Human body consists of a vast array of microorganisms known as microbiome which includes bacteria, fungi and viruses. The human body consists of about 38 trillion microbial cells which are both beneficial as well as detrimental for the host. Majority of biome resides in our gut for proper digestion and functioning of human body. Different species of bacteria resides there having specific functions. Human life can’t be imagined without microbiome. One of the biggest reason for the smooth functioning of human body is presence of microbiome. The gut microbiome aids in digestion, supports the immune system, produces essential nutrients like vitamin K and certain B vitamins and protect against invaders.
Antibiotics and it’s overdose :
Antibiotics are drugs that are used to kill foreign pathogens in our body. They are hailed as miracle drugs and are considered to develop immune response against that pathogen. When used in limited amount, it is like saving countless lives but when over use and misuse of antibiotic start to happen, a dreadly disaster can overcome in the host. They disrupt the overall functioning as antibiotics cannot discriminate between harmful pathogens and beneficial bacteria.They just eradicate a large portion of good bacteria and this disruption is known as dysbiosis. It can be severe and have long lasting effects. Even a single dosage of antibiotics can produce dysbiosis for months or for years which can further lead to open invitation to pathogens. Conditions such as inflammatory bowel movement and irritable bowel syndrome are mostly seen in cases of dysbiosis.
Effects of overuse:
Source: The Indian Express
Antibiotics have more severe effects than we know . Dysbiosis can lead to gut permeability allowing more toxins to reach to the gut and then to liver which can disrupt and cause fatty liver disease. Obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome are likely to be prone.
Besides all these , respiratory microbiome, urinogenital microbiome and skin microbiome gets eradicated which further lead to disruption all over body. Irregular functioning of the host and a home to pathogens is most likely to happen during dysbiosis. Respiratory disease like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinogenital disease like trichomoniasis, trauma , infection are likely to occur .
Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which means that pathogens become resistance towards the same antibiotics. They become more virulent than earlier resulting in multiplying themselves rapidly. Our body does not produce enough immune response towards that pathogen. Pathogen , more likely to say, mutate themselves to that drug and become resistance towards it. This leads to weaken our immunity and the host become more weak and weak .
Concerning aspects:
Though antibiotics provide relief in diseased condition, but always it should be remembered that overuse of anything is bad , may it be the antibiotics. We should take the prescribed amount of antibiotics only .