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View Full Version : Long-term Antibiotic use damages immune system


YankeesRtheBest
23rd June 2005, 03:42 PM
I'm just curious if anyone can comment on long term antibiotic use for the maintnance of acne and rosacea and it's relation to suppressing the immune system over time and making us more susceptible to cancer.

Here's a passage containing research I have found concerning this topic...

Taking an antibiotic may be an easy method of controlling acne, when it is successful, but there can be a huge downside. Science has known for years that frequent or extended use of antibiotics can damage the body's natural immune functions. Research published in February 2004 by the University of Washington in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute was more specific. Of the 10,000 females studied, it was found that those who had used antibiotics approximately 500 days or more over an 18 year period were twice as likely to contract breast cancer than females at large. The association between antibiotics and cancer was dose related, revealing the higher the total dosage (or volume over time) the greater the risk. While this study involved females, the antibiotic and cancer linkage would seem to be equally as applicable to males as well.

Long-term use of antibiotics to control or maintain control of acne may involve risks that should be considered as you make decisions about acne treatment.

IowaDavid
23rd June 2005, 04:30 PM
Hmm. This makes me think of the research regarding heart disease and the Cox-2 inhibitor drugs. Doubling your chance of getting cancer isn't great, but, if it goes from a very small chance and doubles to a somewhat larger small chance, I don't know if it's something to worry too much about. Did you find any sort of graphing of the correlation between risk and cumulative dose, as that abstract suggests?

David

Kelli
23rd June 2005, 04:54 PM
Where did you find that info? I've just learned that an aunt has breast cancer, so I now have a history of it inmy family. My Dr. keeps wanting me to be on antibiotics and I keep telling her no. but this time I'm "humoring" her and i'm back on them again. I want to take something next time I go in saying, NO, I'm not giong back on them for long term use. I want them specifically for when I'm sick!