A recent study published in the journal Nature indicates that consuming sugar while taking antibiotics may negatively affect gut bacteria. Researchers from NYU Langone Health, City of Hope, and Memorial Sloan Kettering focused on seriously ill hospitalized patients, allowing for detailed tracking of their dietary intake while undergoing treatment.
Read More
The study analyzed 173 patients with blood cancers, logging 9,419 meals and daily microbiome samples over the course of 61 days, beginning 12 days before and continuing 49 days after transplantation. All subjects received at least one antibiotic, with 80% receiving broad-spectrum drugs. The researchers noted that the patients’ microbiomes were already under significant stress due to their illnesses and treatments.
Findings showed a consistent link between higher sugar intake and diminished bacterial diversity. Specifically, increased sugar was associated with higher levels of Enterococcus faecium, a bacterium linked to hard-to-treat infections. Study author Jonathan Peled mentioned that added sugars appeared particularly detrimental, though the pattern was noted across various types of sugar.
The research estimated that for every 100 grams of sugar consumed within 48 hours before treatment, bacterial diversity dropped by approximately 21%. Following antibiotic treatment, this figure rose to about 24% for sugars and sweetened beverages.
Animal experiments corroborated these findings, demonstrating that a high-sugar diet, combined with antibiotics, led to a drastic increase in Enterococcus levels in mice. While sugar may not directly feed Enterococcus, it could weaken competing gut bacteria, allowing Enterococcus to thrive.
The implications of this research raise concerns about dietary recommendations in hospitals, as many nutritional products offered to patients are high in sugar. Co-senior author Marcel van den Brink emphasized the need for careful evaluation of dietary guidance when antibiotics are prescribed.
However, the study's cohort consisted of very ill patients rather than the general population taking antibiotics, and it explored correlations rather than causation. The findings suggest a relative increase in mortality risk for patients consuming more sugar, with a 12% higher risk post-transplantation compared to those with lower sugar consumption.
Researchers recommend that limiting sugar intake during antibiotic treatment may be beneficial, although whether this guidance will extend to the general public remains uncertain.