TV doctor Amir Khan has urged anyone taking antibiotics to add six specific foods to their diet to protect their gut health. The advice was shared on Instagram, where the regular ITV Lorraine expert outlined steps he gives to patients when prescribing the medication.
Millions of antibiotics are prescribed annually to treat bacterial infections, with one in three people being prescribed one by a GP or other primary care service every year.
Why antibiotics can cause problems
Dr Khan explained: "The thing about antibiotics is they not only kill the offending bacteria that's causing the infection, but they can also kill many of the friendly bacteria that live in our gut that keep our digestive health in balance, and this can cause problems like diarrhoea while you're on antibiotics."
He said he had five tips to "minimise the effects of antibiotics on your friendly and essential gut bacteria".
Only take antibiotics when necessary
Firstly, and "really important", was to only take antibiotics when absolutely necessary. He said: "If it's a viral infection, you don't need them. I know you feel poorly and you want something to speed up your recovery, but honestly, antibiotics won't cure your cold."
He added that taking unnecessary antibiotics "can wreak havoc on your gut, vaginal, and skin microbiome", so they should only be taken when advised.
The six foods to eat
Dr Khan advised upping intake of prebiotic foods, which "feed your gut bacteria and allow them to recover during and after the antibiotic course". These include Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, meats, asparagus, and bananas.
He also recommended eating probiotic foods, which "reintroduce those lost good bacteria that the antibiotics have killed". These include fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, as well as authentic Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and some cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella.
He also advised eating "plants with lots of different colours and fibre", noting that the wider the range of colours and the more fibre eaten, the more vitamins and minerals are consumed, and that gut bacteria "love all that fibre".
Getting outside helps too
Dr Khan shared that studies show environmental factors also play a significant role in healing an injured gut. He added: "This includes being around and interacting with animals, gardening, and spending time outdoors in nature, you know I love it."
These activities expose people to a wide array of good microbiomes that help boost gut diversity, so "when you're feeling better, get out and about".
