9 Ways to Restore Gut Health After Taking Antibiotics

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Antibiotics have been a lifesaving development in modern medicine. In fact, their use has helped add 23 years to human life expectancy.

While antibiotics serve a critical purpose, they have a downside: They can damage your gut health. But there are several things you can do to protect your gut health while taking antibiotics.

How do antibiotics damage your gut?

The job of antibiotics is to kill the harmful bacteria that cause infections and disease. Thankfully, they do this job well. But antibiotics can't distinguish between harmful and "good" bacteria. This means that in addition to killing the bad bacteria causing your illness, antibiotics also kill the good bacteria.

Antibiotics also decrease the diversity of microbes in your digestive tract. To have a healthy gut, you need the right mixture of good and bad bacteria. Without that balance, dysbiosis can develop. This is when your gut contains too many harmful bacteria and not enough helpful bacteria.

Unfortunately, dysbiosis can happen whether you're taking antibiotics short term or long term. And it helps explain why taking them can lead to negative side effects such as diarrhea.

How to restore gut health after taking antibiotics

Most people have to take antibiotics at some point in their life. While your gut microbiome can recover on its own after taking antibiotics, research shows that the speed and ease of recovery depend on factors like diet and lifestyle. That's why it may help to learn about what you can do to help restore your gut health after antibiotics.

Here are some things you can do to help keep your gut as healthy as possible before, during, and after taking antibiotics:

Eat probiotic foods

Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that, when ingested, can benefit your whole body - including your gut. Probiotics can help prevent dysbiosis by providing more of the good bacteria your gut needs. Eating more probiotic foods during and after an antibiotics course is a smart way to do this.

Examples of probiotic foods include:

• Certain types of yogurt (look for the words "contains live and active cultures" on the package)

• Kefir, kombucha, and other probiotic drinks

• Cultured buttermilk

• Miso

• Tempeh

• Sauerkraut

• Kimchi

• Some cheeses

Eat prebiotic foods

Prebiotics are a type of indigestible carbohydrate - also known as fiber - that "feed" the existing healthy bacteria and help them thrive. In other words, prebiotics help probiotics do their job effectively. Consuming prebiotic foods during and after antibiotics can help maintain a healthy gut.

While all prebiotics are a type of fiber, not all sources of dietary fiber are prebiotics. Examples of prebiotic foods include:

• Some cereals and whole grains, including oats, bran, and barley

• Certain fruits like apples, berries, and bananas

• Some vegetables, such as leeks, asparagus, and onions

• Legumes

• Honey

• Chia and flax seeds

• Nuts, including pistachios and almonds

Take prebiotic and probiotic supplements

It's generally more effective to consume probiotics in whole food form rather than through supplements. But when taking antibiotics, it's a good idea to increase your probiotic intake by adding supplements.

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) recommends that children and adults use probiotic supplements when being treated with antibiotics to help minimize antibiotics' negative side effects. There's some evidence that taking probiotics may even help some antibiotics work better. And since prebiotics boost the effectiveness of probiotics, it's good to take those as well.

Prebiotic and probiotics can be taken separately. Some supplements contain both, called synbiotics. Some believe synbiotics may have a greater benefit on human health than prebiotics or probiotics alone. It's an area of active clinical research.

Focus on fiber

As mentioned above, fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods. Your body can't digest fiber, but it's a crucial part of a nutritious diet. Fiber helps keep your gut healthy, balance blood sugar, and lower cholesterol.

While you're taking antibiotics, aim for a fiber-rich diet. Research suggests that when you don't get enough fiber, your gut has trouble recovering after antibiotics. Similarly, when you don't eat enough fiber, antibiotics can more easily damage your gut.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that women consume at least 25 g of fiber daily, while men should consume at least 38 g. Getting at least this amount before, during, and after taking antibiotics can go a long way in protecting your gut.

Examples of high-fiber foods include:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Beans and legumes

• Whole grains like whole wheat, oats, and quinoa

• Nuts and seeds (and products made from them)

Limit highly processed foods

Highly processed foods - like fast food, convenience foods, and pre-packaged meals or snacks - contain food additives like preservatives and artificial ingredients. They also tend to be high in sodium and sugar while being lower in fiber and other important nutrients.

This combination of ingredients can wreak havoc on your gut health. Studies show that consuming a typical Western diet containing lots of ultra-processed foods can change your gut microbiome and lead to inflammation.

When you're taking antibiotics, which can also harm your gut, eating processed foods can cause additional damage. That's why it's best to limit them, especially during and after antibiotic use.

Exercise regularly

Exercise is an important - but often overlooked - part of good gut health. A recent study found that exercise can improve your gut bacteria. For example, if you have too many harmful bacteria in your gut, physical activity can help introduce more beneficial bacteria. Regular exercise may also minimize the negative impact that antibiotics can have on gut health.

Just remember to avoid strenuous exercise while you're sick. It's usually best to finish your course of antibiotics and make sure you're completely better before resuming rigorous workouts.

Get enough sleep

Sleep and gut health have a close relationship. Research shows that not getting enough sleep can contribute to dysbiosis. But the inverse is also true. Having an unhealthy gut microbiome can negatively influence your sleep quality. Try to prioritize getting enough sleep while you're taking antibiotics.

The National Institute of Health suggests adults aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. People who get less than 7 hours each night tend to have more health issues than those who sleep more.

Drink enough water

Staying hydrated can help improve your gut health in general, so it's important to drink plenty of fluids after antibiotics. Water is essential for normal digestion, as it:

• Allows your body to properly absorb nutrients

• Helps soften stool to promote regular bowel movements

• Helps prevent the dehydration that can occur from antibiotic-associated diarrhea

When taking antibiotics, it's especially important to stay hydrated by:

• Drinking plenty of water throughout the day

• Eating hydrating foods

• Avoiding alcohol or too much caffeine

Manage your stress

One of the biggest ways stress impacts your body is through your digestive tract - also known as your gut. Unmanaged stress contributes to dysbiosis by altering your gut bacteria, causing inflammation, and potentially contributing to a leaky gut. That's why it's common for stress to cause gut issues such as nausea and diarrhea.

Managing stress isn't always easy. But doing what you can to ask for help, cutting back on unnecessary commitments, and making time for things you love can all help.

Do all antibiotics affect your gut?

All antibiotics can affect gut health. But the degree to which an antibiotic affects your gut depends on factors like the type of antibiotic and how long it's used.

Antibiotics fall into two main categories based on how they act in your body:

1. Narrow-spectrum antibioticstarget only just a few types of bacteria. They're used when the specific type(s) of bacteria causing the infection are known.

2. Broad-spectrum antibiotics target a wide variety of bacteria. They're used when it's not known which type of bacteria is causing the infection or disease.

Research shows that broad-spectrum antibiotics are harder on your gut health than narrow-spectrum antibiotics. This is because these medications kill off more types of bacteria, including both the bad and good kinds.

Worst antibiotics for gut health

The research in this area is still emerging. Many factors can influence how your body reacts to antibiotics.

These factors may include:

• How the antibiotic works to kill off harmful bacteria, since different antibiotics work in different ways

• The dose used

• Route of administration, like oral, intravenous, or topical

• Your current health status

• Your diet

Plus, because each person is unique and there are so many different types of antibiotics, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly how each one will affect your gut.

Experts are still learning about the type and extent of damage that antibiotics can cause to your gut. They're also still learning about gut microbes that can resist antibiotic treatment.

Still, research from 2021 studied the effects of different antibiotics on gut microbiota to better understand their differences. This research included dozens of antibiotics, including those used in combination with others. While no single antibiotic was identified as the worst for gut health, the study found that some antibiotics are worse for your gut than others.

For example, the study found that clindamycin - which is commonly used for a variety of infections - harmed gut microbiota significantly more than ciprofloxacin, another commonly prescribed antibiotic.

Other antibiotics that were found to have particularly damaging effects on gut health include:

• Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid

• Clarithromycin

• Cefprozil

• Cefepime

It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional about any antibiotic you're planning to take.

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