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Sunday, December 6, 2020

Multiple Sclerosis and the Gut

My Story also on

Irritable Bowel and Multiple Sclerosis

Just published December 2020. Make sure to leave me a comment there!!!


This was a great topic from irritable bowel symptom.net

https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/top-nutrients

Glutamine. 


This amino acid is very important in gut healing. Glutamine helps to maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall and therefore aides in leaky gut. With less intestinal permeability means less microbes can get through the gut wall, decreasing infections. It is also fuel for hepatocytes, improving liver function.

Zinc is involved in many biochemical processes in the body including protein and DNA synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant systems. It is therefore important for effective digestion. Wound healing and normal immune responses require zinc, so it is great for IBS sufferers and their overall health. Zinc deficiency has also been linked to depression. Zinc supplements can cause nausea on an empty stomach so please ensure you take it with food. Foods high in zinc include all meats, pumpkin seeds, eggs, and seafood

Magnesium like zinc is one of those nutrients that is part of hundreds of processes in the body. The main ones that affect IBS are:

While calcium contracts muscles, magnesium relaxes them, so for those with cramps this is important to make sure your body has the resources to relax muscle. Magnesium can help reduce discomfort and pain caused by cramping.


Stress and anxiety use up a lot of magnesium. These have been identified as trigger in many people with IBS, so it is very important to maintain good levels of magnesium, so you don’t get depleted.   

Magnesium is also used for sleep and relaxation so very important for everyday wellness.

You can take magnesium as a supplement but be careful with the form of magnesium that you take. Magnesium oxide is the most common form found in supplements but is used for bowel cleansing as it is not well absorbed. Look for magnesium citrate, chelate and malate

Magnesium rich foods include almonds, avocado, and figs. These foods are all high FODMAP, so as IBS sufferers are often avoiding these foods, this can often lead to low magnesium. Some low FODMAP foods high in magnesium include spinach, pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts.

Vitamin B6. 


Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. B6 is absorbed in the small intestine, so problems with absorption can occur in those with IBS. B6 is very important for mental health as it is used to make serotonin, dopamine and GABA neurotransmitters, basically all of the happy hormones. As mental health is an important part of IBS treatment B6 is crucial.

Iron and B12

Many people with IBS end up with iron-deficient or B12-deficient anemia because of issues with absorption. Those with IBS-D are especially susceptible as this causes absorption to be low. With the high levels of inflammation often present with IBS, this can cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb both iron and B12.

The H63d genes I have, play into this. I absorb iron from both these genes, making phlebotomy or vein puncture needed to get rid of iron, 

But then dangers of being anemic, I will blog about later.

I’m lumping them together here as they often go hand-in-hand and while not essential for treatment of IBS per se, they are important nutrients to keep an eye on, so you don’t have further health complications. Therefore, if you are feeling tired and fatigued all the time make sure you check your iron and B12 levels. Make sure you get appropriate testing and consult your medical professional before taking iron or B12 supplements.

As always, consult your health professional before taking any supplements.


Multiple Sclerosis and food, Diets. You can Google and get every type of diet out there.

The current Fad Diets, like keto, not proven.

i tried being being sugar free.  Less than 4 grams per day.  Sure lets you become aware of how much sugar is in everything, and also hidden sugar.   Even yougurt was off the list, milk, and a ton of other items by reading and understanding lables, and how they hide the sugar now.  becoming a vegan,  going gluten free, milk free, and many more explored.

Many multiple sclerosis meds cause weight gain, almost overnight. I am not exempt from this.

My GI Dr suggested the food map diet. Eliminating everything and adding it back in slowly to see what bothers your GI system.  I went a step ahead, did a DNA, that showed foods to avoid, super foods, and cautious ones. This seemed a no brainer, with probiotics, vitamins, and recommendations made by viome.com, and my nutritonalist.

The food map was interesting, and kinda exciting finding super foods, and ones to avoid, or bring back slowly.

I need to mention more supplements....


Berberine is one my Heart Dr recommended. 

Medplus.gov  is the best site for searching.

This site also shows major interactions, so would check with your Dr before starting.

I am using it for tryglicerides, and to loose weight. Https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/1126.html


Possibly effective for...

Canker sores. Research shows that applying a gel containing berberine can reduce pain, redness, oozing, and the size of ulcers in people with canker sores.

Diabetes. Berberine seems to slightly reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Also, some early research shows that taking 500 mg of berberine 2-3 times daily for up to 3 months might control blood sugar as effectively as metformin or rosiglitazone.

High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia). Berberine might help lower cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol. Taking berberine for up to 2 years seems to reduce total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with high cholesterol. When compared with standard cholesterol-lowering medications, berberine appears to cause similar changes in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol, and it might be better at reducing triglyceride levels.

High blood pressure. Taking 0.9 grams of berberine per day along with the blood pressure-lowering drug amlodipine reduces systolic blood pressure (the top number) and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) better than taking amlodipine alone in people with high blood pressure.

A hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries with cysts (polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS). Research shows that berberine can lower blood sugar, improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce testosterone levels, and lower waist-to-hip ratio in women with PCOS. Berberine may even lower blood sugar levels similar to metformin and may improve cholesterol levels better than metformin. It is unclear if berberine increases pregnancy rates or live birth rates in women with PCOS.

1: Reduces Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Significantly and Safely

Big Pharma has created a multi-billion-dollar industry around controlling cholesterol and triglycerides with a "solution" that too often negatively impacts other aspects of your health.

Thankfully, berberine can come to the rescue. One study of participants with elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels reported that taking 1,000 mg of berberine daily for three months led to a remarkable 25% drop in LDL and a 35% drop in triglycerides—as well as a 29% reduction in total cholesterol—with no side effects.[1]

Another study found much the same. In this second trial, scientists recorded a 21% reduction in LDL, a 36% reduction in triglycerides and an 18% reduction in total cholesterol—just by taking 1,000 mg daily for three months.[2]

And here's another reason why berberine is such an extraordinary antioxidant...#2: It Dramatically Improves Metabolism,

Promotes Weight Loss and Boosts Energy

How Effective is Berberine for Weight Loss

"Berberine has already passed a handful of important demonstrations of efficacy. In 2012, for example, one study showed that obese human patients lost an average of 5 lbs over the 12-week course of treatment.4 While these results may seem modest, there’s more to the story. Significantly, the patients in the trial experienced a 23% drop in their soluble triglyceride levels and a 12.2% drop in their cholesterol levels beyond what would be expected from weight loss alone. This means that berberine helped the patients lose weight while simultaneously reducing the harmful chemical correlates of being overweight; high triglyceride and cholesterol levels are associated with many of the negative health outcomes of being overweight. As such, berberine provided valuable protection of overall health."

Another link found,

https://www.foundationalmedicinereview.com/blog/why-using-berberine-for-weight-loss-could-help-patients-improve-overall-health/

Who should buy berberine?

The supplemental benefits of berberine are best taken advantage of by people who are concerned about their metabolic health, want to reverse the negative health effects of obesity, or who want a chance at improving their blood glucose regulation and fight back against metabolic dysfunction.

It’s been studied most intently as a way to help treat insulin insensitivity in people who have type two diabetes or who have metabolic syndrome. However, berberine also finds applications in helping with other health issues commonly associated with an unhealthy diet and excessive body weight, such as high cholesterol and high blood lipids. 

While berberine is not, on its own, a fantastic weight loss supplement, it does do a fairly good job helping to ameliorate the negative health effects associated with being overweight. It might help lower your body fat percentage, but it’s far stronger at improving health than just reducing the number that you see on the scale. 

Some research suggests that berberine works for weight loss, but not as well as some of the more high-powered compounds for weight loss like green tea extract. Its real strength lies in changes to your body’s metabolic health. So taking berberine might be helpful as you are trying to lose weight, so you can move your body closer to a metabolically healthy state.

Interestingly, berberine also has a dedicated core of advocates among people who have irritable bowel syndrome. While the mechanism of action here is not entirely clear, clinical research does support the use of berberine to reduce some of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, so if you have gastrointestinal problems attributable to IBS, you may have success using berberine as well.

https://bodynutrition.org/berberine

https://www.stopagingnow.com/berberine56


 Alpha lipoic acid is another one I am on.... Like many prescribed by my neurologist.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a vitamin-like compound that is used in the body to break down carbohydrates and generate energy for the body’s organs

Natrol® ALA is also an antioxidant, a substance that neutralizes potentially harmful chemicals called free radicals and thereby helps prevent cell damage in the body. What makes alpha lipoic acid unique is that it functions in both water and fat unlike the more common antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, and it is able to re-cycle antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E after they have been used up.

Alpha-lipoic acid can improve the function and conduction of neurons in diabetes, as well as help with memory loss and mental acuity.

Benefits:

Helps Protect Against Cellular Oxidation

Helps protect Against Age-Related Damage

Whole Body Cell Rejuvenation


And finally I will talk about  TUDCA and TAURINE 

MS people are low in bile salts 

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/1126.html

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Tryglicerides+


Taurine plays an essential role in metabolism and digestion, as it helps the liver to create bile salts. Bile salts help break down fatty acids in the intestines. Bile acids are the body's main way of breaking down cholesterol.

Mutations in HFE Causing Hemochromatosis Are Associated with Primary Hypertriglyceridemia

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/94/11/4391/2596710

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/94/11/4391/2596710


Medications used in the management of hypertriglyceridemia include the following:

Fibric acid derivatives (eg, gemfibrozil, fenofibrate)

Niacin (slow-release, immediate-release, extended-release formulations)

Omega-3 fatty acids (eg, icosapent, omega-3-acid ethyl esters) Vascepa I use

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (eg, atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pitavastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin)

The diagnosis is made on blood tests, often performed as part of screening. Once diagnosed, other blood tests are usually required to determine whether the raised triglyceride level is caused by other underlying disorders ("secondary hypertriglyceridemia") or whether no such underlying cause exists ("primary hypertriglyceridaemia"). There is a hereditary predisposition to both primary and secondary hypertriglyceridemia.[1

How the body digests and absorbs fat

Biologically speaking, the purpose of eating is to gain energy, nourishment, and building blocks for the body to continually renew itself. Fats are a great source of energy because, at 9 calories per gram, they have more than twice the energy potential of carbohydrates, and they do not cause cardiac events. But they do more than just supply energy. 

Fats are the building blocks of phospholipids, key components of cell membranes. Fats store energy, and their components serve as intracellular messengers and help to manufacture hormones. Most of the fat we eat is in the form of triglycerides, which are large molecules. The body uses lipase enzymes to break them down into smaller particles. Most lipid digestion in an adult occurs in the upper loop of the small intestine, where a pancreatic lipase does the work.  Fats may differ from each other by virtue of carrying different fatty acids, which may be saturated or unsaturated.  

When we eat fat, stomach emptying slows and a small amount of fat is treated by gastric lipase in the stomach. This holds especially true for saturated fats, like those in butter.  

The liver produces bile, stored in the gallbladder, ready to be shot into the small intestine when the fat gets there. Bile emulsifies the fat and introduces it to pancreatic lipase, whose job is to digest the triglycerides into free fatty acids and monoglycerides, which are then absorbed into the small intestine under typical circumstances. 

Fat malabsorption symptoms

At the most basic level, fat malabsorption is a decreased ability for the intestines to absorb needed fats. 

The signs and symptoms that someone who is lacking sufficient enzymes to digest and absorb fats may 

bloating

gas

feelings of fullness

stomach cramps 

diarrhea 

pale-colored stool 

floating stool 

erratic bowel movements 

Failure to absorb fats will likely engender additional symptoms, including: 

dry hair and skin

premature skin aging 

weak nails 

sore joints 

Where fatty acids are concerned, it also affects: 

moodiness 

anxiety by

depression 

impaired cognitions

allergic or atopic conditions - eczema, ast byhma, hay fever 

sleep problems 

You may also see low levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL in your blood test results. 

https://bodybio.com/blogs/blog/improve-fat-digestion-absorption

https://bodynutrition.org/taurine/

What are the health benefits of taurine? The most important role that taurine plays in the body is assisting with metabolism and digestion. Taurine is known to aid the body in the development of bile salts, which are ultimately used by the body to metabolize fats within the digestive system and thus can decrease the acquisition of body fat.

Some studies also note a connection between heart health and taurine consumption, as taurine has been connected to a decrease in cholesterol levels and an increase of positive heart functioning. Additionally, like many amino acids, taurine plays a role in muscle maintenance and development. The effects that taurine has on the heart and muscles can result in improved athletic performance and focus during workouts. Taurine also has been shown to improve mental focus, making it a powerful pre-workout agent. 

Is taurine bad for your kidneys? Taurine is an important amino acid that plays a significant role in kidney functioning. Oftentimes, taurine is administered to those with kidney disease or decreased kidney functioning to improve their functioning. Taurine has even been prescribed as a treatment method for those suffering from diabetic nephropathy, which affects the kidneys (11).


Another blog is needed about Green Tea and  Matcha.  I will have to go into later, as this is getting extensive to understand, but each of these plays a role in Multiple Sclerosis and the Gut. This is More for me to find quick links, and of course to ask your Doctor before trying any of these.

Thanks for reading

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