For all their virtues, antibiotics can do more harm than good. Gratuitous antibiotic use can actually erode the immune system's ability to detect and fight cancer. "You insult the body if you take antibiotics without targeting an organism," says Fran Cartwright, PhD, RN, director of oncology nursing at NYU. "It helps build up resistance to disease." The most dangerous bacteria begin to scoff at antibiotics. Mark Liponis, M.D., author of UltraLongevity: The Seven Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You, cites a JAMA study linking prolonged antibiotic use (more than 50 days) with a heightened risk of breast cancer.

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Questions for your doctor about antibiotics >>