Is it true that antibiotics can weaken your imune system?

Question

I heard somewhere that taking antibiotics can weaken your imune system.. Is that true? I have to take antibiotics for a tooth/gum infection and I was wondering if they are going to weaken my imune system, or is it if you take them too much.. I also heard that antibiotics can lead to a thing called candida.. a yeast overgrowth, any information on this question would be great. Thanks.

I guess I should add that my prescription is called amoxicillin 500mg every 8 hours (24pills)

Answer 1

You can build up an immunity to the antibiotic if you take it too frequently. This is not good, as it can hurt your defenses against certain illnesses that can only be treated with antibiotics that you have built up an immunity to.

The yeast overgrowth is very real - some antibiotics (usually the really strong ones - Levaquin, Cipro, Zithromax) can cause yeast infections in both men and women, and also "thrush" witch is the same thing as candida. It is like a yeast infection, but in your mouth and is very painful. I have had this several times from very strong anitbiotics, but without the antibiotics I might not be sitting here able to type about it.... It is very painful and can cause your tongue to crack open.

Hope this information helps you some.

Edit: Amoxicillin is strong, but not the harshest I've ever taken. I've never came down with thrush taking this one.

Answer 2

antibiotics in any dosage or type including the sulfa drugs can cause a yeast infection in the body.

A preventative measure can be taken in the form of L.Acidophilus which can be found in some/not all yogurts. It can also be bought in the pill form nonprescription. L.Acidophilus helps fight the fatigue from antibiotic use and it also helps keep the good bacteria from being depleted in your system.

Now for the weakened immune system question. Antibiotics in general do not weaken the immune system as long as you don't take prescription after prescription of them. What you've probably heard about is that the bacteria that the antibiotic is trying to kill off becomes resistant in some cases. It encapsulates making it resistant to other antibiotics and harder to kill off if antibiotics are used too often.

Bacterial infections are generally fought with antibiotics but viral ones are not unless you have other medical conditions such as heart and lung problems (copd, asthma, etc..), then antibiotics are prescribed.

Answer 3

Taking too many antibiotics will not necessarily weaken your immune system but they will make some bacteria resistant to medication. If you take one kind of pill too often then yes, it's going to harm you and make your body fight off the good stuff rather than the bad.

So take your antibiotic, you can't help but to. Infections can kill if you don't do something about them. Taking antibiotics is perfectly okay, but only in moderation. Try strengthening your immune system by taking vitamins daily, and I've heard echinecia is a good booster. But you can only take scattered doses of echinecia pills. They even have tea with it in it.

As for the yeast overgrowth. All females are very suseptable to yeast infections from antibiotics. If the antibiotic is strong enough, it will kill good and bad bacteria. While taking the antibiotic eat atleast one yogurt a day to help prevent a yeast infection.

Hope that helps you some!

Answer 4

I have heard if your on antibiotics for a long period of time it can be harmful as some doctors give it out for everything so now i try and fix things the natural way and save the antibiotics for more serious things as your body can become use to medicatons and they loose there effectiveness after awhile.Short term use should be ok but always check with your doctor is your not too sure .

Answer 5

Antibiotics destroy alot of bacteria-not only the one that is causing your problem. It can kill off 'good bacteria' like the kind in your intestines. However, you have to weigh the benefit of it, and if a antibiotic is recomended, you should take it. Dental disease left untreated can lead to many serious problems, even cardiac. You can ask your doc if you're concerned=he/she might recomend some live culture yogurt or acidophilus.

Answer 6

yeah, don't listen to these people, antibiotics can severely screw you up. but they probably won't. you could read "from fatigued to fantastic" by teitelbaum, m.d. for some more info on this matter. he points to 'long-term use' of antibiotics as possible leading to candida overgrowth, which he says is 'controversial'. i talked to someone in the past year who took antibiotics and got a weird skin fungus that they couldn't clear up easily. i don't know how that turned out.

p.s. follow your doctors orders, i say

Answer 7

that if your doctor gives them for colds;flu;s and everything else.a few yrs ago people wanted antibiotics for every thing and pretty soon when people were sick they would get the biotics ;and they weren;t working.what it was that people took to many for every thing,so now the doctors make sure that antibiotics is the only course to take....no it won;t mess with your immune systems;but if you take lots of biotics you may get a yeast infection once in a few ayerst you would have to be taking biotics daily ;everyday for months,,,,good-luck

Answer 8

Antibiotics are a controlled substance thus for they are monitored by the prescribing physician, And I wouldn't worry in your case because the dentist didn't prescribe that many to do any damage just do away with your infection.

Answer 9

No, the antibiotics won't weaken your immune system, but the problem you are using them for might. Antibiotics kill all types of bacteria that in its spectrum of coverage, including the healthy bacteria that normally live in your body, say, in a vagina. when those good bacteria die, yeasts like candida have less competition and tend to overgrow, causing a yeast infection.

Answer 10

No, dont worry. Antibiotics will not weaken your immune system. They help the immune systen fight off infection. The Aids virus will weaken your immune system.