Do Antibiotics Make You Bloated?
If you’ve ever been on antibiotics, you’ve likely noticed some uncomfortable changes happening in your 
digestive system. Most people end up nauseous or with diarrhea, but do antibiotics make you bloated, too?
They absolutely can.
In this article, we will talk about:
- What are antibiotics and what do they do?
- Side effects of antibiotics and what to do about them
- Do antibiotics make you bloated?
- How to prevent bloating and other antibiotic-related side effects
What are antibiotics and what do they do?
Antibiotics are medications that you take for bacterial infections. They’re one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States.
Antibiotics can be taken orally, topically, or intravenously.
Antibiotics work by killing off bacteria or making them incapable of reproducing or multiplying. The unfortunate part about this is that they are not particular about the bacteria that they target. This becomes a problem because they can kill off the healthy bacteria that support your microbiome.
Since they are being overprescribed, there are increasing cases of antibiotic resistance as well. This is dangerous because your body becomes immune to antibiotics. So when you need them to fight off a bacterial infection, they aren’t as potent and don’t fight it off the way they should.
Side effects of antibiotics
Most of the side effects of antibiotics are a result of them attacking healthy bacterial strains. So basically your microbiomes all take the biggest hit during your course of antibiotics.
You’ll often hear about side effects of antibiotics like:
- Rashes
- Nauseousness
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Indigestion
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Vaginal yeast infections
These are some of the less dangerous side effects. But there can be serious adverse reactions to antibiotics like:
- Allergic reactions
- Seizures
- Heart problems
- Blood reactions
What to do if you experience antibiotic side effects
This will depend on the severity of your symptoms. If you’re having a life-threatening or very severe reaction, contact your doctor or local emergency room immediately.
If you’re experiencing one of the many microbiome-related side effects, you can consult with your physician to see how to proceed. When doctors prescribe antibiotics, they often weigh out the risk vs need for the antibiotic. If the risk doesn’t seem to be too bad and the outcome is necessary then they will often have you continue to finish your prescription.
Your doctor will be able to help you with your specific side effect if they’re able to. Remember to try and keep yourself hydrated and eat a healthy diet full of prebiotics and probiotics to keep your gut healthy.
Do antibiotics make you bloated?
In short, yes, antibiotics do make you bloated.
Since antibiotics aren’t picky about what bacteria they kill off, your healthy bacteria are under attack as much as the dangerous ones. Even though you may be taking the antibiotic to fight an infection elsewhere in your body, your gut still takes a major hit.
As it begins killing off bacteria, your gut microbiome changes. Certain strains become nearly obsolete, making room for opportunistic strains to grow. The delicate balance between healthy and unhealthy bacterial strains is thrown off causing dysbiosis.
As a result of dysbiosis, you experience all of the above mentioned side effects and bloating.
What’s interesting is that each antibiotic type can cause different changes to your microbiome. This also differs from person to person depending on the health of their microbiome prior to starting the antibiotic.
Certain prescriptions can cause damage that is extremely hard to repair. So doctors should take caution when prescribing antibiotics. These strains can be almost completely eradicated and are very difficult to repopulate.
This is why you can have symptoms for weeks to months after you stop your antibiotic. You no longer have these healthy strains keeping the dangerous strains at bay.
What to do if antibiotics make you bloated
If you’ve recently started or finished an antibiotic and are experiencing side effects, you’ll want to start feeding the healthy strains as quickly as possible.
If it is safe for you, start taking probiotics. Your body has an easier time using ones that naturally occur in foods like:
- Yogurt
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Pickles
- Tempeh
- Kefir
Supplements are another option you can choose, but be careful that you pick one that is proven safe.
A safer alternative is prebiotics. Prebiotics are what feed your existing good bacteria so they can replicate and create the unique species of bacteria that your body needs. You’ll find prebiotics in fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods.
Polyphenol-filled foods often contain prebiotics and anti-inflammatory qualities. Both of these will help feed your good bacteria and combat inflammation and bloating.
Atrantil is a supplement that was created to fight inflammation and bloating. It contains polyphenols and works as both a prebiotic and postbiotics to help feed your good bacteria, fight the bad, and create a nourished and happy microbiome.
How to prevent bloating and other antibiotic-related side effects
The best way to ensure you can prevent bloating should you need an antibiotic is by keeping your gut healthy. Having a healthy gut sets you up to fight diseases and side effects from medications. Since the majority of your immune system is in your gut, this is the best place to focus on your health.
Being human and being exposed to chemicals on a daily basis out of our control, prevents us from being able to achieve a perfect microbiome. So should you need to use an antibiotic here are a few tips on prepping your gut so your antibiotics don’t make you bloated (or at least reduce the chances of it):
- Take Atrantil to nourish your microbiome and combat bloating before it begins
- Eat probiotic-filled foods with your antibiotic
- Make sure to eat healthy foods with your antibiotic
- Reduce your sugar, alcohol, and sodium intakes to avoid unnecessary added inflammation
- Get enough sleep so your body has the energy to fight off your infection and improve your microbial balance
- Go out into the sunlight. Vitamin D has been proven to fight bloating and improve your immune system.
- Get ginger or peppermint into your body. You can use candies, tea, or supplements to do this. (Atrantil contains peppermint)
Preparing your gut for its war against antibiotics is important for the integrity of your microbiome and overall health. If you focus on keeping your gut at its healthiest your body will follow suit.
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