I believe I have an overgrowth of the H2S producing fermentative bacteria Streptococcus and Prevotella in my small bowel. I believe these bacteria are responsible for causing my leaky bowel and my main symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, depression and brain fog. I believe these bacteria are also responsible for my mercury and candida issues. Following are my reasons:
Q. Why do I think I have an overgrowth of Streptococcus and Prevotella?
A. Because my BioScreen stool analysis says so. My Streptococcal count is 10x higher than the maximum accepted level. My Prevotella count is 15x the maximum accepted level.
Q. Why do I think these bacteria are producing high levels of H2S in my body?
A. Firstly, because Professor de Meirleir found that high urinary H2S metabolites are associated with overgrowth of Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Pretovella bacteria in the gut. (1) Secondly, because I have done a Neurotoxic Metabolites Test which showed that I have very high urinary H2S metabolites.
Q. Why do I think this overgrowth is occurring in my small bowel?
A. Firstly, because my total aerobic bacterial count is 4x higher than the upper normal range limit according to my BioScreen stool analysis. Aerobes are much more able to flourish in the small bowel than anaerobes. Logically, a much higher than normal aerobe/anaerobe ratio is suggestive (not conclusive) of bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel. Secondly, Prevotella are bile sensitive anaerobic bacteria. For me to have an overgrowth is suggestive of low bile acids, which would encourage bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel.
Q. Why do I think an overgrowth of H2S bacteria causes leaky bowel?
A. Firstly, because there is research by van der Wiel-Korstanje and Winkler that suggests high levels of lactic acid forming bacteria (Streptococcus is a potent lactic acid producer) can alter intestinal epithelial barrier function increasing passive intestinal permeability. A Streptococcal overgrowth in the small bowel would produce lots of d-lactate (‘bad’ inflammatory lactic acid) and so theoretically would increase intestinal permeability. Secondly, in separate studies, bedridden ME patients were found to have both high levels of LPS (indicative of hyper permeable gut) and high levels of H2S metabolites. (2) Although the link is tenuous, it does suggest that an overgrowth of H2S bacteria may have caused leaky bowel in these ME patients.
Q. Why do I think an overgrowth of H2S forming bacteria is behind my symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, depression and brain fog?
A. Well I know that mercury causes insomnia for me. The reason I am certain of this, is that my insomnia deteriorated markedly immediately after I had my Amalgams removed. According to Professor de Meirleir, chronic increased production of H2S by intestinal bacteria leads to build-up of mercury in the body as proven by a Zn DTPA/DMPS challenge test (2). As far as the link to anxiety, H2S modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis - the stress control system (1), so it is hardly surprising that a toxic level of H2S in the blood and brain would cause high stress/anxiety. My depression is associated with low energy, and shares symptoms with chronic fatigue syndrome. Professor de Meirleir found that a significant proportion of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients have dysbiosis and test positive with the NMT test (1). Something else I found significant was that in animal studies high levels of H2S have been shown to cause decreased core body temperature, something I also suffer from. My brain fog could be caused directly by toxic levels of H2S, or by virtue of other unwelcome molecules sneaking through my leaky gut into my bloodstream.
Q. Why do I think my mercury issues are related to an overgrowth of H2S forming bacteria?
A. “The effects of the bacterial H2S induces increased ROS production by the liver and retaining of heavy metals particularly mercury in the body.” (2)
Q. Why do I think my Candida issues are caused by an overgrowth of H2S forming bacteria?
A. According to Professor de Meirleir, H2S toxicity depresses the cellular immune system and induces neutropenia and low numbers of CD8+ lymphocytes. In other words, an overgrowth of H2S producing bacteria depresses the Th1 immune system. As Professor de Meirleir says, “Because of the effects of H2S in the body a chain of events will develop which have more and more negative effects on the aerobic metabolism and depression of the immune system leading to more and more infections..”(2). As many of us in this group agree, a weak Th1 immune system is a key reason why we have problems with Candida.
By the way, in case you are wondering whether the Neurotoxic Metabolites Test produces lots of false positives, I tested my very healthy girlfriend, and she tested totally negative. This gives me quite a bit of confidence in the test.
okay, so you have that...then what are you going to do about it? Not sure what your point is here.......and how much did it cost you to get that information? And did you get a good solution with the info...I know I am being a bit short with you here....I don't mean to be ..... just wonder if knowing that is helping you?
I don't like to tear apart the flower to understand it or appreciate it.
I think most people don't eat well enough, don't take the right things or enough of them, get too caught up in the minutiae....chase their tails around and round, pay out way too much money for doctors and tests...and not sure exactly where they end up...
Are you finding solutions? Getting better? If you are, I am very happy for you....but not so sure you are...which is why I ask...
Very good article on bile acids and how they inhibit bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel. Yes, in my case there is a good argument for increasing bile. Do you think a product needs protection from stomach acids?
I remember reading that turmeric increases bile flow, as I think do bitters. I also recall tht some people believe colon cleansing increases bile, although I'm not sure there is any proof of this.
There aren't many choices I'm afraid. Luckily, the Jarrow product is excellent. They must be conjugated to get the immune boost. Ox Bile, while helpful, wouldn't stimulate the FXR. Simple capsules are sufficient. Bile is released in the Duodenum where it mixes with Chyme.
Stimulation of Bile flow assumes a healthy Liver/Gallbladder. Hidden Food Allergies, Inflammation, and Liver Damage from prolonged exposure to Ethanol and other toxins are most likely causing the insufficiency here. I think the Liver will need to heal a bit before trying to stimulate it.
I wonder if it's possible to crowd them out with doses of the right bacteria. In microbiology, every bacterium has an antagonist so getting the right strains and supplementing them would theoretically push those out.
Nope, because your not supposed to have bacteria in the small intestines. Think about the condition SI = SMALL BOWEL = NO BACTERIA (OR LITTLE BACTERIA) BO = BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH why add more bacteria to a bacterial overgrowth, doesn't work.
I agree that theoretically this is possible, and may be the best approach in the future, especially if the bad bacteria are not just in the small bowel. Prof Borody said to me that one day they will have highly specific probiotics to treat particular pathogenic bacteria and bowel conditions.
However, unfortunately this is still Science fiction. Probiotics can be helpful, but it is very hit and miss, and you usually have to take them for 3 months to find out if they help.
Of all the current probiotics, I like Bacillus subtilis the most, but everyone is different. It's hard taking probiotics at the same time as antimicrobials though. I would like to find an antimicrobial that kills my pathogenic bacteria (and yeast) but does not kill Bacillus subtilis.
antimicrobials cant distinguish what to kill and what not to kill, that's just impossible. If they act as an anti-biotic, anti-fungal, etc they will kill everything.
I am not going to repopulate my gut until my leaky gut is healed in my small intestine.
Awesome post !!
I agree with everything. My case should be similar because I have had high bilirrubin in blood two times recently. Something is blocking my normal bile flow ???
sounds like a great plan.Here is my question about sibo....My digestion before was terrible.I only had 2 bms a week and had alot of belly pain from being constipated.My diet also pretty bad.Is it possible to just develop SIBO of of nowhere and become very ill?I think after 4 days of flagyl is what caused the candida to flare.Never had a yeast infection in my life before this.Basically now I am taking garlic,ginger sometimes,cooking with cocnut oil,and drink peppermint tea every night.I am also almost done with 30 day paragone cleanse.I have also changed my diet completely to low carb no sugar high fiber and the only dairy i take in is baby bell swiss cheese...only 2 times a week.I have tested positive for malabsorbtion so sibo certainly makes sense.I really thought i had a parasite bc of how fast and hard my illness came on.But i have tested negative 7 times for all parasites.Its so hard bc my tests..well most of them come back fine.Yet i am down 15 lbs,cant gain weight and still dont feel right.I started glutamine and my stools seem to be formed.However when i flush them away they break apart and full of undigested foods..seems like i dont digest carbs?I believe i have low iron and vit b12 too...just a guess bc i feel fatigued,weak,and get dizzy alot.What do you guys think?I love this forum and i sincerely thank you all for the great advice you have given.
In my case, bile was being blocked by liver flukes. My stools were tan and floated. I did a Liver Flush with 20 drops of black walnut and passed about 50-100 liver flukes. Next couple days my stools were brown and sinking.
yikes didnt know fiber was bad.I have been using benefiber to help increase motility.I dont have regular bms unless they are helped my supplements.Anyway my stools do not float.Thay are very dark in color which im assumign is from the cleanse that im taking,because before the cleanse my stools were light tan to yellowish in color and again sunk to the bottom.My stool 99% of the time sink to bottom and kinda stick.Since starting glutamine they are more formed...but seem to have trapped gas maybe? bc they break apart when i flush.And of course i told you about the bubbles already.Dr.Bailey in the humaworm forum said if your stools sink you are producing enough bile,and if they float you are lacking.So according to her my bile is fine.I have had 3 liver function tests 1 showed slight inflammation(but i was on meds at the time of test) and 2 others showed liver was fine.Im so confused here.Oh i also want to mention that i get a kind of burning feeling in the intestine..sibo related? Thanks bgone-you are so helpful.
I havent noticed anything specific that triggers the warm burning feeling...but i guess its after eating.It isnt really painful just annoying and i know its not normal to have it.lol.I bought some digestive enzymes to try and see if it helps.My doc game me xifaxan..i am so tempted to take it...but i hate medication gaaahh.I have alot of gas,bloating,abdominal discomfot from this and the stool abnormalities.I do get heart burn from time to time.If I ate pizza or something like that i know for sure i would have horrible heartburn afterwards.Which i dont eat it anymore anyway.I think i do have low stomach acid like you said....looking into the hcl.I wish i could just 100% rule out parasites so i could completely focus on the bactera.Negative 7 times kinda has me convinced,but then i have dr.Bailey saying its like finding a needle in haystack.I dont know what to believe anymore.I am doing the paragone cleanse.Iam just about done with it.I do feel a bit better on it..however,still have symptoms.Yeah, from what i was told if your stools float it is lack of bile,but i think the giardia parasite can also cause floating stools.
I am brand new to this forum and just wanted to see how you were doing and if you had any relief or answers yet. I haven't posted anything yet but I have been reading a lot of your posts and you sound SO MUCH like me!
I feel like this too came on all of a sudden for me (literally overnight). It took me 4 months to get a diagnosis of malabsorption but I feel like something had to have happened for this to come on so suddenly. I have tested negative for parasites but my doctor seems to think that there is still a chance I have some or that I had giardia in the beginning and got rid of it on my own. Now I am left with this mess.
If you want - please email me at ksieracki26@gmail.com
So many of your symptoms and what you are going through sound so much like me and it would be nice to talk to somebody else that is going through this as well.
The article mentions Prof Kenny de Meirleir, who is based in Belgium. He seems to be a renowned expert on severe debilitating exhaustion (which includes amongst others CFS/ME) and the connections with gut disorders. Thankfully he has developed treatment strategies.
He is now beginning to treat me for a "gut-immune-neurotoxic disorder". I would like to be in contact with any interested reader who, like me, suffers from a gut disorder/exhaustion even if not the same as mine.
I may be able to pass on useful info.
Prof de Meirleir told me that he has discovered about five different categories of patient. I think it all boils down to different aspects of malfunction inside the gut.
What is very interesting is the discovery of a retrovirus called XMRV.
In my case I have tested positive for fructose malabsorption, poor pancreatic digestive enzymes, huge overgrowth of prevotella, food allergies AND XMRV. This will explain my bloating, tiredness etc etc.
Apparently the good Porfessor is intending to publish a book, possibly later this year. So if anyone wants to know how to acquire this - contact me and I'm happy to let you know in due course. spitfire1642@gmail.com
Posted 26th April 2011
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H2S bacterial overgrowth model of dysbiosis 
