posted
How many of you have had herxing with coconut oil? Whenever I eat it, I get classic, strong herx symptoms a couple of hours later. After taking it for a few weeks and feeling quite sickly, I went to visit my nature doctor. She looked at my test results and said, "Wow, you are going through a major healing crisis." So it works.
What are your stories about this highly beneficial oil? What is your experience?
According to previous posts and the pubmed article about the oil, it is very good for you. Take a search online and on lyment and look for the benefits - there are a lot. Just get through the herx!
Monolaurin (Lauricidin) Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's Treatment Protocol for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome recommends the following:"Take 9 capsules once a day on an empty stomach for 1 week, followed by 6 capsules once a day for 20 days. Take lysine 1500 mg twice a day while on Monolaurin."
According to several sources, an effective dose is 1800 mg to 2400 mg per day.
Monolaurin is made from lauric acid and is a patented ester of lauric acid. Lauric acid is a naturally occurring substance found in mothers milk and coconut oil. Monolaurin possesses anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-protozoal and anti-bacterial properties. It has been found to destroy lipid coated viruses such as the flu, HIV, HHV-6 (strains A and B), EBV, CMV and h.pylori to name a few. It may also be helpful in improving the immune system's anti-inflammatory response.
Monolaurin is thought to have the potential to kill certain fat coated viruses by causing the fatty coat to become liquid which then leads to the disintegration of viral particles that were inside the fatty envelope.
According to the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients: Antiviral intervention for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, monolaurin has been shown to be active against influenza virus, pneumovirus, paramyxovirus (Newcastle), morbillivirus (rubeola), coronavirus (avian infectious, bronchitis virus), herpes simplex I & II, CMV, EBV, and HIV. They state that it is also effective against yeast and fungi, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus agalactiae, chlamydia trachomatis, candida albicans, giardia lamblia, ringworm, H. pylori and gonorrhea.
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ImmuneSupport.com reports that Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's Treatment Protocol for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome calls for 9/300 mg capsules once a day on an empty stomach for 1 week, followed by 6 capsules once a day for 20 days. He recommends taking lysine 1500 mg twice a day while on Monolaurin.
H. Pylori The high activity of monoglycerides against H. pylori suggests that they may be useful as active ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations.1
Cytomegalovirus In-vitro tests showed that Monolaurin inhibits the growth of Cytomegalovirus.2
Aids Treatment
Information suggests that monolaurin may be helpful for those with aids. For further information please see: Monolaurin - AIDS Treatment News
References 1. Bergsson G, Steingrimsson O, Thormar H., "Bactericidal effects of fatty acids and monoglycerides on Helicobacter pylori.", Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2002 Oct;20(4):258-62 Entrez PubMed Abstract
2. Clarke NM, May JT., "Effect of antimicrobial factors in human milk on rhinoviruses and milk-borne cytomegalovirus in vitro" J Med Microbiol. 2000 Aug;49(8):719-23. Entrez PubMed
--and the pubmed article--
1: J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10(2):384-7. Links In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in ibadan, Nigeria.Ogbolu DO, Oni AA, Daini OA, Oloko AP. Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance, coupled with the availability of fewer antifungal agents with fungicidal actions, prompted this present study to characterize Candida species in our environment and determine the effectiveness of virgin coconut oil as an antifungal agent on these species.
In 2004, 52 recent isolates of Candida species were obtained from clinical specimens sent to the Medical Microbiology Laboratory, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Their susceptibilities to virgin coconut oil and fluconazole were studied by using the agar-well diffusion technique. Candida albicans was the most common isolate from clinical specimens (17); others were Candida glabrata (nine), Candida tropicalis (seven), Candida parapsilosis (seven), Candida stellatoidea (six), and Candida krusei (six).
C. albicans had the highest susceptibility to coconut oil (100%), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25% (1:4 dilution), while fluconazole had 100% susceptibility at an MIC of 64 mug/mL (1:2 dilution). C. krusei showed the highest resistance to coconut oil with an MIC of 100% (undiluted), while fluconazole had an MIC of > 128 mug/mL.
It is noteworthy that coconut oil was active against species of Candida at 100% concentration compared to fluconazole. Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species.
PMID: 17651080 [PubMed - in process]
Posts: 204 | From Wyoming | Registered: Feb 2003
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Fancy
Posts: 258 | From San Diego, CA USA | Registered: Sep 2002
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Dear Friends,
A long-time friend introduced me to coconut oil.
Since I'm taking Mepron, I eat coconut cream (about 70% coconut oil) with meals for the fat required to get Mepron into the system.
I've also used coconut oil topically as a skin cream.
I get my coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, as they have organic stuff.
You can get purified coconut oil, which doesn't have the coconut taste or smell. I think there are posts here about that.
Can't say that I've had much herxing from the coconut cream, but overall I'm doing better than I was, and have lost 10-15 pounds that I was glad to wave goodbye to!! Very interesting on a high-fat diet, eh?
Also, I swabbed coconut oil in my ears for a couple of weeks as a test, since I have tinnitus. It seemed to diminish a bit. My LLMD said that pointed to fungus issues.
Anyway, searches at this site for coconut oil and monolaurin will yield many posts.
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
coconut oil made me herx to - I haven't used it in years, but it made me spike a temp and definitely caused symptoms to flare!
-------------------- "We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us" - e.m. forster Posts: 921 | From PA | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
I use coconut oil pretty regularly as a hair conditioner, and I am one of the least ill chronic Lymies that I know. But of course that does not prove cause and effect.
I knew a little girl with Lyme who developed a massive craving for coconut - the bland, pretty tasteless dessicated coconut that you use in baking. It has no sugar and is not naturally sweet so it's not the kind of thing a child would normally crave.
Elena
-------------------- Justice will be ours. Posts: 786 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2007
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Shosty
Unregistered
posted
Just a caution. What might be considered a "herx" can also be an allergy. Food allergies greatly increase my Lyme symptoms, if I have even a tiny amount of the allergen by mistake. Coconut oil was an unexpected allergy, that I found out about the hard way.
So, you could be allergic, intolerant, or sensitive to coconut, and the resulting inflammation might think you are having a "herx."
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blaze
Unregistered
posted
I actually tried coconut oil last week. Initially it seemed to help, but then I began to feel worse. I agree with the poster above me though - don't always assume it's a herx - it could be an allergy.
I'm not sure, but I may try it again in the future.
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posted
It could be an allergy, I suppose, but I highly doubt it. I have different food allergies (like to eggs and malt) but this does not behave like a food allergy. I do not get headaches at all, which is symptom of that.
When I take coconut oil, I feel like I am taking some kind of natural antibiotic. In fact, it is so strong that I even stink this sticky-sweet gross smell in my sauna - which is a classic herx symptom.
It may not work for everyone, but I think it does work for many - the nasty feeling people experience is because it is killing off lots of the Lyme.
Posts: 204 | From Wyoming | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
so if I am taking a statin for high cholesterol... do uou think would I get any benefit from the coconut oil?
Posts: 758 | From now TX | Registered: Mar 2001
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troutscout
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3121
posted
Be wary of the claims of marketing based companies.
Scientist that found monolaurin and studied it.....has several papers that back up what it does...but the levels that you would need to take in virgin form are SO high you would gag.
Monolaurin(Lauricidin) is ONLY at its best when in the refined concentrated form found here:
I say go with the inventor/original manufacture......just like Mangosteen...all others are gimmicks...go with the original XanGo
-------------------- Now is the time in your life to find the "tiger" within. Let the claws be bared, and Lyme BEWARE!!! www.iowalymedisease.com [/URL] Posts: 5262 | From North East Iowa | Registered: Sep 2002
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Shosty
Unregistered
posted
If you already have food allergy issues, I would caution you even more strongly.
What exactly are "classic herx symptoms"? My herx symptoms vary quite a bit. So do my food allergy reactions.
It isn't that I don't believe in herxing. I have had strong, very obvious herxes, such as slurring my speech the first two weeks on antibiotics.
But I have also found the concept to be dangerous. If a med or supplement causes side effects, it can be harmful to discount them as "herxing." I have also experienced this.
Food allergies cause inflammation, which enhances Lyme symptoms, regardless of the cause of inflammation. Presumably, herxing is also caused by inflammation caused by die-off and toxin release. I don't know that for a fact, but it would seem to make sense that a herx and an allergic reaction would appear similar.
Bottom line: if you have a worsening of symptoms from ingesting anything, it might be prudent to avoid that substance (with the exception of antibiotics, but even with them, side effects need to be scrutinized w/care).
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