4 ms·
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin are well documented to damage mitochondria, both function and their DNA. "Brain fog" is a common
by stevebmark 5y ago
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin are well documented to damage mitochondria, both function and their DNA. "Brain fog" is a commonly reported side effect from people who are permanently affected by fluoroquinolones. These drugs:
- Delete backup mtDNA
- Cause oxidative damage to mitochondria, impairing their function
- Impair mitochondrial replication
It makes because fluoroquinolones are designed to block bacterial DNA replication by plugging up the enzyme that glues DNA back together after it's separated during cell division. mtDNA replication is very similar to bacterial replication. They damage eukaryotic cells too, likely through a different mechanism.
- jjtheblunt 5y agoFactual datapoint: my grandmother was on Cipro intermittently for years (in Illinois) and was lucid as could be all the way to 104, quite amusing too with so many decades of observation.
- stevebmark 5y agoThat's dose length is awful to hear, I hope she didn't suffer from any other major side effects of fluoroquinolones, like neuropathy, tremors or twitching, tendon ruptures, or retinal detachment. It's also unclear why some people have no obvious effects, while others get permanent side effects.
- vimy 5y agoProbably something genetic.