Do Antibiotics Cause Weight Gain?

JessicaMcB
JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Just looking to prepare myself for what's ahead (my toddlers managed to give me a belly button infection when they scratched me up "being doctors" a couple days ago) when I pick up my prescription tomorrow. Do abx cause gains on the scale in any meaningful way? I'm holding out hope that the tetanus shot will be a non-issue. Siiiiigh

Replies

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Not to be flippant but does it matter? If there is a gain it's only going to be water retention if anything so just don't pay too much attention to the scale until a week or so after you're done the course of ABs?
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    No, they won't cause you to gain weight. Only more calories eaten than burnt will do that.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Not to be flippant but does it matter? If there is a gain it's only going to be water retention if anything so just don't pay too much attention to the scale until a week or so after you're done the course of ABs?

    I just wanted to know because I have an ortho surgical consult coming up on the 20th and my weight matters to a point for that appointment. It has no bearing on my taking the abx obviously, I don't want to succumb to belly button death ;)
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Categorically - no.
    Immune response *may* result in systemic inflammation and a transient pound or two.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    Categorically - no.
    Immune response *may* result in systemic inflammation and a transient pound or two.

    Perfect, thank you!
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited June 2016
    After taking antibiotics, I will take a couple of weeks worth of probiotics.
    Antibiotics not only kill the bad bacteria, they also kill the good bacteria.
    I'm older and worry about strange things.
    Plain greek yogurt would also be good. I would also take vitamin c or eat fruit.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Any change of diet, medication or excerices may cause variations on the scale in the short term. However these are usually water levels readjusting or glycogen replenishing and normally not fat gain. Unless the anti-biotics coincided with a move into a caloric surplus.
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