The microbiome is a buzzword we will hear a LOT more about in the next twenty years, and here’s another piece to add to the mix:

Researchers in Europe analyzed >1.6 million children to assess any relationship between antibiotic usage and the incidence of celiac disease. They found that a significantly higher number of children diagnosed with celiac disease had been exposed to antibiotics early in life, specifically showing 1.26 higher odds ratio of being diagnosed with celiac diseease if these children had been exposed to antibiotics.

While far from conclusive, researchers were intrigued and in the process of investigating further what if any causal relationship exists between the two. Future questions they wish to answer are to determine whether infections (which led to antibiotic use) are more responsible for the immune changes, or whether the antibiotics are the culprit or whether the effect is a combined effect.

However, because there is a growing body of evidence linking gastrointestinal damage and diet quality to mental illness & autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes – this provides another clue into the hunt for what offenders have the greatest impact on how these autoimmune issues form, and how we can work to prevent them.

Take home message: For a host of reasons, including gut damage, immune system changes, microbial damage/adaptations and common sense – try to MINIMIZE the use of antibiotics in your children. Let your doctor guide you on the proper use (and when NOT to use them) instead of asking for them every time your kid gets sniffle! Americans far over-use these powerful tools, and as research is showing, that is not without bad consequences.

However, if you are dealing with the “fallout” of antibiotic treatment that led to a gut that “hasn’t been right ever since”, please reach out – we may be able to help move your digestion and nutrition to a place where your gut can heal! Your gut microbiome is incredibly important, so do yourself a favor and treat it well!