Another sickness season is upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere. More people spending more time inside with less air ventilation and cold, dry air makes the perfect environment for germ transmission. An increase in illness can lead to an increase in antibiotic prescription. In fact, a 2023 study showed that a greater proportion of respiratory tract diagnoses received an antibiotics prescription in the winter months than in the summer. So it’s the perfect time for us to dig into the results of our newest study, all about antibiotics, the gut microbiome, and fiber.
The Power of Antibiotics
About 270 million antibiotic prescriptions are filled each year in the U.S. That’s about 4 out of 5 Americans taking a course of antibiotics each year. Antibiotics are a cornerstone of modern medicine (but fascinatingly, archeological research has shown that our ancestors also sought out and did have exposure to naturally-occurring anti-microbials). They are essential for fighting harmful bacterial infections of all kinds.
Unfortunately, these powerful tools often come with unintended side effects that we are just beginning to understand. Antibiotics do not always distinguish between the "bad" bacteria causing your infection and the "good" bacteria that make up your gut microbiome. They can disrupt the delicate balance in your gut (a condition known as dysbiosis), which may lead to digestive issues and leave your system vulnerable. There is suggestive evidence that prebiotic fiber can support the gut during antibiotic use, so we sought to see if LOAM’s Prebiotic Fiber Formula can help mitigate this antibiotic-induced collateral damage in an in vitro setting.
The Science Behind the Study
To test LOAM’s potential, our team designed a two-part study using stool-derived communities (SDCs), gut microbiomes that represent unique healthy microbiome compositions. These communities are isolated from healthy donors, and create "lab-grown" models of diverse, healthy gut environments. This allowed us to observe how different types of antibiotics—which work in various ways to stop bacterial growth—impact the microbiome and how LOAM might intervene. Essentially, we compared the same microbiome with antibiotics alone or with antibiotics and LOAM to understand the impact of LOAM.
Phase 1: Going Broad With 4 Common Antibiotics
In the first phase, we screened four common antibiotics—clindamycin, azithromycin, amoxicillin, and moxifloxacin—against three unique microbiome backgrounds. By evaluating a broad range of functionally unique antibiotics in three unique microbiome backgrounds, we were able to evaluate LOAMs ability to ameliorate antibiotic-induced dysbiosis across a range of possible scenarios.
We measured success by looking at the microbiome community and evaluating the presence and abundance of microbes present. The presence of a microbe indicates that it has survived antibiotic exposure (which we measure overall as microbiome diversity), and the abundance of a microbe is a measurement of the resilience of the strain in the overall community.
The data from this initial phase were promising: Across all four antibiotics, in this in vitro evaluation, LOAM demonstrated a protective effect on average, rescuing community diversity relative to antibiotics alone.
Phase 2: Digging Deeper into Resilience
Because clindamycin caused the most significant disruption to anaerobic microbes (core members of the human gut microbiome) in phase one, we selected it for a more rigorous second phase of testing. This time, we expanded our focus to 15 different stool-derived microbiome backgrounds to see if the protective effect of LOAM held up across more scenarios. Essentially, we were looking at the impact of a single antibiotic on many more types of microbiomes.
The results provided a deeper understanding of LOAM’s impact:
Diversity Rescued in 11 out of 15 Microbiomes
In the expanded set of 15 unique microbiomes, LOAM helped rescue diversity relative to antibiotic use alone in 11 of the communities treated with clindamycin.
Core Anaerobic Bacteria ↑ in 14 out of 15 Microbiomes
Beyond just overall diversity, we looked specifically at a subset of bacteria known as obligate anaerobes. These are the hard-working microbes that support the unique metabolism of the gut microbiome. In 14 out of the 15 communities evaluated, LOAM supplementation increased the abundance of these crucial bacteria relative to treatment with antibiotics alone.
Microbiome Composition showed ↑ Good Bacteria
Looking into the abundance of the specific bacteria present, we saw that LOAM helped encourage a more favorable composition. Specifically, we observed an increase in Bacteroides—a shift often associated with a healthier, more balanced gut.
Study Nuances
While these results are encouraging, it is important to understand the context of this study. This was an in vitro study, meaning it was conducted in a laboratory setting using microbiome models, not in human participants. While these stool-derived communities are excellent tools for modeling the complex interactions of the gut, they are just a first step.
Additionally, like any scientific study, there are areas for further exploration. For example, we noted some natural variability between the different microbiome backgrounds, which confirms that an individual’s starting gut composition plays a major role in how they respond to both antibiotics and protective interventions.
Because this study used 16S sequencing, we have a clear picture of the composition of these communities, but future studies using more advanced techniques will allow us to look deeper into the specific functional changes occurring within the gut.
Always take antibiotics as prescribed and talk to your healthcare provider about supporting your gut during treatment.
The Bottom Line
These initial results build a strong, science-backed foundation for exploring LOAM in the context of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. They suggest a general mechanism exists by which fiber reduces antibiotic-induced dysbiosis, as the impacts of mechanistically unique antibiotics were all reduced. Overall, they provide clear, in vitro evidence that LOAM has a measurable, positive impact on microbiome preservation in the face of antibiotic-induced stress.
Here at LOAM, we are always invested in furthering research and establishing clinical backing of our product. To see how LOAM has been put to the test before, explore findings from our first clinical trial. To participate in one of our current research initiatives, check out our endometriosis study, in its recruitment phase.
References
Aminov R. I. (2010). A brief history of the antibiotic era: lessons learned and challenges for the future. Frontiers in microbiology, 1, 134. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2010.00134
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Antibiotic use and stewardship in the United States, 2025 update: Progress and opportunities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/hcp/data-research/stewardship-report.html
Penumutchu, S., Korry, B.J., Hewlett, K. et al. Fiber supplementation protects from antibiotic-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis by modulating gut redox potential. Nat Commun 14, 5161 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40553-x
Serletti, L., Dutcher, L., Degnan, K. O., Szymczak, J. E., Cluzet, V., David, M. Z., … Hamilton, K. W. (2023). Analysis of seasonal variation of antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract diagnoses in primary care practices. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology, 3(1), e147. https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2023.418
