A new study has found that many common drugs — including those that treat diabetes, digestive problems, bacterial infections, and even depression — could actually predispose people to certain types of infection by affecting the balance of their gut microbiome.

Share on Pinterest Many common drugs can significantly alter the human gut microbiome.

Prescription drugs help treat diseases, ease infections, and manage the symptoms of certain chronic health conditions.

However, they can sometimes bring side effects, ranging in severity. Doctors and researchers are not always aware of all the possible adverse outcomes.

A new study from the University Medical Center Groningen and the Maastricht University Medical Center, both in the Netherlands, has found evidence to suggest that many common drugs — from antibiotics to antidepressants — have a significant impact on the gut microbiome. They can even disrupt the delicate balance of bacterial populations.

This, the researchers say, could increase a person’s risk of developing intestinal infections and other health problems, including obesity and antimicrobial resistance.

The research — which the team presented yesterday at the United European Gastroenterology Week in Barcelona, Spain — investigated the effect of 41 common types of prescription drugs.

To do so, they collected and analyzed 1,883 fecal samples from people who had either inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and from a group of healthy control participants.