Common medications alter gut microbiome years after stopping, Estonian Biobank study finds
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A University of Tartu study of 2,500 Estonian Biobank participants found that common medications, including antidepressants, beta-blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and benzodiazepines, leave detectable changes in the gut microbiome years after use stops. The effects were not limited to antibiotics, with benzodiazepines showing associations comparable to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Researchers say past drug use is a surprisingly strong factor in explaining individual microbiome differences.
Key Facts
- The study analyzed stool samples and prescription records from more than 2,500 participants in the Estonian Biobank's Estonian Microbiome cohort.
- For a substantial number of drugs, microbiome differences could still be detected years after people stopped taking the medication.
- Benzodiazepines, commonly prescribed for anxiety, showed associations with the gut microbiome comparable to those of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- Drugs in the same class, such as diazepam and alprazolam, differed in how strongly they appeared to disrupt gut microbes.
- Lead author Dr. Oliver Aasmets said past drug use is a surprisingly strong factor in explaining individual microbiome differences.
Study Design
Researchers at the University of Tartu Institute of Genomics analyzed stool samples and prescription records from more than 2,500 participants in the Estonian Biobank who were part of the Estonian Microbiome cohort. They found that most of the medications examined were associated with differences in the gut microbiome. For a substantial number of drugs, those differences could still be detected years after people had stopped taking the medication.
Drug Effects
The lasting effects were not limited to antibiotics, which are already well known for their ability to disrupt populations of gut bacteria. Antidepressants, beta-blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and benzodiazepines were also associated with distinctive microbial fingerprints. Beta-blockers are commonly used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and certain heart problems, while proton pump inhibitors reduce stomach acid and are often prescribed for acid reflux. Benzodiazepines are medications commonly used for anxiety and other disorders.
Benzodiazepine Findings
One particularly striking finding involved benzodiazepines, whose associations with the gut microbiome were comparable to those seen with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are designed to act against many different types of bacteria, which is why they can produce substantial changes in the gut microbial community. The study also found that medications belonging to the same drug class did not necessarily affect the microbiome in the same way. Drugs that may be prescribed for similar conditions, such as diazepam and alprazolam, differed in how strongly they appeared to disrupt gut microbes. That distinction could be important because medications are often grouped together in microbiome research based on their drug class, but the new results suggest that individual drugs may need to be considered separately.
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Common medications alter gut microbiome years after stopping, Estonian Biobank study finds
