FROM FOX NEWS: Some everyday medications could be impacting your gut health in the long term.
A large study from Estonia has found that the gut microbiome — or the ecosystem that lives in the intestines — can be reshaped by antibiotics, according to new research published in ASM Journals.
Other medicines — like antidepressants and cold medications — can also change the bacteria in your gut. These effects can build up over time and may even last for years after taking the drugs.
The study analyzed stool samples from 2,509 individuals, linking their microbiome data with electronic health records containing up to five years of prescription history. A second stool sample was collected from a sub-cohort of 328 individuals about 4.4 years later.
The researchers looked at the relationship between drugs and microbiome changes, examining whether the duration or frequency of use affected these impacts and investigating the effects of drug initiation and discontinuation on patients.
“Of 186 drugs that were tested, 167, or 89.8%, were linked to at least one microbial effect,” Fox reports..
Interestingly, even drugs used years before the study were associated with microbiome variation, including antibiotics, psycholeptics, antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), beta blockers, and benzodiazepine derivatives, as revealed by the researchers.
Common medications can alter the gut microbiome for years even after stopping them
New study: Effects detectable years later for antibiotics, antidepressants, PPIs, beta-blockers
The more prescriptions filled, the stronger the microbiome changes, and the effects were additive pic.twitter.com/dPWjVL2TrR
— Brandon Luu, MD (@BrandonLuuMD) October 17, 2025
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