New Wave

New Wave

At a Christmas party last month, a friend of mine named Rose confided that she thought the mad press of holiday details was causing a stomach ulcer. But even though she was also coping with a sick family member and the added pressure of planning a spring wedding, her queasy stomach was more likely due to excessive eggnog and cookie intake than a peptic ulcer.

The idea that stress causes stomach ulcers is a persistent one, in spite of the fact that it was proved to be a myth many years ago. In 2005, two researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize for their research in the early 1980s that revealed the true culprit behind peptic ulcers: a parasitic bacterium called helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

Recent research suggests a link between H. pylori and several different cancers, including those of the stomach, pancreas, and the larynx. So you could make the case that those Nobel winning researchers saved an untold number of lives. They certainly changed the way ulcers are treated. Previous to the H. pylori discovery, antacid medication was the primary therapy. The result: Peptic ulcers often became chronic and debilitating.

Doctors now turn to antibiotics as the first line of defense against H. pylori. And while antibiotics may be effective, there’s a new wave developing in peptic ulcer treatment.

Preserving the balance

The downside of antibiotic use to treat H. pylori is that new drug-resistant strains of the bacterium have developed. Antibiotics can also upset the balance between harmful and helpful bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, paving the way for additional problems.

At HSI, we’ve written about several natural therapies that eliminate H. pylori without the unwanted side effects of antibiotics. In the August 2001 issue of the HSI Member’s Alert newsletter, we told you about a formula called Probiotics 12 Plus that contains a beneficial bacterial strain proven to destroy resistant pathogens. Laboratory testing has shown that this formula’s helpful bacterium inhibits all strains of H. pylori – even those that have become antibiotic resistant.

Probiotics 12 Plus is available from Uni Key Health Systems. For more information, you can visit the web site at unikeyhealth.com.

And in the November 1999 Members Alert, we told you how lactoferrin, a protein found in bovine colostrum, can kill H. pylori. Studies show that lactoferrin binds iron, keeping it away from cancerous cells, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that require iron to grow. Research also suggests that lactoferrin activates genes that launch immune response.

Lactoferrin is available through many sources online and in most health food stores. But be sure to talk to your doctor before using Probiotics 12 Plus or Lactoferrin to address peptic ulcer.

Lying in wait

Scientists believe that as many as six or seven out of every ten people are infected with H. pylori, but only about one in ten develops an ulcer. A 2003 study from the San Francisco VA Medical Center suggests that an ample intake of vitamin C may help some people keep H. pylori from ever becoming a problem.

The VA team examined blood samples and other data collected from more than 6,700 adult subjects. About one-third of the blood samples revealed the presence of H. pylori bacterium. The samples were also tested to measure levels of vitamin C.

After accounting for variable factors that included ethnicity, researchers found that among white subjects who had the highest levels of vitamin C, H. pylori infection was reduced by 25 percent. However, non-white subjects with high vitamin C levels apparently didn’t receive the same benefit; only a very modest correlation to reduced infection.

Those are the correlations the researchers are certain of. Questions about cause and effect, however, produce less certain answers. For instance: Does vitamin C reduce the chance of H. pylori infection, or does H. pylori diminish vitamin C levels? Also, H. pylori infection often occurs when patients are very young, leading to ulcers later in life. It’s not known if vitamin C could prevent this early infection. Some animal studies have indicated that H. pylori infection may be reduced with high levels of vitamin C intake.

Obviously, more research is called for. But in spite of the unknown factors, the lead researcher, Joel A. Simon, M.D., told Science Daily that he would encourage everyone – especially those who test positive for H. pylori – to increase consumption of vitamin C-rich foods.