GUT HEALTH & FMT: FECAL TRANSPLANTS ARE HERE TO STAY
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“Clinical levels of antibiotics can cause oxidative stress that can lead to damage to DNA, proteins and lipids [fats] in human cells…..” Dr. Jim Collins, Ph.D. faculty at the Wyss Institute and Distinguished Professor at Boston University. Collins was discussing his research published in the latest issue of Science Translational Medicine for the July 3 issue of ScienceDaily.
“FMT using donor stool has arrived as a successful therapy.” Dr Martin Floch, the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, from the September 2010 issue of the same (Fecal Bacteriotherapy, Fecal Transplant, and the Microbiome).
“Diabetes and even obesity, as well as Parkinson’s disease, might be cured just by replacing the bacteria in your gut.” From the January 19, 2011 issue of NewScientist (Fecal Transplant Eases Symptoms of Parkinson’s). The article was discussing research by the famous Australian Grastroenerologist, Dr. Thomas Borody (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Emerging Applications) published in the December issue of the National Review of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. I wrote about bacteria and obesity HERE. I also happen to believe that science is close to telling us that PARKINSON’S is an Autoimmune Disease.
We recently learned via two studies from Vanderbilt University (published in the latest issue of Lancet Respiratory Medicine) that those who survive a visit to the ICU are far more likely to end up with DEPRESSION and associated symptoms (loss of appetite, fatigue, and insomnia) than the general population (approximately 1/3 of these folks still have Depression one year after their discharge). There are two things I want you to note about this.
Firstly, we know that Depression is heavily associated with DYSBIOSIS and POOR GUT HEALTH, which are largely brought about by ANTIBIOTIC USE — the very drug that people staying in the ICU are typically saturated with. Although the authors of the study believed that this Depression was related to “physical disability“, they are probably only partially correct here.
Secondly, if you will recall YESTERDAY’S POST, you will recognize that all of the symptoms of Depression listed in this study are heavily associated with Sympathetic Dominance. Although the authors suggested that Physical Rehabilitation would be a better option for this group than would ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, I think they are completely missing the boat as far as restoration of normal gut flora and Brain Health is concerned.
Although there are any number of ways to restore this flora (avoid SUGAR / STARCH, drink fermented drinks, eat fermented foods, eat plenty of fiber, WORK IN THE SOIL, take quality PROBIOTICS), there is an option that has been getting a lot of play lately — especially among desperate, chronically sick (particularly AUTOIMMUNE) patients. That would be FECES TRANSPLANTS (sometimes referred to as FMT or Fecal Microbiota Transplantation). That’s correct. I did not stutter.
Not only are Stool Transplants being done for people with chronic Clostridiun Difficile (C. Diff) infections, they are being done for people with a wide variety of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES as well. Just not in America.
Although it sounds repugnant to those of us who are healthy, how many things as potentially effective as having two ounces of liquefied feces “injected” into your bowel could be so easy? So easy you could do it at _ _ _ _? The truth is, there are a whole host of YouTube videos explaining / describing how you can go about performing this procedure on yourself in the privacy of your own home. And why, pray tell, would people want to do something like this at home instead of simply going to their doctor to have it done? Ask yourself which doctor is doing it right now? Very few.
Although I believe there are many reasons for this, power and money are always the ones I look for first (not to mention, doctors would have to admit that their FREQUENTLY ABSURD PRESCRIBING HABITS FOR ANTIBIOTICS would probably called into question as a potential cause of the disease in the first place). We will delve deeper into this issue in a moment, but for those of you questioning the safety of such treatments, the track record is virtually spotless.
After telling us that there are potential problems with the endoscopy itself, Dr. Lawrence Brandt, speaking in the March 2012 issue of Gastroenterology and Hepatology says, “otherwise, there have been no significant adverse side effects definitely attributable to fecal transplantation.“
Despite the fact that European physicians are treating all sorts of Chronic Autoimmune Diseases with this technique and have been for years, the FDA is laying down even more restrictions and regulations concerning its use here in America.
Since I reported that Stool Transplants were being used in the States to treat people with Chronic C. Diff infections (1/24/2013 — HERE), the FDA declared that physicians who want to use the procedure in their clinics need to fill out an IND application (Investigational New Drug). Let’s just say that the whole process of getting an IND can not only be a pain in the rear end, but going through the entire process can prove extremely time consuming and cost-prohibitive as well.
Last year Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University, told Medpage Today that, “just putting [an IND] together and carrying it out and managing data to the level of sophistication required by the FDA, just running it all costs a lot of money.” Even though the FDA is now allowing individual practitioners to perform these procedures without the IND for those with C. Diff, those with C. Diff is all they are allowed to treat in this fashion. What about the tens of millions of Americans with Autoimmunity?
Despite the fact that the National Institutes of Health say there are 24 million Autoimmune Americans, the AARDA says that over 50 million Americans suffer from Autoimmune Disease. Why the difference? The NIH numbers only include 24 diseases for which good epidemiology studies were available. I have seen stats saying that one in 3 American adults have some sort of Autoimmune Disease. It’s not that there are not numerous studies as well as plenty of anecdotal evidence saying touting FMT’s benefits. It’s that the government wants to control every aspect of your life — particularly your healthcare.
And because they are increasingly paying for your healthcare (with your tax dollars, of course), their belief is that they should have ever-increasing control. In fact, last year, the FDA admitted that its, “interest in regulating the procedure has nothing to do with any adverse events.” Dr. Eric Alm —- Associate Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT with degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, Biology, and Biochemistry —- agrees, but also thinks that this procedure should not be done except under strict medical supervision.
But not because he really thinks it’s dangerous. He wants it done by physicians only, “primarily for data collection“. Data collection? Huh?
Never forget that when doctors collect data, it’s ultimately for the government’s use, to make more money, or both. Just follow the trail. Dr. Alm happens to own a company that collects, checks, and sells “Stool Specimens” for this procedure. His website says that his company works with doctors,
“to make FMT easier, cheaper, safer and more widely available. We do so by providing hospitals with screened, filtered, and frozen material ready for clinical use. This service eliminates the time, staff, protocols, and facilities needed to screen and prepare material from new donors for each treatment. With OpenBiome, all that’s needed to deliver FMT is a doctor and an endoscope.”
This sounds rather good; sort of.
Firstly, I applaud Dr. Alm’s entrepreneurial spirit. He saw a need, put a heck of a team together, and went about making it all happen. He will do well with this venture. And if the FDA ever lifts their restrictions against using this procedure for chronically ill people, Katie bar the doors. He and his company will be making money like there’s no tomorrow.
Secondly; understand that the drug companies are going to fight lifting the IND for use of this procedure for those with Autoimmune Diseases and chronic illnesses, tooth-and-nail. Why? It’s really as simple as understanding the relationship between POOR GUT HEALTH, SICKNESS, AND DISEASE. Big Pharma wants you using drugs — lifetime drugs — to ward off the symptoms of your Autoimmune Diseases; not potentially cure them with a dukie enema. Again, the problem is currently that doctors cannot perform this procedure without an IND for non-C. Diff illnesses.
Thirdly, are you really telling me that this procedure needs to be done with an endoscope? Use a “Rectal Syringe” and be done with it already. Fourthly, they are up against a public who is desperate for solutions. Although many love the comfort of their medical “box”, there are millions of others who are ready and willing to step outside the box when given the facts.
Michael Hurst has the website FECAL TRANSPLANT DOT ORG. There are many other similar sites. One of the best is THE POWER OF POOP. To the uninitiated, this whole thing might sound like some sort of sick joke. But for those who have been CURED OF RA, IBS, FIBROMYALGIA, INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease, or any number of other Autoimmune Disease, this topic is as serious and real as it gets. Rather than me talk about it, I am going to let you watch Michael’s video.
For the record, I am not suggesting you do this — I simply find it amazing, cool, interesting (insert your adjective of choice here). In fact, I would never suggest you do anything without discussing it with your physician first. As I told you earlier, this website, blog post, and video are for informational purposes only. Again, do not even think of trying something like this at home without the express written consent of your doctor.
MICHAEL HURST’S DIY STOOL TRANSPLANT (FMT) VIDEO
I would not hope to claim to be some sort of expert on this procedure. But once you begin learning about the importance of GUT HEALTH, you can begin to appreciate the potential benefits of Fecal Microbiota Transplantaion. And as I said earlier, I could not readily find information on adverse events from this method of treatment, despite there being a fairly large body of research on the topic.
As I have said previously, ANTIBIOTICS are one of the top destroyers of health in the United States. And on top of it all, we are often times TOO CLEAN. For many people, it adds up to an Autoimmune Nightmare. After all, 80% OF YOUR TOTAL IMMUNE SYSTEM IS FOUND IN YOUR GUT. Destroy it and you are in deep trouble. Restore it and you have a fighting chance to get your life back.
Getting your life back would be better than someone putting a gold brick in your lap and telling you to keep it. Just make sure that if Michael invites you over to his place for margaritas Friday evening, tell him that you’ll be bringing your own blender!
