• Question: If we carry on using antibiotics, would that make are immune system weaker as the antibiotics are taking up the job our immune system is meant to do ?

    Asked by kirsty10 to MarkF, Mark, Michael, Panos, Sarah on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Panos Soultanas

      Panos Soultanas answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Kirsty,

      it will not make the immune system weaker, as its potential will not be affected but it would result in increased resistance of the microbes because as we are challenging them they will adapt quicker to survive the selective pressure we are putting on them

    • Photo: Mark Fogg

      Mark Fogg answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      No it wouldn’t make the immune system weaker, they help it fight off the infection. Antibiotics and your immune system work together to kill the bugs. Bacteria grow very rapidly and bacterial pathogens (nasty bugs) often kill you by bunging up your insides (lungs, bloodstream etc.) with huge numbers . If they’re allowed to grow unchecked, your immune system is unable to cope.

    • Photo: Michael Loughlin

      Michael Loughlin answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      well they work together..the antibiotics reduce the amount of bacteria present so that our immune system can deal with them quicker…whic could mean the immune system no longer needs to work so hard so…hmm I see your point…
      I think its possible….but without antibiotics (1930’s onwards) we may have a lsightly more immune strong population but it would be far far smaller in number as many of us would be dead by now…

    • Photo: Sarah Burl

      Sarah Burl answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Antibiotics get rid of a lot of ‘good bacteria’ so it does effect our overall health but they also get rid of dangerous infections so it is not a matter of not taking them at all but only taking them when it is really neccessary. The other thing to remember is that if youare taking antibiotics it is essential that you take the full course even if you feel better becuasethat is how you get antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.

    • Photo: Mark Travis

      Mark Travis answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I don’t know about actually making the immune system weaker…. but what consistent use of antibiotics will do is increae the likelihood that an antibiotic-resistant bacteria will develop that could go on and cause disease.

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