Khaberni - A new study conducted with the participation of 2,509 people in Estonia examined the impact of consuming certain medications on gut health a year after discontinuation, revealing that 42% of the tested medications left long-term changes in gut bacteria.
The results showed that medications known as beta-blockers, which are prescribed to treat high blood pressure, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and proton pump inhibitors, have long-term effects comparable in scope to those of antibiotics.
According to "Study Finds", the more prescriptions previously dispensed, the greater their impact on the gut, indicating an additional and lasting effect.
The research team from the University of Tartu in Estonia benefited from a feature lacking in most gut microbiome studies: detailed electronic health records that accurately show when people had their prescriptions dispensed over five years.
By examining these records, they were able to determine whether the medications used years ago were still associated with changes in the composition of gut bacteria.
Types of Medications
Beta-blockers, typically prescribed for high blood pressure and heart diseases, were associated with changes in gut bacteria that could be observed even several years after individuals stopped taking them.
The same was true for benzodiazepine derivatives such as Xanax and Valium, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.
Antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, showed residual effects.
As did proton pump inhibitors, which millions of people take for gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn.
The research results said: "The medications prescribed years ago still affect the bacteria living in the patient's gut to this day," and these results question the assumption that the effects of medications cease with the end of treatment.
