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Antidepressants can inflict serious damage on the gut, potentially raising the risk of cancer, according to a study.
However, the researchers also discovered that this damage can be reversed by taking a daily prebiotic supplement.
Nearly nine million people in the UK take antidepressants, which boost chemicals in the brain responsible for mood and emotion. But research shows the drugs can damage the gut microbiome – bacteria that take nutrients from digested food.
A team at the Quadram Institute in Norwich examined how more than 300 commonly prescribed therapeutic drugs altered the gut microbiome of six participants.
They found that antidepressants in particular disrupted existing bacteria and cut the production of nutrients and proteins important for gut health.
Disruption to the microbiome can lead to a range of issues – from digestive problems such as bloating and irritable bowel syndrome, to more serious conditions such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and even certain types of cancer.
But crucially, the researchers also claim to have found an easy solution – a supplement called fructooligosaccharides.
The nutrient – a type of plant fibre known as a prebiotic – works by travelling through the digestive tract to the large intestine, where the microbiome resides. There it acts as a food source for gut bacteria, stimulating growth and activity.
Fructooligosaccharides is often included in probiotic supplements – those designed to boost so-called 'friendly' bacteria in the gut.
'Our research shows everyday drugs don't just act on the body, they can also reshape the gut microbiome,' said Professor Daniel Figleys, lead author of the study published in Nature Communications.
'Drugs may push the microbiome into a new, less resilient state, reducing its ability to cope with challenges – especially when higher levels of antibiotic resistance are present.'
He added: 'We've also found that certain dietary compounds, such as prebiotics, can help restore this resilience and protect the microbiome from some of these drug effects.'