 There are many reasons why antibiotics should not be over-prescribed, the most important being that doing so has led to the evolution of drug-resistant superbugs that don't respond to traditional treatment. Now, however, researchers have discovered another phenomenon related to prescription antibiotics: Their use in children under the age of two can cause obesity later in life , the UK's Daily Mail reports. Just three or four courses of antibiotics is linked to obesity later on, researchers at the University of Colorado and University of Pennsylvania found. 'Antibiotics have been used to promote weight gain in livestock for several decades, and our research confirms that antibiotics have the same effects on humans,' said study author Dr. Frank Irving Scott. 'Our results do not imply that antibiotics should not be used when necessary, but rather encourage both doctors and parents to think twice about antibiotic usage in infants in the absence of well-established indications,' he added. 'Our work supports the theory that antibiotics may progressively alter the composition and function of the gut microbiome' The Daily Mail further reported that a team of scientists performed a large study in the UK to gauge the reported link between antibiotic use before the age of two and obesity by age four. They discovered that children who had taken antibiotics at a 1.2 percent absolute and 25 percent relative had an increased risk of developing childhood obesity. The risk became more profound the more antibiotics the kids had been prescribed. 'Our work supports the theory that antibiotics may progressively alter the composition and function of the gut microbiome, thereby predisposing children to obesity as is seen in livestock and animal models,' Scott said. In the U.S. alone, antibiotics are prescribed during an estimated 49 million outpatient pediatric visits each year. Also, more than 10 million of those prescriptions are handed out to children for no clear reason. The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Gastroenterology , were surprised by their findings, since there has been an increased awareness regarding the risks of over-prescribing antibiotics, namely the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, as the Daily Mail reported: 'Furthermore, children are known to face other tangible risks to antibiotics, including dermatologic, allergic and infectious complications, inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune conditions. 'The scientists noted that further research must assess whether these findings remain into adolescence and young adulthood.' We knew that, too, about the gut microbiome They also note that researchers should examine whether specific types of antibiotics are more likely to cause the childhood obesity . Currently the American Gastroenterological Association is promoting and sharing research related to antibiotics and obesity, as well as how they affect the gut microbiome, in order to better inform doctors and patients alike. In 2012, selfnews reported on how misuse of antibiotics puts your health at risk, and that one of the worst things to do is to give an infant antibiotics, since these indiscriminately kill both the good and the bad kinds of bacteria: 'One round of antibiotics will permanently change the baby's immune system, and because a majority of neuro-chemicals are also made in the gut, the baby's neurology is also altered. The antibiotics that have been touted as the savior of mankind from disease are costing us in cancer and degenerative, chronic diseases.' After just the first dose, vitally important gut bacteria are decimated, thus altering the body's immune system and it's ability to make appropriate immune cells. 'Fungus in the gut is now unopposed and begins to proliferate unchecked by the friendly bacteria. After fungus sets up strongholds then parasites move in to share the bounty of food and minerals meant to feed the body. This is the first step for chronic disease and cancer ,' we reported. Sources: DailyMail.co.uk selfnews.com MayoClinic.org Science.selfnews.com 