Childhood Antibiotic Use Linked to Higher IBS Likelihood in Early Adulthood
A new study presented at UEG Week 2026 suggests that antibiotic use from childhood into early adulthood is associated with a greater likelihood of developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) by age 24.
Antibiotic exposure during childhood and adolescence is linked to an increased risk of developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) by early adulthood, according to research presented at UEG Week 2026. The study found that the probability of IBS rose with the number of antibiotic prescriptions received.
The research analyzed data from 2,853 participants in the Swedish BAMSE birth cohort. Information on antibiotic prescriptions was gathered from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register up until one year before the IBS assessment at age 24. The study found that 10.0% of participants had IBS at age 24. Among those with IBS, 87.8% had received antibiotics, compared to 80.2% of those without IBS.
After adjusting for sex and family socioeconomic status, individuals who had taken antibiotics were 1.5 times more likely to have IBS than those who had not. This likelihood increased with the number of prescriptions: three to five prescriptions were associated with a 1.6 times higher risk, and six or more prescriptions with a 1.7 times higher risk.
Certain antibiotic classes, specifically tetracyclines and cephalosporins, showed a significant association with increased IBS risk. Any use of tetracyclines was linked to a 1.4 times higher probability of IBS, while three or more courses of cephalosporins were associated with a sixfold increased probability. Researchers suggest that alterations to the gut microbiome, potentially caused by antibiotics, could be an underlying mechanism.