The 10 Worst Habits for Your Gut Health

4. Taking antibiotics you don’t need

When you need an antibiotic, it can deliver great benefits. But antibiotics — drugs that kill bacteria — also come with risks for your gut. When you take antibiotics you don’t need, for viral infections like flus or colds, for example, you get all those risks with no benefits.

“You’re basically killing off what could be good bacteria and throwing off the balance,” Chiang says. “Then the bad bacteria can overpopulate … causing more problems.”

Those problems can range from brief nausea and vomiting to a prolonged bout of C. difficile, or C. diff, “one of the worst infections you could potentially have,” Tabibian says. The bacterial infection can cause watery diarrhea, cramping and pain. In the worst cases, it inflames and enlarges the colon, a condition called toxic megacolon, which can be fatal.

5. Overusing laxatives

Taking an occasional drugstore laxative can be OK, doctors say. But frequent use can cause serious side effects.

Of particular concern, Tabibian and Chiang say, are stimulant laxatives (including medications like Dulcolax and Senokot) that make your intestinal muscles contract to expel stool. When used too often, these can cause dependence, meaning you might not be able to poop without them.

A safer and more effective option for many people is a fiber supplement, which can contain ingredients such as psyllium (Metamucil), methylcellulose (Citrucel), or wheat dextrin (Benefiber), Tabibian says. You may need to experiment to find the right kind for you at the right dose to avoid bloating, he says. If you take them without enough water, Chiang adds, you can make constipation worse.

Don’t use these as a substitute for fibrous foods, though. A high-fiber diet is always the best choice, the doctors say.

One more thing: If you frequently need laxatives, check in with your doctor to see if you have a health problem that needs attention, Chiang says.

6. Misunderstanding probiotics

Probiotics are bacteria and other microbes that have positive effects on your body. So it might seem that taking probiotic supplements would be good for your gut. But it’s not that simple.

For one thing, you can get probiotics just by eating fermented foods — think yogurt, but also kimchi, kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut. Additionally, many high-fiber foods are so-called prebiotics: They help your gut make more good microbes.

Tabibian says there are limited situations in which gastroenterologists might suggest using probiotic supplements containing specific organisms. For example, the American Gastroenterological Association says certain strains might help prevent C. diff from antibiotic use, though the quality of evidence is low.

If you take probiotic supplements “willy nilly,” Tabibian says, you may “just be losing time and money.” If you have a weakened immune system, they might make you sick, he says.

Shane says some people get bloating and diarrhea from the supplements. And some research suggests a link between probiotic supplements and overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. “You are far better off eating naturally fermented foods,” she says.

7. Ignoring food safety rules

About 9.9 million times each year, someone in the U.S. experiences vomiting, diarrhea, or other symptoms because they ate something contaminated with bacteria, viruses or other germs, the CDC says. Common culprits include norovirus, salmonella and listeria.

In addition, preliminary studies suggest that pesticides, which can linger in small amounts on some fruits, vegetables and grains, can disrupt gut microbes.

Your best defense, Chiang says, is good kitchen hygiene. The basics include keeping raw meats away from raw vegetables, washing your produce, and washing your hands.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also advises using a food thermometer and refrigerating leftovers promptly.

8. Going gluten-free if you don’t need to

Some people have to avoid gluten, a protein found in some grains, including wheat, barley and rye. A strict gluten-free diet is essential for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that damages the intestines. It’s also helpful for people with less severe digestive problems caused by gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

But gluten-free diets have become popular beyond those groups, for no good reason, Shane says.

Such restrictive eating can cause needless anxiety, she says. It also might stop you from eating foods with fiber and other nutrients that are good for your gut.

In any case, it’s unwise to assume gluten is causing your gut symptoms and alter your diet without medical advice, Tabibian says. If you do have celiac disease, he says, it’s important to get it diagnosed, so you can manage it and avoid serious complications.

9. Drinking too much alcohol

“Alcohol is not great for your gut,” Shane says. It can disrupt the microbiome, inflame the stomach lining, cause bloating and diarrhea, and even contribute to malnutrition by decreasing appetite, she says.

How much is too much? For overall health, the latest U.S. government advice is that women should have no more than one drink a day and men should have no more than two drinks a day.

10. Avoiding colon cancer screening

While screening rates for colon cancer are rising, more than a third of adults ages 45 and older still aren’t screened as recommended for a disease that kills more than 50,000 people a year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The recommendation, from ACS and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: People at average risk should start screening with a colonoscopy or alternative test at 45 and keep it up until at least age 75.

One myth, Tabibian says, is that everyone should stop screening at 75. “It’s not that black and white,” he says. Instead, he says, “it becomes an individualized decision,” based on your health and other factors.