Recent research suggests that many commonly prescribed medications might cause long-lasting changes in gut bacteria. This study examined stool samples from over 2,500 individuals in the Estonian Biobank. The researchers compared these findings with prescription records and data from the Estonian Microbiome cohort. The aim was to see if medication use affected the gut microbiome, a community of bacteria and microorganisms in the digestive system.
Long-lasting Medication Effects
Researchers discovered that most studied medications were linked to changes in the gut microbiome. Notably, these effects could persist years after patients stopped taking the drugs. These long-term impacts were not limited to antibiotics, which are already known to influence gut bacteria. Similar patterns were found with antidepressants, beta-blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and benzodiazepines. Each type of medication resulted in a unique microbial ‘fingerprint’ in the gut.
Dr. Oliver Aasmets, the study’s lead author, noted that most microbiome research focuses on current medication use. He emphasized that past drug use is a surprisingly strong factor in individual microbiome differences.
Research Implications
This study has implications for future microbiome research. If previous medication use continues to affect the gut microbiome, researchers need to consider a person’s medication history when exploring links between the microbiome and disease.
Dr. Lucy Hooper, a general practitioner and co-founder of Coyne Medical in London, highlighted that some groups are more vulnerable to these changes. Babies and young children, whose gut microbiomes are still developing, could be more affected. Past research has linked early antibiotic use to conditions like asthma, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Older adults might also be at risk due to declining microbiome diversity with age and frequent or long-term medication use.
Benzodiazepines and Microbiome Changes
Benzodiazepines showed striking findings, noted for their prescription primarily for anxiety and other disorders. Researchers found that their effect on the gut microbiome was similar to that of broad-spectrum antibiotics, known for significant gut microbe alterations. Even within the same drug class, medications like diazepam and alprazolam differed in how they affected gut bacteria.
This is significant because microbiome research often groups medications by class. The results suggest that individual drugs should be assessed separately in their microbiome effects.
Follow-up Findings
Researchers also examined follow-up stool samples from a smaller group of participants. This allowed for observations of microbiome shifts when medications were started or stopped. The results confirmed persistent effects linked to proton pump inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), among other drugs.
Dr. Hooper mentioned that lifestyle factors might affect how well the microbiome recovers post-medication. For instance, consuming low dietary fiber levels could lead to a less resilient microbiome, complicating recovery.
Significance of Past Medication Use
The study suggests that a person’s gut microbiome reflects more than their current diet, health, and medication use. It might also show traces of past medications. Researchers argue the importance of considering medication history in microbiome studies. Some changes linked to disease could be due to medications taken months or years prior.
Dr. Hooper stated that further research is necessary to clarify if these medication-induced microbiome changes directly cause health effects. “Although no one should stop medication due to microbiome concerns, reviewing medicines regularly is prudent,” she advised.
Reference: Oliver Aasmets et al.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kara Dolman and Emma Lee-Sang.