Sugar Intake May Worsen Gut Damage During Antibiotic Treatment, Study Finds

Times of India - India · india

Eating a high-sugar diet while taking antibiotics could exacerbate the disruption to beneficial gut bacteria, according to new research. A study involving 173 hospitalised cancer patients found that for every 100 grams of sweets consumed, gut microbiome diversity decreased by 24.1% when on broad-spectrum antibiotics. Experiments with mice showed higher levels of certain bacteria when sucrose was given alongside antibiotics. This suggests sugar intake can influence bacterial responses after antibiotics have already disturbed the gut's microbial balance, potentially impacting recovery.