Aug. 17: IN A CAPSULE
IN A CAPSULE
Popping antibiotics in early life puts you at cancer risk
Long term antibiotic use in early to mid life may be linked to a heightened risk of abnormal growths in the colon and rectum. Known as polyps, these growths precede the development of most cases of bowel cancer.
A study, published online in the journal Gut, says antibiotics curb the diversity and number of gut bacteria. Previous research points to depletion of certain types of bacteria and an abundance of others in patients with bowel cancer. Also, bugs that require antibiotics may induce inflammation, which is a known risk for the development of bowel cancer.