Excessive Use of Antibiotics Impacts Mental Health

Syllabus :GS2/Health

In News

• According to recent studies, the unchecked use of antibiotics poses a hidden threat in  India by disrupting the gut-brain axis, a critical link between gut microbiota and mental health.

Antibiotics

• They  are medicines used to treat bacterial infections by killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth. 
• They can be taken orally, topically, or through injections.
• India ranks among the highest consumers of antibiotics globally. Several systemic and behavioral factors drive this trend.

Causes of Antibiotic Overuse in India

• Over-the-counter availability: Antibiotics are often sold without prescriptions, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
• Self-medication culture: A lack of awareness and reliance on quick fixes leads to indiscriminate use.
• Unregulated pharmacies: Many operate outside legal frameworks, dispensing potent drugs without oversight.
• Economic incentives: Fee-for-service models may encourage over-prescription to satisfy patient expectations.

Impacts on Mental Health

• Misuse of antibiotics contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and disrupts the gut-brain axis, leading to gut microbiota imbalance (dysbiosis).
  • This disruption is increasingly linked to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. 
• Neuroinflammation: The gut microbiome helps produce key neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin, dopamine), and its disturbance affects brain function through inflammation, immune changes, and reduced beneficial metabolites.
  • Research from NIMHANS and AIIMS further supports this gut-mental health connection.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• The growing field of psychobiotics highlights the mental health benefits of probiotics and prebiotics, yet public awareness, especially in rural India, remains low amidst widespread antibiotic misuse.
  • Psychobiotics are defined as probiotics that confer mental health benefits to the host when ingested in a particular quantity through interaction with commensal gut bacteria
• Therefore , a multi-pronged strategy is essential—focusing on public education, policy reform, clinical integration of gut health, promotion of traditional fermented foods, and investment in local microbiome research. 

Source :TH