They’re lifesavers. Yet they can leave you in agonizing pain
They’re one of the most prescribed drugs on the planet. And yet they’re perfectly useless in probably 20 percent (or more) of the cases where they’re used.
I’m talking about antibiotics, of course.
And their abuse is probably the most perfect example that ever existed of the phrase, “And this is why we can’t have nice things.”
Now there’s new evidence that these wildly popular drugs could cause kidney stones in some folks.
And, in fact, they may even be behind the steady rise in cases of this excruciatingly painful condition over the last few decades.
I’ll explain WHY in just a moment. But first, let’s take a quick look at HOW we got here in the first place.
These miracle drugs have saved countless lives
Make no mistake about it. Antibiotics were once a medical miracle.
Before the discovery of penicillin in the latter half of the 21st century, a simple bacterial infection could easily turn deadly at the drop of a hat.
But by the 1940s, mass production of penicillin had begun. And almost immediately, overuse was a problem.
People began taking antibiotics far too often. And the dangerous practice continues to this day.
The big guns are often brought in for minor infections that would clear up on their own… or with the help of a natural antibiotic.
Even worse far too many docs prescribe “just in case” antibiotics for viral infections.
Which, let’s be honest, is kind of like sprinkling fairy dust on the problem. Because, as you probably know, antibiotics are POWERLESS against viruses.
Overusing antibiotics is a health hazard
But overusing antibiotics or using them when they’re useless isn’t a victimless crime. Both have real-world consequences. And YOU could end up being the victim.
Antibiotic resistance has made these once powerful drugs less and less effective. Even so-called “last resort” antibiotics aren’t performing as they once did.
Which means when you need them the most, they could fail.
They’ve contributed to the rise of dangerous… sometimes deadly… superbugs that don’t respond to the drugs at all.
Plus scientists warn regular antibiotic use can mess with your gut flora, causing damaging changes to your microbiome. Which can have long term health consequences.
And now, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, we have a NEW danger to add to the list.
One which can leave you in so much pain it’s often described as far worse than childbirth (ouch!).
5 antibiotics sent kidney stones risk soaring
According to the researchers, five types of common oral antibiotics could send your risk for developing the agonizing stones soaring.
The researchers combed through the data from the health records of over 15 million folks in the UK between 1994 and 2015. Eventually, they narrowed the group down to 26,000 people who had kidney stones and 260,000 without stones.
And that’s where things started to get really interesting… and disturbing.
They adjusted their findings for all kinds of expected factors like other meds people were taking, urinary tract infections, and chronic conditions such as gout and diabetes.
And after crunching all the data, a handful of antibiotics stood out like a sore thumb. Each one was associated with a SIGNIFICANTLY higher risk of developing kidney stones.
Kidney stones sufferers were likely to have taken one of the following five antibiotics in the 12 months before their diagnosis…
- sulfas
- cephalosporins
- fluoroquinolones
- nitrofurantoin/methenamine
- broad spectrum penicillin
Sulfas were the worst culprits, with a 2.3 fold increase. But they ALL raised risk. And equally disturbing, that risk REMAINS elevated for up to five years after taking the drug.
If you haven’t changed your habits when it comes to antibiotics yet, it’s time. Overusing or misusing these drugs can be hazardous to your health. And it turns out unbearably painful, too.
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