Antibiotics increase obesity risk in children

The scientists found that newborn mice receiving low doses of penicillin had a slow metabolism and therefore increased the chances of becoming obese as they got older. These monthly mice were 25 percent heavier and had 60 percent more fat.

Experts believe that antibiotics disrupt the levels of key bacteria in the gut, which leads to reprogramming of metabolism in the body. Dr Martin Blaser said: We found that when you target gut microbes early in the life of mice and then stop giving antibiotics, the microbes normalize, but the metabolism remains constant.

The findings confirmed earlier research that found that children under six months of age who received antibiotics were more likely to be overweight by age seven.

Source: nauka24news.ru/