Acidophilus, candida, fos, etc.

[Guest guest]

Some thoughts on the discussion on " candida. "

 

" Candida " has become a shorthand word for gut dysfunction, especially that

following loss of the protective bacteria, or possibly that due to food

intolerance. The actual candida organism may or may not be involved in that

dysfunction. The " Candida syndrome " was a speculative

theory put out by Crook in the 1980s. Unless someone actually has oral thrush or

other visible candida rash, its just as likely that other gut organisms are

involved. They did a study at National College of Naturopathic medicine in the

early 1990s where they had people fill out a

standard " candida " questionnaire, and then measured stool levels of candida.

They found a perfectly random association between test scores and stool levels,

meaning that the questionnaires are valueless for assessing fungal infection in

the gut, and that things other than candida

can cause the symptoms attributed to the problem. Note that some subjects had

high candida titers in their stool, and low symptoms scores, so I question the

value of candida stool tests at all. Probiotic levels might be more important

markers of dysfunction.

 

The physiology of some lactobacillus and bifidobacter strains is that they are

adherent to the mucosal lining. The adherence is via small magnetic charges, not

through invasive binding. Lactobacillus then secretes a " mantle " of lactic acid

which inhibits other organisms from

approaching the gut surface. It is thus part of the protective layer, by

occupying the space in a non-harmful way and by keeping other more damaging

organisms away. (This seems to me to be a yin function, and Todd's analogy of

topical slippery elm seems appropriate.)

 

Once that protective layer has been stripped away, it may be very difficult to

reestablish it. It is not so easy for the supplemented lactobacillus or

bifidobacter to reclaim their position on a gut wall that is not infected with

invasively binding organisms. It's sort of like you

kicked all the sheep out of their parking places, and the bikers moved in, and

once that has happened the sheep may not be able to kick the bikers out again.

I've had a patient who supplemented various probiotic products for a year after

a course of antibiotics, along with other

treatments, and was unable to raise the low stool counts of lactobacillus.

 

Most of what is sold as FOS on the market today is a synthetic starch

manufactured in Japan. it is given in much too low a dose to be helpful --

clinical trials that were successful used 15 grams of pure fos or inulin a day.

Natural FOS occurs in many plant roots, and the fos

inulin has been shown in a trial to improve the ratio of friendly to unfriendly

bacteria. Inulin is a storage starch in the roots of many composite family

member plants, including, in Western herbalism, dandelion root (25% inulin by

weight), burdock root (50% by weight) ,

elecampagne (40% by weight), and others. Inulin and other starches are readily

soluble in hot decoction, and I suspect dozens or of traditional Chinese herbs

taken in decoction would deliver inulin and other fos to feed the friendly

bacteria.

 

Paul Bergner

Editor, Medical Herbalism

Clinical Program Director, Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies

[Guest guest]

Inulin is a storage starch in the roots of many composite

> family member plants, including, in Western herbalism, dandelion root (25%

> inulin by weight), burdock root (50% by weight) ,

> elecampagne (40% by weight), and others. Inulin and other starches are readily

> soluble in hot decoction, and I suspect dozens or of traditional Chinese herbs

> taken in decoction would deliver inulin and other fos to feed the friendly

> bacteria.

 

>

jicama is also an excellent source of inulin.

 

Cara