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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
08:33
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
Antibiotics, gut microbiome and obesity
Karen S W Leong1, José G B Derraik1,2,3, Paul L Hofman1
1Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Clinical Endocrinology
|October 13, 2017
Summary
Antibiotics may contribute to obesity by disrupting the gut microbiome. While animal studies show a link, human evidence is inconclusive, requiring more research on antibiotic effects and obesity development.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Human Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antibiotics have significantly reduced infectious disease mortality.
- Increasing antibiotic use raises concerns about resistance and long-term health effects, including obesity.
- The gut microbiome is implicated in various chronic conditions, including obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between antibiotic use and obesity.
- To explore the role of the gut microbiome in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on studies examining antibiotics, gut microbiome, and obesity.
- Analysis of evidence from animal models and human clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Strong evidence links antibiotic use to obesity development in animal models.
- Human studies show an association, but the evidence remains inconclusive.
Conclusions:
- Antibiotics may play a role in obesity development, potentially via gut microbiome disruption.
- Further well-designed clinical trials are necessary to confirm the link between antibiotics and human obesity.
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