Type 2 Diabetes May Result After Frequent Use Of Certain Antibiotics

New research published in the European Journal of Endocrinology shows that reoccurring use of certain antibiotics may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in some individuals.

"While our study does not show cause and effect, we think changing levels and diversity of gut bacteria could explain the link between antibiotics and diabetes risk," study senior author Dr. Yu-Xiao Yang, of the University of Pennsylvania, said in a news release.

For the study, researchers examined the number of prescriptions given to 200,000 patients in Britain over a year before they were diagnosed with diabetes when compared to the number given to 800,000 non-diabetics the same age.

As it stands, statistics show that 26 million Americans deal with type 2 diabetes in the United States. In the United Kingdom, close to 3 million are estimated to be affected by the issue, as well, with a range of mild to serious symptoms contributing to the illness.

Health officials thoroughly analyzed a database that consisted of close to 2 million in the United Kingdom, as well as the antibiotic prescription of close to 200,000 participants. They also studied the prescription involving the prescriptions of healthy individuals.

The study results are particularly startlingly as results confirm that over 50 percent of diabetics took at least two specific courses of antibiotics at some point in their lives. However, if this directly contributed to the disease is not yet determined. 

What the study does show us, however, is what health officials are continuing to find; how doctors need to stop prescribing antibiotics unnecessarily.

Still, the exact link between type 2 diabetes and antibiotics is not yet known.

"Our findings are important, not only for understanding how diabetes may develop, but as a warning to reduce unnecessary antibiotic treatments," concluded lead study author Dr Ben Boursi of the university.