Are Antibiotics Making your Kids FAT?

Antibiotics are life-saving medicine, but their overuse has been linked to a number of health concerns, not least of which include antibiotic-resistant superbugs that kill thousands of people each year.

Now, new research adds to growing evidence that over-exposure to antibiotics contributes to another problem: weight gain.

In the largest study on the subject to date, Dr. Brian Schwartz and his researchers from Johns Hopkins found that children who take antibiotics regularly throughout their childhood gain weight significantly faster than those who do not. 

For the study a team analyzed the health records of more than 160,000 children between the ages of 3 and 18 from 2001 to 2012. They collected data on height and weight to determine body mass index (BMI), as well as antibiotic use in the previous year and any earlier years for which health records were available.

The results showed that at age 15, children who had received antibiotics seven or more times during childhood weighed about three pounds more than those who had never taken the drugs. Approximately 21 percent of the study participants -- about 30,0000 kids -- had taken antibiotics seven or more times during childhood.

Scientists have long known that antibiotics promote weight gain in animals, which is why they are given to livestock in animal feed at modern industrialized farms.

But growing evidence shows that in humans, antibiotics could lead to weight gain because of the effect they have on the microbiota or microbiome -- microorganisms that inhabit the body. Antibiotics work by killing off harmful bacteria but the medicine can also deplete "good" bacteria that are vital to health. Research shows repeated antibiotics use can forever alter the microbiome, which can change the way it breaks down food in the digestive tract, increasing the calories absorbed and leading to weight gain.

Of course, the findings don't suggest that children should never take antibiotics, but Schwarz said physicians need to be diligent in prescribing the drugs only when needed.

For parents, he gives the following advice: "Bottom line: If your doctor tells you that you or your child does not need antibiotics, don't ask for them, don't take them, don't try to find another doctor who will provide them. Eat healthy and your gut microbiota will be very good to you. Don't change your gut microbiota unnecessarily by taking antibiotics if you don't need them."

READ MORE...Article Source: CBS News | Photo Credit

Don't WORRY... Be DIRTY!

Can DIRT really make you HAPPY? It's not only the avid gardeners shouting YES! 

Mycobacterium vaccae is a bacterium found in soil shown to mirror the effect on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide. The soil microbes have shown to stimulate serotonin production, which makes you relaxed and happier. 

Lack of serotonin has been linked to depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar problems. The bacterium appears to be a natural antidepressant in soil and has no adverse health effects. Even better-- these antidepressant microbes in soil may be as easy to use as just playing in the dirt!

Most avid gardeners will tell you that their landscape is their “happy place” and the actual physical act of gardening is a stress reducer and mood lifter. The fact that there is some science behind it adds additional credibility to these garden addicts’ claims. The presence of a soil bacteria antidepressant is not a surprise to many of us who have experienced the phenomenon ourselves. Backing it up with science is fascinating, but not shocking, to the happy gardener.

How does dirt make you happy? Antidepressant microbes in soil cause cytokine levels to rise, which results in the production of higher levels of serotonin. The bacterium was tested both by injection and ingestion on rats and the results were increased cognitive ability, lower stress and better concentration to tasks than a control group.

Gardeners inhale the bacteria, have topical contact with it and get it into their bloodstreams when there is a cut or other pathway for infection. The natural effects of the soil bacteria antidepressant can be felt for up to 3 weeks if the experiments with rats are any indication. 

So GET OUT and PLAY in the DIRT and improve your mood and your life!

Article source: www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm