreciate.
