Antibiotics: Life-Saving Wonders and Their Emerging Alternatives

Did you know?

Before antibiotics were invented, 30 percent of deaths in the United States were caused by bacterial infections like pneumonia, sepsis, and diphtheria. Thanks to antibiotics, these previously fatal infections have become curable.

Today, antibiotics are still a powerful tool in fighting infections. They can help with both serious and less serious infections from becoming more severe.

What are antibiotics?

An antibiotic is a medicine that treats infections by stopping the bacteria from reproducing or destroying it completely. Naturally, before bacteria can reproduce significantly and cause symptoms, our immune system typically kills them. Even if symptoms do occur, our immune system can fend off the infection by making white blood cells attack the bacteria.

However, there are scenarios in which the amount of harmful bacteria is excessive, and our immune systems cannot cope with it on their own. This is where antibiotics come in. These drugs intervene with the formation of the bacteria cell wall or its cell contents. In some cases, antibiotics can stop the bacteria from multiplying to help our immune system deal with the infection on its own.

Given its simple nature as a drug, antibiotics are seen as one of the best types of medicine there is. It kills infections, is quick to work, is easy to take, and may prevent infections from occurring in certain scenarios, such as before surgery.

However, it also has some of its drawbacks, as any medicine does.

One of the biggest cons of antibiotics is that if you use them too often, your body may build a resistance to them, making them become ineffective. A once effortlessly working drug, reduced to just another pill in your drawer.

Another important drawback of this type of medication is that the longer you take it, the more damage is done to your immune system. Antibiotics work by killing or preventing bacteria from growing; however, they cannot differentiate between harmful and good bacteria. Without beneficial bacteria to keep harmful microbes in check, different infections can occur more easily.

Last but not least, some antibiotics may have side effects. It’s important to check on the print of the antibiotics that were prescribed to you to know the risks, but the most common side effects are as follows: digestive issues such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and severe stomach pains; bone damage due to weakening the bones over the course of consumption; and sensitivity to sunlight, increasing the chance of sunburn.

Given these risks and possible allergies, many people may find themselves unable to or not wanting to consume antibiotics. In the past, this would’ve been a life-threatening issue, causing many to be unable to cure some infections; however, no longer. Today, we have a few drugs that may serve as substitutes for antibiotics.

Alternatives

The most promising alternatives include antimicrobial proteins, bacteriophages, and probiotics. Each described group of substances is very efficient against specific foodborne bacteria and has a preferred use in an explicit application.

Antimicrobial proteins are naturally occurring substances produced by our bodies to fight harmful microbes. They target specific pathogens, unlike antibiotics that target both good and bad bacteria. These proteins can also be found in bodily fluids such as sweat and saliva but are also produced by certain bacteria.

Bacteriophages, or simply phages, are viruses that target and destroy bacteria. They are highly selective and can be used to cure viruses by targeting a specific bad bacteria that’s causing the problem. Since phages are not harmful to human cells, they pose fewer side effects than antibiotics.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. They help restore balance to the gut microbiota by promoting the growth of good bacteria. In some cases, probiotics can help manage infections and reduce the need for antibiotics.

While these alternatives show great promise, it’s important to note that these are not as widely available as antibiotics are now. Further research is needed to develop standardized treatment protocols.

Nevertheless, with the rise of antibiotic resistance, developing alternatives is essential for global welfare.

Antibiotics have revolutionized medicine, saving countless lives by treating bacterial infections. However, their overuse and potential side effects have raised concerns about resistance and damage to the immune system. Thankfully, alternatives such as antimicrobial proteins, bacteriophages, probiotics, and plant-based substances are emerging as promising solutions. While antibiotics remain crucial in the fight against infections, the exploration of these alternatives offers hope for more sustainable and safer treatments in the future.

Written By: Zlata Lukovych


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