Question 1

does healthy gut bacteria help us gain weight or lose weight ?

Accepted Answer

It depends...: Those who are overweight often have an imbalance of intestinal flora and improving this will help one to lose weight. Those who are underweight may have a different type of imbalance and improving this can help you gain weight. If your weight is appropriate then healthy flora will not contribute to weight gain or loss. 
See http://tinyurl.com/hhb6g9y for more information.

Question 2

symptoms of and ways of diagnosing when good gut flora has been replaced with bad bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotic effect?: You may be concerned about the effects of antibiotics. It depends which antibiotic(s), for how long, and symptoms (usually diarrhea). No diagnosis is needed unless symptoms suggest certain problems, like C. difficile. Otherwise intestinal bacteria usually return to normal in a few weeks after antibiotics stopped. Probiotics might speed it up, but even without them, eventually all will be well.

Question 3

would consuming veggies increase the variations of gut bacteria?  do they increase beneficial gut bacteria?  how much to obtain benefits daily?

Accepted Answer

No, they do not: Increase beneficial gut bacteria. Probiotics do and i would recommend that you talk to your family doctor about the ideal probiotic for you. Best wishes.

Question 4

can bectrum get rid of my good gut bacteria ?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Any kind of Antibiotic will kill off not only bad bacteria, but good bacteria as well. This can cause a wide variety of problems. Make sure you only take antibiotics when prescribed for you by a Dr for a specific illness. Take the medication for the full number of days to prevent resistance. Take probiotics once done so you can rebuild your gut flora. Call Dr for abd pain/diarrhea after Antibiotic

Question 5

if you have gastroenteritis does it destroy all your good gut bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Unlikely: While a gastroenteritis can cause you to clear much of your bowel flora, it is very difficult at best to clear out "all" of them.

Question 6

what effect, if any, might a corticosteroid injection have on the digestive system and gut bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Probably not much: Although corticosteroids certainly have an effect on the stomach and surely  can affect the gut flora in some way, it is doubtful that one injection would have much of an effect. In addition, it would be difficult to judge what that effect would be, if it did occur. It's a question that is almost impossible to answer without knowing more detail. Good luck.

Question 7

how to build up good gut bacteria after taking zpack 2 times in 2 months ?

is it to soon to take amoxicillin or should i wait a month or two before it  ?

Accepted Answer

Some use probiotics: Probiotics may help during and after antibiotics. They are usually still alive if stored properly all the time from production through being on the store shelf. The microorganisms get weaker and die over time. The problem is nobody can really tell how much live material was in the package to start, how much is alive when one buys it, how much survives at home, nor how much goes to one's intestine.

Question 8

1000mg levofloxacin and 2000 mgamoxicillin per day for 10 day.billion of gut bacteria were killed.do good bacteria recover their own or need probiotic?

Accepted Answer

No: This is a good question. 
You know, kids are born without gut flora. It is there at age one month, or a bit later if born by C section. 
Yes your gut will repopulate by itself. 
Probiotics are not necessary. 
The idea of good and bad bacteria is also complex. They are morally neutral and in a ratio, it is more a question of the ratio than of intrinsic goodness or badness.

Question 9

do healthy gut bacteria help body absorb more calories from food or they burn the calories ?

Accepted Answer

Neither: They live in your colon, after you have absorbed what you need. Any impact is probably minimal. Some of my friends here will disagree, but I would urge you not to waste your time reading our worrying about this fringe stuff and focus of sensible eating and hard workouts.

Question 10

could taking amoxicillin cause colon polyps to come back if it ruins the good bacteria ? 
or during the time the gut is rebuilding would polyps become cancerous faster if good gut bacteria is removed with the bad ?

Accepted Answer

Colonoscopy: It is time for you to get a screening colonoscopy and get any polyps that may be there, removed. If you have polyps repeat the colonoscopy in less than 5 years.
Do not worry about short term variation in intestinal flora.
Wish you good health!

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Doctor answers about:

Targeted nutrients to eliminate undesired gut bacteria

A member asked:

Does healthy gut bacteria help us gain weight or lose weight ?

A member asked:

Symptoms of and ways of diagnosing when good gut flora has been replaced with bad bacteria?

A member asked:

Would consuming veggies increase the variations of gut bacteria? do they increase beneficial gut bacteria? how much to obtain benefits daily?

A member asked:

Can bectrum get rid of my good gut bacteria ?

A member asked:

If you have gastroenteritis does it destroy all your good gut bacteria?

A member asked:

What effect, if any, might a corticosteroid injection have on the digestive system and gut bacteria?

A member asked:

How to build up good gut bacteria after taking zpack 2 times in 2 months ? is it to soon to take amoxicillin or should i wait a month or two before it ?

A member asked:

1000mg levofloxacin and 2000 mgamoxicillin per day for 10 day.billion of gut bacteria were killed.do good bacteria recover their own or need probiotic?

A member asked:

Do healthy gut bacteria help body absorb more calories from food or they burn the calories ?

A member asked:

Could taking amoxicillin cause colon polyps to come back if it ruins the good bacteria ? or during the time the gut is rebuilding would polyps become cancerous faster if good gut bacteria is removed with the bad ?

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