Study: Acne-Fighting Antibiotics Lead To Sore Throats

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Many people suffer from acne and fight it with antibiotics, but a new study shows that those drugs may lead to another health problem: sore throats.

University of Pennsylvania researchers looked at a group of college students and found that those taking oral antibiotics got sore throats more often.

About 40 to 50 million Americans have acne at some point in their lives, and oral medication is sometimes the only thing that works.

But researchers aren't sure exactly why antibiotics seem to lead to sore throats.

"Patients are told to take the antibiotic on an empty stomach, but... if they're sensitive to reflux, they should be taking the antibiotic with food," one researcher said.

Doctors also recommend drinking lots of water with medications.

Researchers found people using antibiotic creams did not report the same side effect.