Taking antibiotics can protect you from bacterial infections — and it is often an important part of maintaining your health. However, if regular intake of antibiotics was once thought to be sufficient to protect you, new studies show that unhealthy eating habits can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics. Suggests. Fortunately, this study also reveals that eating soluble fiber as part of a balanced diet helps support your body’s absorption of antibiotics.
Jump into research
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the main reason your body may not be properly absorbing antibiotics. This happens when the bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the system can overcome drugs designed to destroy them. The CDC reports that more than 2.8 million AMR infections occur each year in the United States.
Recent observational studies published in the journal mBMeo o We investigated how a normal diet affects antibiotic resistance genes in gut microbiota.
Researchers asked 290 healthy adults (ages 18-66) to fill out a food questionnaire about their normal diet. Blood, urine, and fecal samples were also used to measure each participant’s gut flora (a collection of all bacteria, viruses, fungi, and genes in the body).
Survey results
The authors found that a diet high in water-soluble fiber and low in protein was associated with reduced levels of antimicrobial resistance genes in gut microbiota.
Regular intake of soluble fiber, not protein, was the focus of these discoveries. This is because this type of fiber dissolves in water and helps increase the number of healthy bacteria in the intestines.
In the statement, lead author and research molecular biologist Daniel Remei foresaw these findings.
“The results directly lead to the idea that dietary changes could be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance,” she explains. “This suggests that you may want to eat from a variety of food sources that tend to be high in water-soluble fiber for maximum benefit.”
What this means to you
Increasing your daily intake of water-soluble fiber is an ideal way to improve your gut health and ultimately help you avoid AMR. USDA recommends consuming 28 grams of fiber in a 2,000 calorie diet daily.
Good sources of water-soluble dietary fiber include oats, legumes, apples, carrots and citrus fruits. Whether you’re making oatmeal for breakfast or lentils for lunch or dinner, there are many ways to enjoy this type of fiber.
In addition to fine-tuning your diet, talk to your doctor about AMR details to make sure antibiotics are as effective as possible.
