Won’t antibiotics do less harm to our beneficial gut bacteria if it is injected directly into the body rather than go through our digestive tract?
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Antibiotic drugs need to be present in the body at specific levels in order to effectively manage the bacteria that are causing an infection. This level is called the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and is different for each antibiotic.
Regardless of how the drug is administered, an antibiotic will enter the bloodstream and be distributed throughout the body before being eliminated (mostly via the liver and kidneys). These processes, called pharmacokinetics, are also different for each antibiotic.
An infection is treated by ensuring that the right amount of antibiotic is present in the body for the right amount of time. Typically, repeat antibiotic doses are required every 8, 12 or 24 hours for 7 or more days. We know that many antibiotics are absorbed very well into the bloodstream from the gut and they are generally well-tolerated by patients when administered orally. Regardless of route of administration there will be an impact on the gut biome, however not all of the normal flora will be destroyed. Plus, we can utilise probiotics and prebiotics to support the biome!
Ultimately, it boils down to convenience of dosing and ease of administration for patients. Self-injection would require training, skill and correct storage of the drug to ensure effectiveness. Multiple injections would be required daily and injections are more invasive than taking a tablet. Antibiotics for injection typically come in larger volumes than would be required by a single patient for a single course of treatment, so it’s less cost-effective.
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