A reader asked: “I was wondering about these products suggested in your latest blog having dairy proteins in them and if there are non-dairy alternatives. I am celiac and allergic (by Elisa testing) to all dairy products (although I don’t feel the symptoms from it). “
So I grab my collection and read the labels:
EvoraPlus: Lactitol is listed on the ingrediants but this is not a dairy product. Good.
Mutafor: Good
Prescript Assist: Good
Align (and other pure Bifidobacterium): Good (or should be good)
Lactobacillus Probiotics are the highest risk because many are cultured in milk, checking the two that I favor:
L. Reuteri via BioGaia products appear to be fine (ingredients) – made in Sweden
Fem-Dophilus also appears good (ingredients) – made in Denmark
So, it looks like my recommended probiotics should all be safe for you.
For many years that has been a group of psychologists claiming that childhood abuse was the cause of CFS — and by implication that it was psychological and psychological therapy is what the cure is. This has not been well received by the CFS community. A recent article in New Scientist actually suggests that they be right as to it being a contributor — but at the same time points to their implied therapy as being very wrong. In other words, their studies showing an association with abuse or other stress factors are likely correct. It is the inferences that these psychologists did from the association that is wrong.
New Scientist, Nov 23rd, 2013, p. 18 “How mum’s stress affects her fetus”, found “bacteria of the stressed mice are remarkably different to those of the unstressed mice… the proportion of one bacteria, Lactobacillus, was notably reduced.” and then went further on the impact of stress, “pups of stressed mothers showed similar bacterial patterns in their gut.” The author was Tracy Bale. Other works has found that stress impacts epigentics (the DNA genes that are turned on and off)
Low Lactobacillusis a characteristics of CFS and likely a catalyst to onset. Psychological theraphy is unlikely to alter epigentic changes or the gut bacteria. Probiotics, especially Lactobacillus Reuteri — the most common Lactobacillus species in healthy mammals — would likely have much better success.
The next time that some one suggests abuse is the cause of CFS — instead of arguing about it — come back with I can’t help but agree more — recent studies found that the stress that my mother had is the likely cause of my CFS — by modification of epigenetics and gut bacteria that are passed down to me causing CFS …. can you please explain how psycho-therapy would correct the epigentics and gut bacteria alteration? It sound like you are talking about airy-fairy medical treatment …
P.S. I am trying to arrange a small shipment of a Lactobacillus Reuteri only Probiotic from a supplier in Europe. The cost of this appears significantly lower than what is available in the US as a single species
A few years ago, a protocol of high dosages of salt (Sodium Chloride) and Vitamin C was in vogue. There is still a book on Amazon extolling its benefits. The protocol died off because while it appeared to help some people (but not put them in remission), it was largely dropped in the CFS community. Recently I revisited a different protocol and found that it results and the microbiota model were in sync. The protocol’s antibiotics would correct a significant amount of the dysfunctional microbiota (gut bacteria). The question thus arise, is Salt-and-C initial success also the result of adjusting the microbiota — but not sufficient to correct the dysfunction.
Salt and C would not shift gut bacteria in the appropriate way by the shift of pH. Both are acids and would result in a more alkaline digestive system [See this post for studies and explanation]
Making the pH more acid results in:
More E.Coli, bifidobacterium and lactobacillus growth (correcting undergrowth)
No known impact on overgrowth.
This type of change would occur in other protocols that attempts to alter pH in the CFS patient. Unfortunately, many people seem to take the opposite type of foods because they do not get the reverse relationship between body pH and food in take pH. They will help, but are unlikely to reduce the overgrowths.
My second onset of CFS was resolved by following Dr. Celile Jadin. The decision to do a combo Hemex-Jadin protocol was that neither were in conflict with each other — in fact, at the start, they appear to compliment each other. For example bromelain breaks down coagulation and it also allows deeper penetration of antibiotics into tissues.
The Jadin protocol originated with Pasteur Institute staff in Africa dealing with difficult illnesses. I suspect that by trial and error they found a protocol that address the stubborn illness they were trying to treat. As is human nature, they wanted to know why and once a reasonable explanation was found, that became the explanation of what was happening. I know from the history of science that explanations are often wrong, but the observations and many predictions are right.
My best hypothesis on CFS is currently a stable dysfunctional microbiota (gut flora) that was triggered by an illness, poor diet, vaccination or chemical exposure. It is good to put this hypothesis to the test against prior successful treatments that resulted in some remissions. I have already looked at this in an earlier post, but thought a revisit on certain aspects would be good.
Jadin and Occult Infections
Cecile Jadin, M.D., has had great success with an antibiotic rotation that the Pasteur Institute had used 70 years ago to deal with what they felt were occult infections[Presentation]. In reflection, I can very well see how they came to that conclusion. If the symptoms of an infection that was successfully treated returned but cannot be detected then a reasonable assumption was that it was somehow “occult” or hidden. If you shift your perspective to the symptoms not being caused directly by the infection but by the alteration in the gut bacteria that the infection caused then it is not the infection returning in a hidden form — it is the gut bacteria alteration becoming stable in the “disease pattern”. Without modern research testing facilities, it is impossible to differeniate them.
What does going through multiple families of antibiotics do to gut bacteria? Kill many of them. Many people will not take antibiotics because they kill gut bacteria — not all gut bacteria, just some species. Her regime of rotating antibiotics is a perfect way of disrupting this stable bacteria alteration.
I constructed the table below ‘unscientifically’ by just googling the antibiotic family and the bacteria family and seeing what the usual result was. The impact of the families of antibiotic appears to be a good match for what we want to have happen. Jadin’s protocol was based on experimentation on people with the appearance of occult illness due to Rickettsia. They did not have the labs we have. They found traces of Rickettsia in the tissue and went down a logical path that said “Oh we have a resistant version — we need to try other antibiotics!” This was exactly the logic that my MD used for my first onset of CFS (before it was a known condition).
Antibiotic Family
Klebsiella/Enterobacter
Enterococcus
Streptococcus
E.Coli
Bifidobacterium
Lactobacillus
Score for CFS
In CFS Patients
HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
low
low
low
*
Tetracyclines
Effective
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
1
Macrolides
Effective
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
1
Quinolone
Resistant
Effective
Resistant
Resistant
Resistant
Effective
-1
Metronidazole
Effective
Resistant
Resistant
Effective
Resistant
Resistant
-1
Other Antibiotics (by request). Score done by 1 for each EFFECTIVE in high (good) and -2 for each EFFECTIVE in low (I view the harm is more significant than the good)
What is seen is that the probable over growths are reduced with this protocol as reported in the 1998 Conference Presentation, and most of the under growths are not impacted. Similar results were reported for two species: “The viable count of D-lactic acid producing Enterococcus and Streptococcus spp. in the faecal samples from the CFS group.. were significantly higher than those for the control group ” Increased d-lactic Acid intestinal bacteria in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. [2009]
In short, Jadin’s effective protocol is in agreement with the microbiota model. It is a viable protocol to use in conjunction with probiotics – just don’t use Mutaflor (E.Coli Nissle 1917) with Metronidazole, or L.Reuteri with Quinolones.
Hi Ken, Maybe I was over reacting but i was intrigued to learn about the feature “Big Antiviral Trial Could Usher in New Treatment Era for FM” on Health Rising a couple of weeks ago discussing the promising use of Celebrex with Valtrex as a new and effective strategy for FM and CFS. I just wondered what you opinion on this might be. Are there significant heath risks associated with Celebrex? If so are there any good alternatives? Has anyone you know tried or had success using this therapy?
This is a difficult question to answer well in comments, so I am answering in a post. I am also declaring that I am evaluating it against my current model of CFS is: a stable dysfunction of microbiota.
This treatment appears effective for a minority subset of those matching a research definition of CFS (and likely an even smaller number of the general CFS population). Appropriate testing should occur before the start and if the results of the testing does not match that of the subset, it is best not to proceed with this treatment. I am opposed to “well, it’s not an exact match — but let us try it anyway” approach of some MDs.
CFS Remission 