The Hidden Mental Health Cost of Antibiotic Use

• Antibiotic use has been linked to higher anxiety and depression risk by disrupting gut bacteria that regulate brain chemistry and stress response
• Human studies show antibiotics lower key calming neurotransmitters and activate inflammatory brain cells tied to anxious behavior
• Repeated or early-life antibiotic exposure increases long-term vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and cognitive strain
• Antibiotics disrupt gut-brain signaling in ways that trigger anxiety, sleep problems, and emotional instability even in people with no prior mental health history
• Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and restoring gut stability helps calm anxiety by addressing the biological cause rather than masking symptoms