Common medications may change your gut for years

A large study by researchers at the University of Tartu Institute of Genomics has found that medications can alter the gut microbiome long after a person stops taking them, according to a report. The gut microbiome, a community of bacteria and other microorganisms residing in the digestive tract, can impact digestion, metabolism, immune function, and other health aspects.

The Estonian Biobank provided stool samples and prescription records from over 2,500 participants in the Estonian Microbiome cohort. Most of the medications studied were linked to differences in the gut microbiome, with these changes persisting years after people discontinued the medication. The findings suggest that a person's prescription history may help explain variations in the gut microbiome years later.

The study found that medications such as antibiotics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and benzodiazepines were associated with distinctive microbial signatures. Beta-blockers, used for high blood pressure and heart conditions, and proton pump inhibitors, which reduce stomach acid for acid reflux, were also found to have lasting effects on the microbiome.

Benzodiazepines, used for anxiety, showed effects comparable to broad-spectrum antibiotics. The researchers emphasized that individual drugs may warrant separate consideration in microbiome research, as medications within the same class may affect the microbiome differently. The findings underscore the importance of considering past drug use when interpreting microbiome data, potentially aiding scientists in distinguishing microbiome changes due to disease from those caused by past medications.