The balance of good to bad bacteria in the microbiome plays a crucial role in patients’ health.

The specific bacterial species found in your gut, skin, and mouth (collectively termed your microbiome) are as unique as your fingerprint, says Ilsabé Spoelstra, a dietician at Mediclinic Bloemfontein. Every human is teeming with billions of microorganisms, and most are very good for your health. 

When we say that every person is unique, few of us are referring to each patient’s particular combination of gut flora. 

ALL ABOUT BALANCE 

The balance of good to bad bacteria in the microbiome plays a crucial role in patients’ health. A healthy microbiome helps the body absorb nutrients, regulate the immune system, balance blood sugar and, according to research, even affects patients’ emotions. 

Prescribed to treat bacterial infections by killing bacteria, antibiotics save thousands of lives every year. However, these medications cannot differentiate between harmful and beneficial bacteria. As a result, they indiscriminately damage all bacteria. 

“Depending on the initial health of your gut microbiota, the frequency of antibiotic use, your diet and your environment, it can take anything from a week to several years for intestinal microbiota to fully recover,” Spoelstra explained. 

A damaged gut microbiome can reduce immune function, inhibit digestion and absorption, and lead to serious conditions such as colon cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, and inflammatory bowel diseases (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis),” she added. 

MINIMISE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS 

“We often start a course of antibiotics for the slightest sniffle. This does more harm than good for your body,” Spoelstra warned. “Antibiotics are only effective for bacterial infections and won’t cure viral or other infections. Using antibiotics too often is a common mistake.” 

TAKE PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTS 

Most of us will find that at some point in our lives a course of antibiotics is warranted and unavoidable. Available over the counter, probiotic supplements offer the body strains of good bacteria, helping to re-establish and support the microbiome. 

Not all microbiota can be cultivated, and therefore probiotics can’t undo all of the damage caused, but they are a valuable aid in rebalancing the microbiome. 

Probiotics should be taken for one to two months once a full course of antibiotics is completed, advised Spoelstra. 

“In time, as the gut microbiome is better understood, we may be able to develop and prescribe specific strains and strengths of probiotics in response to symptoms or specific conditions,” added Gayle Landau, a dietician at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre.