sparkle7
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Member # 10397
posted
I was thinking about this concept. I don't really know too much about it but I thought I'd post some info regarding the role of iron in babesia treatment.
May be worthwhile to boost iron while treating with artemesia...
Please add any info or experiences you may have with this!
Lyme and Babesia are partners in crime. It seems no accident that the two infections are often found together. Babesia destroys red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the cells.
Deprived of oxygen, the body has a tougher time fighting Lyme and Bb thrives in the anaerobic environment.
So what can we do to increase tissue oxygenation?
Consider increasing the body's iron stores, for one. The body uses iron to create hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the cells.
What's more, the body requires that a certain amount of ferritin (iron stores) be present in order for it to utilize artemisinin, a commonly prescribed herb to treat Babesia.
Iron is a finicky mineral that can be difficult for the body to uptake, however. Dr. (no name), in his book, (don't know if it's allowed to mention it here), prescribes ferrous heme as a highly absorbable form of iron.
Also, certain B vitamins are necessary for iron uptake and utilization, especially B-12, B-1, and B-6, so choose an iron supplement that includes these vitamins.
Taking iron away from calcium and magnesium is advised, as these inhibit its absorption. Likewise, it's a good idea to take it with vitamin C or orange juice.
Taking iron with orange juice is thought to double its absorption in the body.
Finally, if you have Lyme disease but have not been diagnosed with Babesia, yet have low ferritin levels, suspect that the latter infection might be present.
The proposed mechanism of action of artemisinin involves cleavage of endoperoxide bridges by iron producing all sorts of free radicals (hypervalent iron-oxo species, epoxides, aldehydes, and dicarbonyl compounds) which damage biological macromolecules causing the parasite oxidative stress.
Malaria is caused by the Apicomplexan, Plasmodium falciparum, which largely resides in red blood cells and itself contains iron-rich heme-groups (in the from of haemozoin)[4].
Cancer cells also tend to have higher iron concentrations than normal cells because of their rapid growth rate.
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(Lots of good info is on this web page about artemesia & dosage, etc.!)
"Artemesinin acts like a bomb. It has two oxygen atoms that break apart in the presence of iron. The malaria parasite inhabits a person's red blood cells, which are rich in iron. When an artemisinin molecule encounters the parasite, it explodes, releasing lethal toxins that destroy the parasite. [*questionable how this would work with Lyme- works in red blood cells]"
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I will post more info when I find it. I'm looking for comparisons of babesia & malaria - in treatment.
Please post any info or comments regarding this. I know some of you out there are scientists or doctors who may be better informed than I am.
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TerryK
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posted
I was told by my LLMD to avoid iron because it feeds babs.
Terry I'm not a doctor
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sparkle7
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Member # 10397
posted
If the artemesia targets the iron in babesia - it seems like it might be worth while, though?
I guess there are varying opinions.
I've read that Rife isn't all that effective for babesia but I figured I'd post this anyway.
Anyone treat babs with the Rife? Any positive effects with it?
The odds are stacked up against rife machines, and mis-information is rampant. Their true value is concealed, and many suffer needlessly. Many conventional researchers have inadvertently exposed the truth behind rife treatments. Take this article, for example, right out of the March 30, 2000 issue of University of Washington's campus publication:
Magnetic fields may hold key to malaria treatment, UW researchers find
A malaria parasite within a human red blood cell. The large circle in the parasite is a food vacuole. Stacked heme are visible inside the vacuole.
Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered a method of treating malaria with magnetic fields that could prove revolutionary in controlling the disease the World Health Organization calls one of the world's most complex and serious human health concerns.
Henry Lai, UW research professor of bioengineering, says the malaria parasite Plasmodium appears to lose vigor and can die when exposed to oscillating magnetic fields, which Lai thinks may cause tiny iron-containing particles inside the parasite to move in ways that damage the organism.
"If further studies confirm our findings and their application in animals and people, this would be an inexpensive and simple way to treat a disease that affects 500 million people every year, almost all in third-world countries," Lai said. According to the World Health Organization, as many as 2.7 million people die of malaria every year. Approximately 1 million of those are children.
In the past two decades, the emergence of drug-resistant malaria parasites has created enormous problems in controlling the disease. Lai says his method could bypass those concerns because it is unlikely Plasmodium could develop a resistance to magnetic fields.
Malaria is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes. The organism first invades the liver, then re-emerges into the bloodstream and attacks red blood cells. This is what causes malaria's hallmark symptoms: fever, uncontrolled shivering, aches in the joints and headaches. Infected blood cells can block blood vessels to the brain, causing seizures and death. Other vital organs are also at risk.
Lai's research appears to take advantage of how the parasites feed. Malaria parasites "eat" the hemoglobin in red blood cells of the host. They break down the globin portion of the hemoglobin molecule, but the iron portion, or the heme, is left intact because the parasite lacks the enzyme needed to degrade it. This causes a problem for the parasite because free heme molecules can cause a chain reaction of oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, leading to membrane damage in the parasite. The malaria organism renders the free heme molecules non-toxic by binding them into long stacks - like "tiny bar magnets," according to Lai.
He and three other researchers have exposed Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of the four malaria parasite species, to a weak alternating, or oscillating, magnetic field. Data sets showed that exposed samples ended up with 33 to 70 percent fewer parasites than unexposed samples. Measurements of hypoxanthine, a precursor for nucleic acid synthesis used by the parasite, indicated that metabolic activities had also significantly slowed in exposed samples. Such reductions would be enough to manage malaria, Lai said.
The oscillating magnetic field may affect the parasites in two ways, according to Lai. In organisms still in the process of binding free heme molecules into stacks, the alternating field likely "shakes" the stacked heme molecules, preventing further stacking. That would allow harmful heme free reign within the parasite. If the parasite is further along in its life cycle and has already bound the heme into stacks, the oscillating field could cause the stacks to spin, causing damage and death of the parasite.
Although initially promising, Lai says more research is needed.
"We need to make certain that it won't harm the host," Lai said. "My guess is that it won't. It's a very weak magnetic field, just a little stronger than the earth's. The difference is that it is oscillating."
If the method is proven effective and safe, Lai envisions rooms equipped with magnetic coils to produce the oscillating field.
"It would be very easy. People could come to the room and sit and read or whatever while they're being treated," he said. "Or you could set it up in the back of a big transport truck, then drive from village to village to treat people."
Collaborating researchers include Jean E. Feagin, UW associate professor of pathobiology and senior scientist at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute; and Ceon Ramon, UW electrical engineering research scientist.
There are other such instances where conventional medicine stumbled upon rife-like technology. Its almost unbelievable that the conventional doctors are unable to recognize the fact that this is not new! It has been around since Royal Raymond Rife in 1930. Although the following article does not refer to the same theory as rife treatments, it is on the right track:
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Haley
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I saw my LLMD yesterday. He wants to treat Babs. He said that I couldn't take Art if my Ferritin was low. It is low but is coming back up.
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Something else you need to be aware of -- bartonella also needs iron to multiply. I would not take supplemental iron unless you are actually deficient and then only if I was treating for both bart and babs at the same time.
Of course iron is one of the harder minerals to absorb and it might not actually make much difference for that reason.
I also think it would depend on which meds you were using for babesia as to whether the iron would help or potentially hurt.
I would be sure and ask your LLMD before adding supplemental iron.
Bea Seibert
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sparkle7
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posted
Interesting... Thanks!
This is really complex. I'm going to do more studying about it. Dr. no name does seem to recommend it...
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posted
I took an Iron supplement while being treated for babs. Mep/Zith. Inj. B-12 to with Lavazza also. 100% better.
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sparkle7
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posted
Thanks GNBRETT. How long did you need to treat it & how long were you ill? - if you don't mind sharing...
What were your symptoms & how were you diagnosed?
What's Lavazza? I thought that was a brand of coffee...LOL
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by sparkle7: Thanks GNBRETT. How long did you need to treat it & how long were you ill? - if you don't mind sharing...
What were your symptoms & how were you diagnosed?
What's Lavazza? I thought that was a brand of coffee...LOL
Lol... No Lavazza is simply an Omega 3. Fish oil. But the ONLY one FDA approved and only available by prescription.
My insurance pays for it. I think they are like $1 a pill and there are 120 for the month.
Iron was definately in my array of pills I took each day as the babesia was robing that as well from my muscles. I followed every single thing my LLMD told me to do. It worked. V-B12 was used to help along.
I was diagnosed with an IGenix FISH test after two Quest tests missed it and so did the standard IGenix co-infection panel PCR babs test.
So thank God for IGenix and their FISH test cause b4 I found my LLMD the other doctors were clueless as to what was wrong with me. IGenix is comming out with one for Bart as well. It might already be out for all know.
I was ill for about 3 months before I was diagnosed and wow was the muscle pain and headaches with head pressure unbearable at times. My forearms and biceps along with my abs and obliques would absoultely kill me. Pressure in my eyes as well. I was dizzy for about 2 straight months. That was the most annoying symptom I had actually. Nasty little critters them parasites are.
Lol.... not really funny but I can remember the muscles in my forearms being so starved of oxygen that they were causing my fingers to literally stick together like they each had a magnet. Had lost my fine motor skills to. Could not put pills in container. Quite annoying.
What a wreck I was and can only laugh at it now knowing how f-en miserable I was then.
I treated for exactly 14 weeks with Mepron/Zith. But to be honest I felt a lot better at 8 weeks and almost normal at 11 weeks. I just continued on to make sure the parasites were killed. I tolerated it fine and making the fatty shakes to eat with it was the only real PITA.
I retested with IGenix when I finished treatment and I tested negative via FISH again.
I started getting Lyme symptoms about 8 months before I had babs symptoms. Anxiety, sleep issues, urinary tract infections (im like WT Bleep...) ears ringing.
Fortunately my job has an unlimited sick policy. I was out of work for 11 months straight. As long as I had a doctors note once a month I could stay out indefinately.
My illness was real and indisputable. Grateful I guess to have a job with a benifit like that. Otherwise, I would have lost my job.
No way in hell could I have worked at that time. My hands didnt even work....lol
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Lauralyme
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posted
Ditto what Terry said
-------------------- Fall down seven times, get up eight ~Japanese proverb Posts: 1146 | From west coast | Registered: Mar 2008
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sparkle7
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GNBRETT - lucky you caught it at 3 months! I'm glad you are better now. I know the feeling of muscle pain. I have it in my lower back, shoulders & neck... This is why I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia not Lyme for 9 years before I found out about Lyme.
My doctor just mentioned it to me about babesia after 15 years of seeing various doctors, etc. I suspected a co-infection but I don't have typical babesia symptoms. Seems that babesia is getting more recognition in regards to diagnosis.
I don't think I have bart but who knows. I don't have money to get alot of tests or try alot of drugs. Last time I had insurance was in 2000. They didn't provide much even when I did have it.
The idea that "loading up" on iron & taking artemesia which will target the iron seems viable to me. I'm going to continue to study it.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by sparkle7: GNBRETT - lucky you caught it at 3 months! I'm glad you are better now. I know the feeling of muscle pain. I have it in my lower back, shoulders & neck... This is why I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia not Lyme for 9 years before I found out about Lyme.
My doctor just mentioned it to me about babesia after 15 years of seeing various doctors, etc. I suspected a co-infection but I don't have typical babesia symptoms. Seems that babesia is getting more recognition in regards to diagnosis.
I don't think I have bart but who knows. I don't have money to get alot of tests or try alot of drugs. Last time I had insurance was in 2000. They didn't provide much even when I did have it.
The idea that "loading up" on iron & taking artemesia which will target the iron seems viable to me. I'm going to continue to study it.
Oh I had symptoms for about a year before I was diagnosed with Lyme. But the Babesia symptoms seemed to only be there for about 3 months before it was identified. Maybe longer but that's what I can remember.
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