The hidden consequences of using antibiotics to treat acne on adolescent bone development

Published on November 24, 2022

Just like a delicate dance routine, the development of our bones during adolescence requires precise coordination. A recent study found that using long-term antibiotics, like minocycline, to treat acne can throw off this delicate balance. The study revealed that these antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. This disruption affects the production of bile acids, molecules that help with digestion and communicate with different parts of our bodies. As a result, the activity of bone-forming cells, called osteoblasts, is suppressed, leading to poor bone maturation even after the antibiotic treatment is stopped. It’s like when one dancer in a group makes a wrong move and messes up the entire routine! This research highlights the importance of considering the unintended consequences of medication on other systems in our body. If you want to learn more about this fascinating study and how it could potentially impact adolescent healthcare, check out the full article!

Adolescence is a time of significant skeletal development. In a new report, researchers showed that long-term use of minocycline, an antibiotic used for the systemic treatment of adolescent acne, disrupts the normal gut microbiome, leading to poor bone maturation. Surprisingly, these effects were caused by a change in the gut microbiome, leading to an altered profile of bile acids — molecules that aid digestion and communicate with many organs — that suppressed the activity of bone-forming cells called osteoblasts, even after treatment stopped.

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