This article focuses on the effect of non-antibacterial drugs on human gut flora. The study published by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany tested nearly 1200 drugs, some 835 of which were designed to target human cells, to see if they had any effect on the human gut flora. The team discovered that 27% of these drugs had an effect on the gut flora.

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Example of Human Gut Flora

However, these effects are not necessarily bad. They suggest that some of these changes may be some of the positive side effects of these drugs. The researchers also found a connection between the bacteria not directly affected by the drugs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

What are the consequences of such a discovery?

Although the results of the study did not answer the question directly, there could be a link between non-antibacterial drugs and antibacterial resistance. The study’s coauthor, Kiran Patil, says that such effects “should be looked at very seriously”.

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Ultimately the study highlights the importance of considering the drugs put into the human body and what effect they may have – positive or negative – on the human microbiome. Personally, I think that people in this day and age overuse drugs, popping anti-inflammatories and headache pills like they are candy. This has only decreased our sensitivity to these drugs and caused a need for stronger and stronger drugs. We often don’t consider what these powerful drugs are doing to our delicate and complex microbiomes.

What do you think of the results of this study? Is it something to be worried about or just trumped up malarkey?