Antibiotics Are Useless Against Viruses

The reason an antibiotic can't touch a common cold is a matter of biological design. Bacteria are complex, self-sufficient organisms with their own cellular machinery and protective walls. Antibiotics are like specialized keys designed to fit the locks of these bacterial structures, either breaking down their walls or disrupting their ability to multiply. Viruses, however, are fundamentally different. They are little more than genetic code in a protein shell, and they operate by hijacking our own body's cells to make copies of themselves. Since they lack the specific cellular structures of bacteria, antibiotics have nothing to target.

This crucial distinction is often misunderstood, leading to a dangerous global trend. Following their discovery, antibiotics were seen as miracle cures, creating a persistent public perception that they can treat any sickness. This contributes to a culture where they are prescribed for viral illnesses in as many as half of all cases. Each unnecessary prescription acts as a training exercise for the trillions of bacteria living in our bodies. The antibiotic kills off the susceptible bacteria, leaving only the naturally resistant ones to survive, multiply, and potentially share their resistance genes, creating "superbugs" that are immune to our most critical medicines.