Manipulating probiotic strains for anti-inflammatory and other effects

[cherubim]

Taking glial cell inhibitors seems to be a good first step in halting any inflammation. Research has found certain probiotics to have anti-inflammatory effects, so that might be a good second step. From what I read it seems as if we are getting an imbalanced microbiome from yogurt on the market and may need to supplement with bifidus strains. I think GoodBelly has it.

Research is evolving on this. A lot has come out about probiotics being sold to the public that are worthless. It would be good to know what others have used. I'm unsure about online reviews anymore - it seems they can sometimes be manipulated by sellers, and it's hard to sort out the truth. Here is an article I found interesting, although I think I'll steer clear of the SBO's for now: https://cfsremission.com/2015/12/22/leaky-gut-and-probiotics/

I was thinking of trying VSL #3 - very expensive though. Wondered if anyone tried it and obtained benefits?

Some say you need an acid-proof coating - others say you don't. So much conflicting info to sort through.

 

[cherubim]

Thanks for that! Looks like reactions are mixed. I'm in pretty bad shape, so I ordered it today. I knew about probiotics and have been taking them for years, but I never knew how intricately they were involved with pain and central nervous system sensitization. I came across info about them communicating on the vagus nerve.

I was looking for a way to raise IL-10 - and was surprised to find bacteria does it - I think it was L-lactis. So it seems that anyone seeking to lower any inflammatory states might want to try L-lactis. Each strain has different mechanisms of action. I was never into cultured vegetables that much, but have been eating kimchi. Theres also a new kind of drink made called Amasai that is supposed to have multiple strains in it.

Maybe medicine will catch up someday and we'll be prescribed a course of the exact probiotic strains wiped out by the particular antibiotics we're prescribed.

 

[SueS]

I used the primal defence. Was excited about it because it has a varied collection of srrains, includingmthe ones that are good for depression. I can't say i noticed a difference but then wasn't on it for more than a few bottles - too expensive

 

[cherubim]

So if you didn't notice a difference, I wonder if the product had living organisms, or if it was shipped properly. I read where customers did testing on brands they purchased, and the organisms weren't alive - but this was done after they already put money out for the product. There should be some type of mandatory testing on probiotics so you know you're getting what you pay for.

I was surprised probiotics effect our moods, I'd never read that before, but came across what you said yesterday. The probiotics you took should have worked because gut bacteria raise serotonin and gaba: http://bodyecology.com/articles/your-gut-can-influence-how-you-feel-it-all-starts-with-serotonin

I wonder if it even had the right strains in it to produce the desired effect. Dr. David Williams has some good info http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/why-mood-disorder-treatment-should-begin-with-gut-bacteria/

Here is a chart of strains and the health issue they correct: https://www.thecandidadiet.com/list-of-probiotics/

It looks like first one has to find the right strains in it for the health issue you're looking to treat, and then you have to find ones that are alive. A challenging task when you're not feeling good, so you have to rely on others' experiences. I spent days going through reviews and studies and ended up with the VSL #3 - but that is also expensive. It will have to be a one-time purchase because I had to pay for a small cooler to ship it. So I have to find a cheaper brand with the bifidus strains that are alive.

 

[cherubim]

I was reading that SOD is low in those with health problems - and I just read yesterday that it was discovered that one strain of probiotics helps produce SOD in the body. Now I just have to find which strain it was.

I tried the SOD made with wheat gliaden but am concerned about ingesting any wheat product. It seems the only thing to do is try to manipulate the probiotic strains in the gut, or take Nrf2 activators which will induce the body's own antioxidant system

 

[cherubim]

I came across the below information. I think if one finds a way to raise all 3 of the body's own antioxidant levels, everyone would find an improvement in their health state. I know s-acetyl-glutathione raises glutathione. Raising SOD and catalase are a different matter. One strain of probiotics raises SOD (can't recall which one - when I find out I'll take that strain). If anyone figures out how to raise catalase levels, can you post it?

FREE RADICALS
What are free radicals (FR) and how do they work in the body? A free radical is an "atom or molecule that contains one or more unpaired electrons.” An unpaired electron can bond with another atom or molecule. It causes a chemical reaction. FR can effect dramatic changes in the body and cause a lot of damage to cells or impair the immune system . Many FR (e.g. superoxide, hydroxy radicals, various lipid peroxides) play a role in various diseases in the body such as inflammation, arthritis and pulmonary diseases.
To counteract FR, the body makes free radical scavengers or antioxidants which protect against FR by neutralizing them. Examples of free radical scavengers which are enzymes, are catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Antioxidants such as Vitamin A, beta carotene, Vitamin C and selenium also neutralize free radicals by binding to their free electrons. If there is excessive FR damage, damage to cells and tissues can occur. If a large number of free radicals is formed, it stimulates even more FR to form. This can lead to even more damage.



You can buy catalase supplements, but I haven't found any reputable reports that they work.

 

[Veet]

@cherubim Check out this thread for another antioxidant strategy.
http://www.healthrising.org/forums/...drinking-hydrogen-rich-water.4903/#post-24395

 

[cherubim]

They're affordable! Did you try one of them? I thought about trying drinkable ozone - they sell on Amazon - just in case of some viral reactivation - but never heard of the hydrogen part. I'll research it in depth tomorrow.

 

[cherubim]

Since you're also looking into antioxidant therapies, you may be interested in what I found today. DMG is an antioxidant and also helps with carrying oxygen through the body and giving you energy. It's good for those with coagulation disorders - which many who have CFS & Fibro do (thick blood) - and helps with circulation. http://thesilveredge.com/dmg.shtml

 

[cherubim]

@cherubim Check out this thread for another antioxidant strategy.
http://www.healthrising.org/forums/...drinking-hydrogen-rich-water.4903/#post-24395

This did well in reducing oxidative stress on PubMed. I'm unsure whether a stick for around $3 vs a plug in unit is the way to go. Did you have one that worked well? Reducing oxidative stress is not an option for me - it's critical. I'm trying as many oxidative stress reducing therapies as I find.

 

[cherubim]

Veet - try b-infantis strain - it's supposed to help with inflammation. I'm going on the belief inflammation is caused by oxidative stress: http://www.livescience.com/35945-probiotics-good-bacteria-inflammation.html

 

[cherubim]

Potential probiotic effects beyond gut: psoriasis, CFS


A new study shows that a probiotic available commercially in the US for fortifying the digestive system, has effects beyond the gastrointestinal tract: it may also have effects against non-gut inflammation such as in psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Gut Microbes is thought to be important because it is the first to show a single probiotic can influence not only the mucosal immune system but also the systemic immune system in humans.
The mucosal immune system protects the internal mucosal surfaces of the body such as the gastrointestinal, urogenital and respiratory tracts. These internal surfaces act as a barrier to the outside world for the internal tissues of the body, which are then further protected by the systemic immune system.
There is some convincing evidence that probiotics, or gut-friendly bacteria, influence the development and maintenance not only of the microbial balance inside the gut and the mucosal immune system but also the systemic immune response.
The name of the probiotic in this new study is Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, which was discovered in the early 1990s by microbiologists at Alimentary Health, a development biotech based in Cork, Ireland, in partnership with Procter and

The gut-friendly bacterium is the main ingredient in Procter & Gamble's Align dietary supplement which is commercially available in the US.
The new study, which was conducted by scientists from Alimentary Health and the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at University College Cork, includes three separate randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trials of the effect of the probiotic in both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal related disorders.
For the trials, the team recruited 22 patients with the gastrointestinal disorder ulcerative colitis (UC), 26 patients with the inflammatory skin condition psoriasis, and a further 48 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), another inflammatory disease.
There was also a group of 35 healthy volunteers. These were used as baseline references for levels of inflammation markers in the patients and some went on to take part in the trial itself.
Markers of inflammation

At the start of the study, all patients (with gastrointestinal UC, and non-gastrointestinal CFS and psoriasis) had significantly raised levels of three blood biomarkers for inflammation compared to the controls.
The three biomarkers were C-reactive protein (CRP) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumornecrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).
During the trial period, which lasted between 6 and 8 weeks, each patient and 22 of the healthy controls received identical sachets containing either the probiotic or a placebo.
At the end of the trial, the researchers found that compared with the controls:

• All three groups of patients who received the probiotic had significantly lower levels of CRP compared with placebo.
• However, only CFS and psoriasis patients showed reductions in TNF-a, and only UC and CFS patients showed reductions in IL-6.

 

[Veet]

Veet - try b-infantis strain - it's supposed to help with inflammation. I'm going on the belief inflammation is caused by oxidative stress: http://www.livescience.com/35945-probiotics-good-bacteria-inflammation.html

It's one I use already. thx. I don't yet have a water system, but likely I'll get onto this soon.

 

[cherubim]

I never paid much attention to strains, so it's new to me. You probably know about SIBO too. In case your'e interested, I learned the amino acid glycine has antioxidant properties.

I keep coming back to gut health - leaky gut and SIBO in research. When stomach contents leak into the blood, that sets off non-stop inflammation with 'CIC's - circulating immune complexes'. I'm wondering if that's why the antioxidants haven't yielded as much response as I thought they should, for as many as I was taking. So I'm trying pep-o-gest for possible SIBO.