{"id":656036,"date":"2026-03-14T22:34:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T22:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/656036\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T22:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T22:34:19","slug":"us-doctor-warns-that-antibiotics-can-disrupt-your-gut-microbiome-for-months-shares-5-facts-about-gut-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/656036\/","title":{"rendered":"US doctor warns that antibiotics can disrupt your gut microbiome for months; shares 5 facts about gut health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gut health<\/a> plays a far greater role in overall well-being than many people realise. While it is commonly associated with digestion, the gut is also responsible for absorbing nutrients, regulating parts of the immune system<\/a> and influencing functions that affect the brain, heart and other organs. Because of this, problems in the gut can show up as more than just stomach discomfort \u2013 symptoms like bloating, reflux or irregular bowel movements may signal deeper physiological imbalances that deserve attention.<\/p>\n

\"AntibioticsAntibiotics can disrupt your gut microbiome for months! (Unsplash)<\/p>\n

Also Read | <\/strong>Are you extra sensitive to cold? US doctor shares 3 biological reasons that can heighten cold sensitivity<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, has shared five key facts about gut health, covering common concerns ranging from bloating and constipation to the role of fibre intake and the impact of antibiotics on the gut microbiome<\/a>. In an Instagram video shared on March 3, the physician highlights, \u201cYour gut influences more than digestion. These patterns are clinically meaningful, not just \u2018minor symptoms\u2019. Gut symptoms often reflect physiology. Transit time, microbiome balance, mucosal integrity, and fibre intake all matter long before serious disease develops.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daily bloating isn\u2019t normal<\/p>\n

Dr Sood highlights that while occasional bloating <\/a>is normal, experiencing it every day may signal an underlying issue. Persistent bloating can be linked to gastrointestinal disorders, poor microbiome fermentation, motility problems or gut dysbiosis. It may also result from excess gas production caused by poor nutrient absorption or impaired gastrointestinal function.<\/p>\n

He explains, \u201cOccasional bloating is common. Daily or near-daily bloating often reflects functional GI disorders, abnormal fermentation, motility dysfunction, or dysbiosis. Mechanisms include excess gas production from poorly absorbed carbohydrates, impaired abdominal wall reflexes, and slowed transit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Constipation is less than 3 bowel movements per week<\/p>\n

Dr Sood explains that constipation <\/a>is typically defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, often accompanied by straining or passing hard stools. When intestinal transit slows down, the colon absorbs more water from the stool, causing it to become drier and harder, which further contributes to difficulty in passing it.<\/p>\n

He states, \u201cRome IV defines functional constipation as less than three spontaneous bowel movements per week plus symptoms like straining or hard stools. Slow transit increases water reabsorption, hardens stool, and weakens the defecation reflex, reinforcing the cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chronic heartburn can damage your oesophagus<\/p>\n

According to the physician, chronic acid reflux<\/a> exposes the oesophageal lining to acid and pepsin, which causes inflammation. Over time and persistent exposure, it can lead to long-term injury and scarring, even sometimes resulting in a precancerous condition called Barrett\u2019s oesophagus.<\/p>\n

He explains, \u201cPersistent reflux exposes squamous oesophageal lining to acid and pepsin, causing inflammation (oesophagitis). Long-term injury can lead to Barrett\u2019s oesophagus, a precancerous change, or peptic strictures from scarring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Antibiotics can disrupt your gut for months<\/p>\n

Dr Sood emphasises that antibiotics <\/a>do not only target harmful bacteria \u2013 they also wipe out beneficial microbes in the gut, which can significantly alter the microbiome. For this reason, antibiotics should be taken only when absolutely necessary. He stresses that while the total number of microbial species may eventually recover, the delicate ecological balance of the gut may never fully return to its original baseline.<\/p>\n

He explains, \u201cAntibiotics reduce microbial diversity and can permanently shift microbiome composition. Even if total species numbers recover, ecological balance may not return to baseline. Some broad-spectrum antibiotics show long-lasting effects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aim for 25 to 38 grams of fibre daily<\/p>\n

Adequate fibre intake is essential for gut health because it feeds beneficial gut microbes. When fibre is fermented by these microbes, it produces short-chain fatty acids that help reduce inflammation <\/a>and support the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier. Fibre also plays a key role in improving gut motility and promoting smoother digestive transit.<\/p>\n

Dr Sood explains, \u201cGuidelines recommend 25 grams (approx) per day for women and 38 grams (approx) per day for men. Fibre feeds gut microbes, producing short-chain fatty acids like butyrate that support the epithelial barrier, reduce inflammation, and improve transit. Higher fibre intake is linked with better laxation and lower chronic disease risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gut health plays a far greater role in overall well-being than many people realise. While it is commonly…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":656037,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[11],"tags":[68876,53366,47683,86914,278036,17563,210,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-656036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-acid-reflux","tag-bloating","tag-constipation","tag-fibre-intake","tag-gastrointestinal-disorders","tag-gut-microbiome","tag-health","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116229915979233827","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=656036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/656037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=656036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=656036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=656036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}