posted
Seems to go against everything we've been told to do, but there it is.
quote: Sugar Boosters Could Lead to Cheap, Effective Treatments for Chronic Bacterial Infections
ScienceDaily (May 12, 2011) � James Collins, a pioneering researcher in the new field of systems biology and a MacArthur Genius, says: "You know the old saying: 'a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down?' This is more like 'a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine work.'
Dr. Collins, a professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and a core faculty member of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, is talking about his recent development of an effective, low-cost -- and surprising -- way to treat chronic bacterial infections, such as staph, strep, tuberculosis, and infections of the urinary tract.
He and his team of scientists discovered that a simple compound -- sugar -- dramatically boosts the effectiveness of first-line antibiotics. Their findings appear in the May 12 issue of Nature (online May 11th).
posted
that is great! i feel so much better about the ice cream i cheato on tonight! maybe the gifampin wiill ge those buggers tonight!
Posts: 50 | From nyc | Registered: Aug 2009
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13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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chiquita incognita
Unregistered
posted
Yes and I am about to come along and say that it feeds yeast and cheets, and that it suppresses immunity...
Why would sugar help to kill off unfriendly bacteria? Seriously, I want to know: By what physiological or chemical mechanism is this claimed to be true? We take things at such face value, without questioning or thinking about it. Time to ask a lot more questions.
Whose special interest funded this "study" ? The sugar industry? Seriously, it is important to look at who is funding a study.
Even if it is true, which I doubt by the way, it seems very short-sighted. To feed unfriendly bacteria in the gut is, in the long run, to allow the bad bacteria that the abx are targeting, to go rampant.
Let's not forget that healthy bacteria support the body's ability to fight off unhealthy infections. To feed the unhealthy bacteria with sugar is to defeat the purpose of the abx.
And to suppress immunity for a period of several hours after sugar intake surely can't help the body to fight off an infection either.
These people are looking at only one part of the story: The abx. They are not thinking about the physiology, the friendly bacteria, and other things that would counterbalance and tip the scales in the wrong direction.
The things that make you go hummm.....and think duh.....
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quote:Originally posted by chiquita incognita: Why would sugar help to kill off unfriendly bacteria? Seriously, I want to know: By what physiological or chemical mechanism is this claimed to be true?
From the article:
quote: Dr. Collins' approach consists of adding sugar to the antibiotic. The sugar acts as a stimulant, essentially turning on normal bacterial responses, such as dying when confronted by a killer antibiotic.
Since sugar feeds cheets, the cheets will come out of hiding to eat, making them more vulnerable to antibiotics.
Posts: 330 | From Colorado, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I like this thought too since I had my daughters ice cream cake last night and was very pleased.
Who knows what is true or not. I dont think anyone has the answer at this point..Whatever makes you feel best seems to be the answer.
-------------------- Diagnosed with chronic neuro lyme 12/10 after 30 years of vertigo.2 tick bites in 3 yrs from upstate NY. Was on omincef for nine mths..zith and rifampin stopped.Remission~ All the pain and symptoms are back and I am not treating now with biaxin. Posts: 788 | From New york..queens | Registered: Nov 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: Maybe D-Mannose would work. It is a type of sugar that does not grow yeast. It helps prevent and sometimes cure urinary tract infections.
Dunno, the whole point would be to feed the chetes. Does Borrelia feed on D-Mannose ?
Posts: 330 | From Colorado, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: I hope not since I take it!!
Then it's unlikely to work like this study. The whole point is to feed the chetes. Just like bait when you're going fishing.
Posts: 330 | From Colorado, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
If this truly is real, bring on the CHOCOLATE BABY!
-------------------- I'm glad to know I'm not alone Some peace of mind I somehow find Through folks like you with Lyme! Posts: 240 | From An infected state | Registered: Jan 2011
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I knew as soon as I read the first post that Lymetoo was going to hit the roof.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
Makes sense to me. I've felt for some time that the key to eliminating borrelia would be to bring them out of hiding. Sugar would do that and the abx can then zap them. Starving borrelia only causes them to go dormant.
-------------------- Sick since at least age 6, now 67. Decades of misdiagnosis. Numerous arthritic, neuro, psych, vision, cardiac symptoms. Been treating for 7 years, incl 8 mos on IV. Bart was missed so now treating that. Posts: 765 | From nw ct | Registered: Sep 2008
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quote:Originally posted by racer: I thought this was fascinating and want to read the actual study. The article in my paper mentioned that the sugar in the study was mannitol.
Hmm, in there nature paper linked they looked at fructose, glucose, etc as well as mannitol. It *would* be interesting to see the full paper.
Posts: 330 | From Colorado, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
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quote:Originally posted by racer: I thought this was fascinating and want to read the actual study. The article in my paper mentioned that the sugar in the study was mannitol. racer
I'm confused - mannitol is not sugar, it is a sugar alcohol.
"What Are Sugar Alcohols? The term �sugar alcohol� is very misleading. Sugar alcohols get their name from their unique chemical structure, which resembles both sugar and alcohol. But they're neither sugars nor alcohols. In fact, sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that sweetens foods, but with half the calories of sugar. There are several specific types of sugar alcohols (usually ending with the letters "-ol"). When reading a food label, the following ingredients are actually sugar alcohols: Erythritol Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates Isomalt Lactitol Maltitol Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol" from www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=948
And even if the sugar in the study was a sugar, it still makes no sense. Most people (talking general here, not just Lyme patients) on antibiotics eat plenty of sugar. Is adding a little sugar to an antibiotic capsule going to make that much difference?
-------------------- "To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art" - LaRochefoucauld
Lyme neuro symptoms for 20+ years. Infected in Maryland. Diagnosed with Lyme Jan 2011. (previously diagnosed with CFS, Fibro, peripheral neuropathy) Posts: 261 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2010
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chiquita incognita
Unregistered
posted
Okay I get it, I can see the point about the bacteria emerging to feed and then being whonked by the abx. That does make sense, so long as it really is true as hypothesized, that they come out of hiding to feast.
But if that is not true----after all it's the metabolism of sugar and it floating around in the blood, and the chemistry that this produces, which feeds them and not hte sugar itself---then what?
What of the fact that on the other hand, the sugar causes an acid-ash residue in the body which contributes to inflammation, according to various naturopaths whose books I have read?
What about the suppression of immunity from sugar?
What about Candida proliferation and other unfriendly bacteria et al?
Again it makes sense *if* the bugs come out of hiding to eat, that then the abx can get them. Yes. But there are so many counter-balancing sides of the scales to consider.
And it's important to consider them all, in full perspective, and not from one side of the equation alone.
posted
I'm annoyed! The press jumps on ONE study and then doesn't even get the facts straight.
IT WAS NOT SUGAR THAT WAS USED IN THIS STUDY!
It was the sugar alcohol MANNITOL. Sugar alcohols are not sugar. Not the same thing.
Bacteria and fungi use glucose (sugar) and produce as one by product sugar alcohols like mannitol.
"When Collins and Allison injected mice, infected with E. coli, with an antibiotic called gentamicin and a sugar called mannitol, they were able to knock down persister bacteria and stop the spread of infection." www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2011/05/bu_researchers_1.html
This one study indicated that gentamicin in combination with mannitol might increase the effectiveness of the gentamicin. Any study must be tested and duplicated before accepting the conclusions.
And it doesn't mean the same thing will work for other antibiotics. Still a lot of studing to do. The article above is good about describing "persister" bacteria.
-------------------- "To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art" - LaRochefoucauld
Lyme neuro symptoms for 20+ years. Infected in Maryland. Diagnosed with Lyme Jan 2011. (previously diagnosed with CFS, Fibro, peripheral neuropathy) Posts: 261 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
Here's a pdf to read, glucose and fructose also work, the real problem is that it mainly works with aminoglycosides (gentamicin), but not beta-lactams (amoxi) or the cyclines(doxy).
Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
Funny, I have felt the same way about sugars. I know two people who live next to me who have strictly Lyme and they have sugars, carbs and alcohol and tons of it. Never any difference with them.
I think it is problematic for us who are dealing with coinfections. Increase sugars and you increase bacteria load other than Borrelia, subsequently increasing BB load.
BB are stupid organisms and they obviously cannot think and decide. Place a toxin and it encysts, place a stimulant and it expands. It is chemically driven.
More of our ABX treatments would work better if we find the proper stimulant. Find a relaxing agent, whereby BB is prevented from encysting and we hit a gold mine.
I bet one of our typically used drugs can already do this. Ex: Benadryl, Ambient, Propofol......
Posts: 2087 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
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quote:Originally posted by Lymedin2010: Funny, I have felt the same way about sugars. I know two people who live next to me who have strictly Lyme and they have sugars, carbs and alcohol and tons of it. Never any difference with them.
- I doubt they will ever get well then. And if they do, they'll have a battle on their hands with yeast.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
Lymetoo,
I'm in a very bad place with yeast. I have it bad. My food allergies are countless. Can I get well from this? Any info you could offer me would be great. Feel free to PM me please.
Right now I'm taking Nystatin, Therelac and S. Boulardii and will soon switch to Sporanox and rotate through a few other things. I am also trying to avoid sugar and starches. I honestly feel so sick like I could die from this. I'm terrified and SO sick.
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
I've been on a special diet because I'm taking low dose antigen shots and this is part of the regimen. For three weeks I'm off anything that I might be sensitive to and that includes sugar which I love and use a lot of. Then after the three weeks I go back on my normal diet with sugar for five weeks.
When off sugar, my condition improves progressively. When back on, my intestines start acting up and I start deteriorating. I'm really surprised that it makes such a big difference but this cycle I'm off sugar for good.
Posts: 705 | From WA state | Registered: Jul 2011
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nonna05
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33557
posted
Hi ! What is hyaluronic acid..... In a series of videos, I thinh called the longevity conference. David sp/Wolfe and many others ,he mentioned that if you take something called fulvic acid (or close to that) that it srips the bio-film and let's Doxy do what it was supposed to do originally. KILL !!!!!!!!!!!! Anybody????
Happy Holiday's , Nonna Posts: 2563 | From Denver,CO | Registered: Aug 2011
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quote:INTESTINAL TRACT: An overgrowth of yeast here will ferment dietary sugars and starches, forming acids, gas, alcohols and a variety of organic chemicals. Symptoms include gas, bloat, heartburn and/or pain in the stomach area, and because of the organic chemicals, there can be headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, wooziness and post-meal fatigue. To clear intestinal yeast, first the tongue and mouth must be cleansed so yeast does not reenter the system with every swallow. Next, since yeast germs feed on sugars and starches, follow the low carbohydrate diet outlined below. Finally, to replenish the normal, beneficial microbes, eat PLAIN yogurt daily, drink Kefir, 4 ounces daily, and/or take acidophilus, 2 capsules three times daily after meals.
Sugar
-------------------- Let us not become weary in doing good,for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -- Posts: 247 | From HOME | Registered: Oct 2011
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
This was taken completely out of context. When you say "sugar" you think of refined table sugar. Sugar alcohol is completely different. Here is information about xylitol:
"Xylitol helps prevent bad breath, ulcers, and stomach cancer by slowing down the growth of Candida Albicans (a serious yeast infection), and other harmful bacteria like H. pylori."
"Xylitol, when taken in small amounts, can help increase the white blood cell activity in fighting bacterial infections, to help build immunity, protect against chronic degenerative disease and have anti-aging benefits."
I was really excited about it when I first discovered it a few days ago and thought I could make Christmas cookies for my diabetic son. Then I just found out xylitol kills rats in the lab when they are fed excessive amounts.
The recommended amount is 4 to 12 grams per day which is one to three teaspoons. I used 1.5 cups for a batch of 36 cookies which would be 8.33 grams per cookie. Too much.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
posted
Just xylitol in toothpaste gives me yeast! All of the fake sugars do. We are all different. What I can't handle, others can.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
I feel like this is so untrue just based on experience. Every time I eat just a little bit of sugar, my pain gets so much worse. There has to be a reason it gets worse...multiplying organisms and inflammation.
-------------------- You name it, I've got it. Full-time medical anomaly. Posts: 432 | From Southeast | Registered: Aug 2011
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