Does Antibiotics Cause Weight Gain?
Before concluding that antibiotics have an effect on the weight of an individual, it should be noted that it does not only focus on personal use of antibiotics, but also incorporates the antibiotics which are given to the livestock. Even antibiotic drugs given to the livestock has a lot to contribute in weight gain as they are a part of the food chain.
When an individual suffers from flu or the common cold, he/she may prefer taking antibiotics that are prescribed by the doctor to get rid of the symptoms. Most of the people forget that antibiotics are effective against bacteria, not viruses. Therefore, they take wrong medication for their health issue. Taking antibiotics at the time of flu and common cold is the worst that can be done to the body as it will kill the bad bacteria, along with the good bacteria (beneficial for various processes in the body). Antibiotics are unable to distinguish the good from the bad. Hence, this condition may trigger weight gain. The good bacteria may be responsible for regulating certain hormonal balances (for weight gain or loss) which are thoroughly disrupted leading to an imbalance causing weight gain. Good bacteria may help in digesting fat which breaks it down into tiny absorbable nutrients. This concept must be understood in a detailed way.
Many may not know the process of how beef reaches the common people from the commercialized factory farms. Day cows were injected or provided with antibiotic drugs that helped in fighting against bacterial infections because of a number of reasons which included the overcrowded stalls that are disease infested and also to fight against the infections resulting from dairy cows’ utters. As dairy cows’ utters used to get infected easily because of the excessive pumping of milk, they were given antibiotics to combat this issue. When these commercialized farms found out that antibiotic usage is making the livestock gain weight, they started implementing this idea to fill their pockets with more meat. Therefore, this process is affecting the consumers in a negative way.
As the antibiotic drugs are given to the cows for fattening up, the meat which is being consumed by people is fatter than what it is supposed to be. If these drugs can turn cows fatter, it will have the same result on humans as well. Hence, it is very important to know that the meat sold in big supermarkets with the title ‘best cut meat’ is not actually the best, but marbleized. More the meat is marbleized, the fattier it is. It must also be noted that grass-fed cows are healthier as the grass does not contain any type of growth hormone. Hence, grass-fed beef is not only good for health, but also helps in the process of weight loss.
When a person takes antibiotics, he/she alters the micro flora which may increase the appetite. These antibiotics my kill those bacteria that aid the process of digestion. This process gets altered because of using antibiotics regularly, leading to weight gain.
