Early Antibiotic Use Increases Asthma Risk

Asthma in our children is an epidemic. I have long argued that the asthma epidemic in American children is a result of the incompetent practice of medicine that relies on the use of highly toxic antibiotics in children. My position is now confirmed by a new Yale University study¹ that followed 1400 children from birth until 6 years of age.

The study is significant because it distinguishes between antibiotics for respiratory infections wherein the respiratory infection may have been the first sign of asthma. The researchers simply eliminated those from the study who were given antibiotics for respiratory infection.

The researchers found that a single course of antibiotics given within the first six months of life resulted in a 52% increased risk of developing asthma by age 6. To the surprise of the researchers, in families with no history of asthma the risk was even higher – 89%.

"What we think is that antibiotics interfere with the beneficial bacteria found in the gut. These bacteria aid in helping the baby's immune system to mature. When the bacteria are affected, it can cause the child to have an "immature" immune system, which in turn leads to allergic reactions," said lead study author Kari Risnes.

I would concur with that hypothesis and add that the use of antibiotics enable germ gangs² to form and take over territory in the GI tract. Particularly problematic is the overgrowth of Candida albicans. When Candida reproduces is generates an inflammatory compound called oxylipin³ which researchers at the University of Michigan have shown to cause respiratory inflammation and asthma. In fact, Candida oxylipins can cause inflammation anywhere in your body by directly interacting with the human genome and tilting immune cells into an inappropriate pro-inflammatory pattern.

If a child has truly needed antibiotics for some reason then parents have an extra responsibility to ensure their child’s GI tract has recovered. Parents allow far too much germ-building junk in a child’s diet which includes fruit juice instead of fresh fruit, sugary drinks, sugary foods, foods with food coloring, and junk fats. Eliminating all the garbage would go a long way towards helping to develop a healthier GI tract. If problems have occurred, then extra work is needed to get the GI tract back on the right path of development. This also improves the overall immune response and helps make the child more resistant to fighting bugs. There is nothing worse for a child’s health in the short term or the long run than repeated antibiotic use in the formative years.