Right now, the main treatment for the persistent bacterial infection known as C. diff oddly consists of taking the king of drug that often causes the condition in the first place: an antibiotic.
It’s sort of like fighting fire with fire.
Often, however, that method gets out of control, and another inferno starts.
But what if there were a way to prevent this horrific condition, one dubbed “deadly diarrhea” by the CDC? A cure for the current epidemic – something that could, in essence, stop it in its tracks before it ever takes hold – would surely be a dream come true for patients.
Well, it looks like such a thing does exist!
A new study from an international group of researchers has confirmed that something now readily available can not only prevent this life-threatening, contagious condition… but also put the brakes on the many other GI side effects of antibiotics.
Best of all, it’s not a drug, and you won’t need to see your doctor to get your hands on it.
Actually, you can pick up this “ounce of prevention” almost anywhere!
Gut instincts
As I’m sure you know, antibiotics don’t just kill the “bad” bugs. They can disrupt your entire digestive tract by also “doing in” the beneficial bacteria that help to keep you healthy.
That’s when C. diff can take over, as around half-a-million people in the U.S. unfortunately find out every year.
And while it’s much more dangerous for seniors (80 percent of those who die from this infection are 65 and older), it’s also striking kids — even infants — with a vengeance.
This infection – one that can be almost impossible to fully eradicate – hits with acute abdominal pain and watery, bloody diarrhea that can happen up to 30 times a day.
Obviously, doing anything possible to keep this bug from “biting” is vital.
And in a just-published study in JAMA, researchers from Canada, Australia, and the U.S. reveal that you can lower your risk of developing C. diff by simply taking probiotics along with antibiotics.
Plus that, those probiotics can beat back typical antibiotic side effects such as short-term diarrhea and cramping!
And this was no small study, either. The researchers analyzed 39 clinical trials conducted from 1988 to 2012 — totaling close to 10,000 patients — to reach that conclusion.
So, if the solution is so simple (in fact, about as simple a solution as you can get), why has C. diff become so common?
A big part of the problem has to do with the fact that doctors often neglect to tell patients on antibiotics how very important it is to also take a probiotic.
And not just after completing a course of these drugs, either — by then, it could be too late.
Why this isn’t a standard part of their routine when prescribing antibiotics is a mystery to me!
HSI panel member Dr. Allan Spreen has long recommended that anyone not already taking a good probiotic should “absolutely” start one at the beginning of every antibiotic course, noting that C. diff is “preventable with probiotic use.”
Dr. Spreen says to continue with probiotics for a minimum of a full week after stopping the drug. However, he added, there’s no reason not to continue using “varying strains” of this beneficial bacteria “continuously.”
As eAlert readers know, taking care of your good gut bacteria is one of the most important steps you can take toward staying healthy from head to toe. When you’re shopping for one, be sure to look for a high-quality probiotic with around 20 billion “colony-forming units,” or CFUs.
And as a rule of thumb, you should wait two hours after a dose of antibiotics before taking your probiotic to keep as much of that beneficial bacteria alive and thriving as possible.
But C. diff has reached epidemic proportions for other good reasons, too – not just antibiotic use without probiotics.
Another is the acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors. It’s no secret that PPIs such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid are linked to an increased risk of developing a C. diff infection.
A recent study by the Mayo Clinic concludes that folks taking PPI meds are a whopping 50 percent more likely to be hit with this life-threatening ailment.
Certainly, if you’re not taking one of these PPI drugs now, don’t start up on one! And if you are, slowly wean yourself off of it, and use other methods of acid control — such as limiting acidic foods and beverages (like coffee!), not eating too late at night, and using a “wedge” to keep your head elevated when sleeping. Probiotics also can help reduce excess acid.
And, as I shared with you last winter, a hidden food additive called “trehalose” actually “feeds” C. diff bacteria, making it more potent and deadly!
Unfortunately, trehalose is going to be hard to avoid, as it can hide in foods, particularly those that list “natural flavors” among their ingredients. That’s why eating as few processed foods as possible is especially important.
“Should you take probiotics with antibiotics? New review says YES!” Joe Graedon, July 19, 2018, The People’s Pharmacy, peoplespharmacy.com
