Scientists from the Medical University of South Carolina have found that long-term use of antibiotics to treat acne in teenagers can contribute to obesity by affecting liver metabolism. Research published American Journal of Pathology.
Topical treatments are sufficient to treat acne for most people, but about 25% of teens need antibiotics. Some require long-term use – sometimes up to two years – for effective redness relief.
Previous studies of the effects of antibiotics on infants have shown that these drugs can lead to greater fat accumulation and obesity later in life, which is associated with an effect on the gut microbiome.
In the new study, researchers injected young mice with a dose of the antibiotic minocycline equivalent to that given to teenagers with acne. The antibiotic changed liver metabolism by affecting the activity of genes involved in fatty acids and cholesterol metabolism. These changes led to a fourfold increase in adipose tissue in mice.
In addition, minocycline use altered the composition of the gut microbiome, resulting in a disruption in the transmission of signaling molecules (bile acids) between the gut and liver. An increase in fat accumulation was observed after antibiotic treatment was discontinued.
The scientists plan to confirm the impact of the microbiome on obesity in their future studies. They have already begun experiments to transplant healthy gut bacteria into mice that have been destroyed by the microbiome to see if it can reverse liver damage.
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Source: Gazeta
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