Antibiotic use during childhood may be linked to an increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.IBS is a common digestive disorder that causes symptoms such as abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits.Researchers analyzed data from more than 2,800 people in a Swedish birth cohort.They tracked antibiotic prescriptions starting when participants were 9 to 11 years old through early adulthood. At age 24, 10% of them had IBS.Those who received antibiotics were one and a half times more likely to have the condition. And the odds increased with the number of prescriptions.Participants with six or more prescriptions had nearly twice the odds of IBS.Researchers say the findings provide more evidence of a possible link between antibiotic use and IBS, but don't prove that antibiotics cause the condition. More research is needed.The lead author says, “Antibiotics remain an important and sometimes essential treatment for bacterial infections, and our findings should not discourage their use when they are needed.”She says the findings also reinforce the importance of avoiding unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.Source: UEG Week 2026Author Affiliations: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg .Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter