Antibiotic Side Effects and the Easy Way To Prevent Them

From strep throat to urinary tract infections (UTIs), we’ve all benefited from the modern medical marvel of antibiotics. But what are a few of the most common antibiotic side effects—and how might we mitigate them? Keep reading for the surprising answers that will help keep you and your family healthy.

What antibiotics are (and aren’t)

We all know that these meds treat infections, but one thing we often get wrong is just which kind they target, says Brad Spellberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer at the Los Angeles General Medical Center and author of Rising Plague, which he wrote to educate the public about the crisis of antibiotic resistance and the lack of new antibiotic development.

“One of the things that many people lose sight of or don’t fully understand is that antibiotics only treat infections caused by bacteria,” he explains. “They have no ability to treat viruses, fungi, parasites or syndromes that are not clearly infectious in nature. Yet patients often ask for antibiotics when they don’t have a bacterial infection—they have a virus, like a cold.”


		Have you ever experienced antibiotic side effects?

Why ‘miracle drug’ is an apt description

It’s worth noting what a game-changer this class of drugs has been since penicillin became available back in 1945. “Before antibiotics came along, one in nine people who had a simple skin infection died from it,” reveals Dr. Spellberg.

“Today, that number is one in 1,000. And before these drugs, one in three people died of lung infections or pneumonia—that number is now less than two percent,” he notes.

Yet, as amazing as they are, even miracle drugs that have more than earned that appellation have their downsides. Or as Dr. Spellberg says, in medicine as in life, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

“Almost everything that is good can also cause harm,” he points out. “Even penicillin, the miracle cure that literally revolutionized medicine, causes one in 30,000 people to die from anaphylactic shock.” To be clear, Dr. Spellberg notes that this is still a big win for penicillin, as it has saved more than 500 million lives.

7 antibiotic side effects you may experience

With more than 100 antibiotics on the market, it’s no surprise they’re incredibly diverse. In fact, they’re the most varied group of drugs available, says Dr. Spellberg, adding that “each antibiotic has its own unique side effect profile.” That said, he shares a few common side effects of antibiotics in general:

Allergic reactions
Nausea
Diarrhea
Kidney issues (“If you have pre-existing kidney disease, you may be more prone to kidney injury from certain antibiotics,” notes Dr. Spellberg)
Liver problems (likewise if you have liver disease)
Lung injury (rare)
Brain injury (rare)

The best way to prevent antibiotic side effects: Shorter is better

“Every day you continue an antibiotic, you increase your risk of a side effect by four percent,” declares Dr. Spellberg. “That’s largely why there’s been a movement in medicine that began in 2008 and has increasingly become the standard of care—and I’ve helped advance it. It’s called ‘shorter is better.’”

This means exactly what you think: The fewer days you’re on an antibiotic, the less chance you have of experiencing side effects.

“We used to give weeks of antibiotics,” says Dr. Spellberg. “If you had pneumonia or a lung infection, the standard was two weeks, not based on any data.”

Today, thanks to multiple modern randomized controlled trials across different types of infections, we know we were massively over-treating, he continues. “For lung infections, three to five days is typically sufficient, not 14. Kidney infections usually require five to seven days. Skin infections typically need five to six days. Again, far less than the old 14-day standard.”

When should you take antibiotics?

Dr. Spellberg’s takeaway: “Only take antibiotics when you truly need them, and only for as long as necessary. Most infections can be treated in seven days or less, and some in just three to five days.”

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This strategy has positive ripple effects that may surprise you: “After your body finishes with the antibiotic, you either pee it out or poo it out, depending on the drug, and it enters nature,” says Dr. Spellberg. “That exposure allows bacteria in the environment to encounter the medication, which can select for more resistance.”

That’s why the less we take, the less resistance emerges. “People often say, ‘My body is resistant to antibiotics,’ but that’s not how it works,” explains Dr. Spellberg. “It’s not your body that becomes resistant—it’s the bacteria that develop resistance when they’re exposed to the antibiotic.”

The bottom line

In short, using antibiotics only when necessary protects you and everyone else by keeping these life-saving drugs effective.

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

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