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Effect of Prolonged Antibiotic Administration on the Weight of Healthy Young Males¹

One Figure

Naval Medical Research Unit No. 4, U. S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois

Six companies of Navy recruits were distributed at random into one of three "treatment" groups, and all subjects received once daily for 7 weeks one of the following identical-appearing preparations: (1) Aureomycin, 250 mg; (2) penicillin, buffered, oral, procaine, 100,000 units; or (3) a placebo (calcium carbonate). Observations on the nude weight and height were made initially and again 4 and 7 weeks later. The individual and group weight changes were then calculated, both in pounds and in relative body weight (actual weight expressed as a per cent of the standard weight for age and height). Final data were available on 310 men.

Both the initial changes after 4 weeks and the total changes after 7 weeks revealed a distinct difference between the placebo group and the antibiotic groups. The Aureomycin and penicillin groups were not significantly different. This difference in weight gain between the placebo group (2.7 pounds) and the antibiotic groups (average 4.5 pounds) was reflected in roughly an equal degree of difference in relative body weight gain, and this would be expected due to chance alone less than 5% of the time (p < 0.05).

A similar study was conducted but without administering any capsules to determine normal group to group variation in this population. No significant differences were encountered in this simulated experiment. These studies were exploratory and suggest further avenues of approach in evaluating the specific nutritional effects of antibiotics in humans.

² Present address: Department of Medicine, University Hospitals and University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, 800 Northeast 13th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Manuscript received 29 November 1954.