Sugar Intake Combined with Antibiotics Could Spell Disaster for Gut Health, Landmark Study Reveals
A groundbreaking study published in the esteemed journal Nature on September 30, 2026, has issued a significant dietary warning. The research suggests that consuming sugary foods while on antibiotics could severely exacerbate damage to the gut microbiome, leaving the body susceptible to dangerous infections.
The researchers meticulously analyzed 9,419 meals consumed by 173 hospitalized cancer patients. These patients were undergoing antibiotic treatment as part of their preparation for stem cell transplants. The findings were alarming; for every additional 100 grams of sugar consumed in the 48 hours preceding antibiotic treatment, gut microbial diversity plummeted by an additional 21%. A decrease in microbial diversity implies that fewer beneficial bacteria remain to compete with harmful organisms.
Particularly concerning was the dramatic increase in Enterococcus faecium levels. This bacterium, associated with hard-to-treat infections, thrived under the combination of antibiotics and sugar. In parallel experiments conducted on mice, the combination of sucrose and the antibiotic biapenem led to a surge in Enterococcus levels. These levels increased by more than 16 times by the third day and over 33 times by the sixth day.
Co-senior author Dr. Jonas Schluter, PhD, emphasized the implications of the study. “Our research suggests that modifying one’s diet during and after antibiotics, specifically by reducing sugar intake, could help mitigate microbiome injury,” he said. The researchers strongly advise patients on antibiotic courses to consider reducing their consumption of sweets and sugary foods to safeguard their gut health.
Source: Nature – Sugar-rich foods exacerbate antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption (2026)