Amish Amoxicillin Recipe: Is it Safe and Effective?

Amish amoxicillin is a homemade concoction promoted on social media to treat bacterial infections. While the ingredients may have some antibacterial properties, self-treating infections with homemade antibiotics could pose significant risks.

Bacterial infections are common and account for more than one in eight deaths globally in 2019. What's more, they are becoming harder to treat due to a rise in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

The increase in antimicrobial resistance, paired with healthcare costs and potential side effects of traditional antibiotics, has some people looking to home remedies as alternatives.

For example, in a TikTok video, Milo, an ex-Amish creator who appeared in a recent season of Discovery Channel's "Naked and Afraid," demonstrated how to make a homemade natural antibiotic he calls "Amish amoxicillin." He said in the video that typically, Amish folks will try home remedies like this before going to the doctor.

While his concoction might appeal to some people, as it's "all-natural" and not the same as prescription amoxicillin found at a pharmacy, experts say relying on it to treat bacterial infections could prove dangerous.

What's in Amish amoxicillin?

According to Milo, Amish amoxicillin contains 10 ingredients commonly found in grocery stores. His home remedy is similar to "fire cider," a wellness mixture that became popular in the 1970s after renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar published her recipe.

Milo's recipe includes:

• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple
• One 2-inch piece of ginger
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 1 whole lemon
• 1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey

Milo recommends blending the ingredients, straining the mixture, and storing it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. He also recommends drinking one shot glass of the liquid in the morning and again in the evening.

The pungent cocktail is touted as a wellness drink that targets bacteria that respond to amoxicillin. These include Streptococcus spp., E. coli strains, and Salmonella spp., among others.

What science says

According to research, all the ingredients included in the Amish amoxicillin recipe may have potential antibiotic effects, with some showing the ability to inhibit a wide range of bacteria.

Apple cider vinegar: Research published in 2018 found that in lab experiments, apple cider vinegar exhibited several antimicrobial effects directly on E.coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. Moreover, ACV decreased inflammatory and bacterial protein expression processes. A 2021 study, also involving lab experiments, revealed that apple cider vinegar had antimicrobial effects on antibacterial-resistant E. coli and MRSA.

Pineapple: A study published in 2018 showed that vitamin C, flavonoids, and bromelain found in pineapple extract had antibacterial effects on Staphylococcus aureus. More recently, researchers found that pineapple peel extract may inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans, a primary cause of dental cavities.

Ginger: 2024 research suggests that ginger extract may inhibit a wide range of bacteria, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Proteus mirabilis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Salmonella, Mycobacterium, and Enterobacterium.

Turmeric: Curcumin, the bioactive compound of turmeric, may be effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, according to a 2022 review of scientific studies. It may also inhibit the growth of other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. However, the body has difficulty absorbing curcumin, which makes it challenging to apply in practice.

Garlic: Garlic has antibiotic effects due to allicin, a compound found in the cloves. Some research suggests that even antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains may be sensitive to allicin.

Onion: A study published in 2022 investigating the medicinal impacts of onion and garlic found that both had antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, a 2023 study found that red onion scales, or leaves that form layers in the bulb, may help break through bacterial biofilms.

Lemon: Research published in 2024 found that lemon extract, which is rich in polyphenols, has antibacterial effects and may enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics. The scientists suggest animal studies and, eventually, human trials are needed to determine if lemon extract has the potential for therapeutic use.

Cayenne pepper: Capsaicin, a phytochemical found in cayenne, demonstrated antibacterial effects against a wide range of bacteria in a 2023 study. It may also interfere with bacterial biofilm development.

Black pepper: Research published in 2024 revealed that black pepper extract may have significant antimicrobial activity, though not as much as clove extract. The researchers believe bioactive compounds found in clove and black pepper, such as phenolics and flavonoids, may contribute to their antimicrobial properties.

Honey: In a 2022 study, researchers tested organic and conventional honey extracts against various bacteria and found that all showed antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. Typhi, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, B. cereus, and S. epidermidis.

Still, the evidence found in these studies came from experiments in the lab, not clinical trials involving animals or people, which limits their real-world applicability

Amish amoxicillin may pose risks

Overall, more research is needed to determine whether "wellness" drinks like Amish amoxicillin are effective against bacterial infections. Nonetheless, some people find the idea of creating and consuming these mixtures appealing, especially when social media influencers tout them as a cure.

Linas Černiauskas, a Ph.D. candidate in medicine at Vilnius University, Lithuania, tells Wellnesspulse that the Amish Amoxicillin trend stems from growing public interest in traditional medicine practices. Still, while some of the ingredients in Amish amoxicillin are proposed to have some health benefits, the overall mixture has not been researched and shown to be effective for treating bacterial infections.

Linas Černiauskas, PhD Candidate

Health content researcher

The current medical consensus on treating bacterial infections is to use antibiotics, a class of drugs that either inhibit bacterial growth or destroy the bacteria. These drugs are well-studied and effective, especially in situations where bacterial infections can be life-threatening or have debilitating effects on health.

Černiauskas explains that relying on trendy homemade "antibiotics" carries significant risks.

These include:

• Some people may delay or refuse antibiotic treatment in an attempt to treat bacterial infections at home. Without proper and timely treatment, a bacterial infection can become more severe and challenging to treat, increasing the risks of complications.
• Amish amoxicillin may cause adverse effects. For example, excessive intake of cayenne, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar can damage the stomach lining, causing symptoms like indigestion and heartburn, and may aggravate various digestive issues.

"With current medical consensus in mind, Amish amoxicillin is nothing else than a general wellness drink/mixture, which is not proven to be able to treat bacterial infections," Černiauskas concludes.

Dr. Michael Genovese, Physician and Chief Medical Advisor at Ascendant New York, tells Wellnesspulse that while the ingredients in Amish amoxicillin may inhibit bacterial growth in lab studies, they do not function the same way as FDA-approved antibiotics, which are designed to target and kill bacteria inside the body.

For example, strep throat, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) require proper antibiotics to kill bacteria effectively. Genovese explains that these infections can spread if untreated, leading to complications such as sepsis, kidney infections, or lung damage.

Drinking these mixtures may provide some general wellness benefits due to the ingredients' anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-supporting properties. For example, honey and turmeric may help soothe sore throats and support immune function.

However, Genovese notes that while home remedies can sometimes complement medical care, relying on them alone for infections can be dangerous.

"If symptoms persist, worsen, or include warning signs of a severe infection, seeking medical advice is always the best course to prevent complications and ensure proper treatment," Genovese tells Wellnesspulse.

The bottom line

For some people, whipping up a batch of Amish amoxicillin can be a fun project, and consuming small amounts is unlikely to cause significant harm. Moreover, some ingredients may help support the immune system or temporarily soothe symptoms.

However, since bacterial infections can quickly become dangerous, people should use caution, as this or any home remedy is not a replacement for FDA-approved antibiotics. Instead, people with symptoms of a bacterial infection, such as high fever, worsening pain or swelling, difficulty breathing, or red, swollen skin, should visit a healthcare provider for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.