Early exposure to antibiotics kills healthy bacteria in the digestive tract and can cause permanent asthma and allergies, a new study shows.
The study, published in Mucosal Immunology, provides the strongest evidence so far that the long-observed connection between antibiotic exposure in early childhood and later development of asthma and allergies is causal.
“The practical implication is simple: Avoid antibiotic use in young children whenever you can because it may elevate the risk of significant, long-term problems with allergy and/or asthma,” said senior author Martin Blaser, director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University.
In the study, the researchers note that antibiotics, “among the most used medications in children, affect gut microbiome communities and metabolic functions. These changes in microbiota structure can impact host immunity.”…