Health and Psychology

There is  new study out in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism http://press.endocrine.org/doi/pdf/10.1210/jc.2015-2696 which found a correlation between people in Denmark using a large number of narrow specturm antibiotics matched with controls that used few to no antibiotic, and subsequent risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  I've added the link so you can read the original study yourself and make your own conclusions.

Radio news reports have suggested that based on this study caution should be used in prescribing antibiotics.  That isn't what the study says.

What the study says is that there is a link between people who are prescribed a large number of antibiotics and subsequent development of Type 2 diabetes.  

Here is what we know and what is also mentioned in the article.  Antibiotics change the normal gastointestinal bacteria.  Infections elevate blood glucose.  Diabetics are predisposed to infection.  Prediabetes are obese.  Some gastrointestinal bacteria are linked to obesity. Obesity is linked to Type 2 diabetes. 

Here is what we don't know and are still questioning:

• Does the use of antibiotics cause an increase in the risk of obesity, prediabetes, or diabetes Type 2?  
• Does increased infection rates signal the onset of diabetes Type 2, suggesting greater need for dietary changes to prevent it's development earlier?
• Do certain types of infection cause diabetes Type 2?  This would suggest greater monitoring of types of infection.
• For the individuals with more than 5 antibiotics prescribed, were they ever infection free?  This would suggest that some types of infection requiring multiple courses of antibiotics change people to allow for their continued survival.
• Does increased rate of infection, and increased elevation of inflammation, and blood sugar, result in the body maintaining elevated blood sugar levels?  This would suggest that a greater impairment of the immune system and it's relationship to the endocrine system requires more study.