What Antibiotics Do in Your Body and How They Work

 Antibiotics are powerful medications designed to fight bacterial infections. Once inside your body, they target harmful bacteria without harming human cells. But how exactly do they work, and what happens when you take them?

How Antibiotics Work

Antibiotics work in two main ways:

1. Killing Bacteria (Bactericidal): Some antibiotics, like penicillin, destroy the bacteria by damaging their cell walls, causing them to burst and die.
2. Inhibiting Growth (Bacteriostatic): Others, like tetracycline, stop bacteria from multiplying, allowing your immune system to fight off the infection.

These medications are highly specific, targeting only bacteria, which is why they don’t work against viruses like the common cold or flu.

What Happens Inside Your Body?

When you take antibiotics:

1. Absorption: The drug is absorbed into your bloodstream, reaching the infected area.
2. Action: It identifies and attacks the bacterial infection, disrupting the bacteria’s life processes.
3. Excretion: The body eliminates the remnants of the antibiotics through urine or bile.

Case Examples

• Case 1: Strep Throat
  A common bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. A 10-day course of penicillin can eliminate the bacteria and prevent complications like rheumatic fever.
• Case 2: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
  Often caused by E. coli, antibiotics like nitrofurantoin or ciprofloxacin quickly relieve symptoms and eradicate the bacteria.
• Case 3: Overuse Consequences
  In a case of mild acne, overuse of antibiotics led to antibiotic resistance, requiring alternative therapies.