Antibiotics With the Flu: Do You Need Them?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses of the FluAre They for the Flu?Alternative TreatmentsPreventing the Flu

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Causes of the Flu

Are They for the Flu?

Alternative Treatments

Preventing the Flu

What Causes a Cold or the Flu?

The viruses that cause the flu are calledinfluenza viruses. The two most common types that cause seasonal flu illnesses in humans are influenza A and influenza B.

Influenza A

Influenza B

Influenza B typically causes a more mild case of the flu. There are two main types of influenza B: B/Yamagata and B/Victoria. Typically, at least one of these strains is contained in the annual flu vaccine in any given year.

Other Viruses

A variety of viruses can cause the common cold as well, such as:

Can You Take Antibiotics for the Flu?

Since viruses like the ones that cause influenza and colds do not have cell walls, this type of antibiotic medication will not kill them and the illness will persist. On top of ineffectiveness, another reason to avoid using antibiotics to treat viral illnesses is a growing problem calledantibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when your body is exposed to antibiotics when they are not needed. The bacteria that naturally occurs in your body can learn techniques to survive even when attacked with antibiotics, which can limit the number of antibiotic medications that will be effective in treating future bacterial infections when they are really needed.

Alternative Treatments for the Flu: Antivirals

These antivirals are recommended in the following circumstances:

Taking preventive measures will be the best way for you to avoid the flu. A few measures to take that will help prevent you from contracting the illness include:

Eat a Healthy Diet

Diets including plenty of vitamins and minerals plus protein, fiber, and whole grains help maintain and support a strong immune system.

Get Enough Good Sleep

Quality sleepis invaluable for a healthy immune system. People who sleep less than seven hours a night are 3 times more likely to get the common cold as those getting eight hours or more of sleep each night. Vaccines also work better in people who get adequate amounts of sleep, as they are able to form more antibodies in response to vaccines than those who are sleep deprived.

Get Your Flu Shot

Public health experts including those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collaborate to choose the strains most likely to circulate during the season and include them in the vaccine.

Stay Active

Summary

Using antibiotics to treat viral infections is ineffective at improving or curing the illness. This overuse or misuse of antibiotics may also contribute to antibiotic resistance. In antibiotic resistance, bacteria learn to survive against the antibiotics designed to kill them, leading to decreased effectiveness of antibiotics against bacterial infections.

Antivirals are medications that target influenza viruses. Examples are Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir). These are most effective when started as soon as possible after symptoms begin, ideally within 48 hours. The best defense against the flu is getting the annual flu vaccine, as well as staying healthy via good sleep, a nutritious diet, and staying active.

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Lima LM, Silva BNMD, Barbosa G, Barreiro EJ.β-lactam antibiotics: An overview from a medicinal chemistry perspective.Eur J Med Chem. 2020 Dec 15;208:112829.

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CDC.Benefits of the Flu Vaccine.

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