Here is one I wrote on FB years ago.
Current research indicates that Lyme patients suffer from a dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance of the GI tract. It can't be said which bacteria are out of balance because we are all different, but there are some common traits that can be discussed. Lyme patients usually have lower Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium levels. This lowers our immune response. Possibilities why these bacteria are low could be low manganese levels for Lactobacillus and altered pH with low fiber for Bifidobacterium.
Here are some common bacteria affected by Lyme that contribute to the problem.
Phylum: Firmicute - Bacteria - Lactobacillus, Roseburia, F. prausnitzii, Clostridium, Enterococcus
Phylum: Actinobacteria - Bacteria - Bifidobacterium, Streptomyces, Mycobacterium, Proprionibacteria.
There are literally 100's more of each. These are gram positive bacteria and most contribute to our immune response. They make antibiotic like substances that keep us well. Lyme decreases their numbers and increases gram negative bacteria that can be opportunistic pathogens. These are the Bacteriodetes. There are also Proteobacteria which are also gram negative and pathogenic. In absence of the gram positive bacteria, these nitrogen loving bacteria thrive on the typical America diet. This is a double edged sword as the increased ammonia from these bacteria both help and hurt us.
What we eat helps dictate what bacteria are in our GI tract through nutrient/substance ingestion and pH. This affects butyrate production but that talk is for another time. Chronic inflammation from Lyme can lower the pH in the proximal colon. So instead of a 6.5 pH which favors Bacteriodetes, the pH falls to around 5.5 which favors Rosburia and F. prausnitzii. Eat low carb and you reduce Roseburia 4 fold. Eat more inulin or fiber and you increase Bifidobacterium and F. prausnitzii. Patients with IBS have a decrease in Roseburia and F prausnitzii (good Firmacutes). Crohn's patients have antibodies against flagellar antigens (Roseburia and E rectale.)
Basically Borrelia screws all of this up through altering pH and through damaging the tight junctions in the GI tract. Tight Junctions are the space between cells in the GI tract where nutrients are absorbed into the blood. Borrelia most likely damages or alters these to allow bacteria to advance further into the junction and almost into the blood stream. The body CANNOT allow this to happen so it increases free radical production and ammonia production which raises the pH and alters bacterial growth. To get well, we have to alter the intestinal pH through diet and pathogen reduction and recover our proper bacterial ratios. There are theories that chronic Lyme is from damaged tight junctions, but I disagree.
Eating animal protein plays a role in all of this but I've yapped enough.
@stevesawbone
Current research indicates that Lyme patients suffer from a dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance of the GI tract. It can't be said which bacteria are out of balance because we are all different, but there are some common traits that can be discussed. Lyme patients usually have lower Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium levels. This lowers our immune response. Possibilities why these bacteria are low could be low manganese levels for Lactobacillus and altered pH with low fiber for Bifidobacterium.
Here are some common bacteria affected by Lyme that contribute to the problem.
Phylum: Firmicute - Bacteria - Lactobacillus, Roseburia, F. prausnitzii, Clostridium, Enterococcus
Phylum: Actinobacteria - Bacteria - Bifidobacterium, Streptomyces, Mycobacterium, Proprionibacteria.
There are literally 100's more of each. These are gram positive bacteria and most contribute to our immune response. They make antibiotic like substances that keep us well. Lyme decreases their numbers and increases gram negative bacteria that can be opportunistic pathogens. These are the Bacteriodetes. There are also Proteobacteria which are also gram negative and pathogenic. In absence of the gram positive bacteria, these nitrogen loving bacteria thrive on the typical America diet. This is a double edged sword as the increased ammonia from these bacteria both help and hurt us.
What we eat helps dictate what bacteria are in our GI tract through nutrient/substance ingestion and pH. This affects butyrate production but that talk is for another time. Chronic inflammation from Lyme can lower the pH in the proximal colon. So instead of a 6.5 pH which favors Bacteriodetes, the pH falls to around 5.5 which favors Rosburia and F. prausnitzii. Eat low carb and you reduce Roseburia 4 fold. Eat more inulin or fiber and you increase Bifidobacterium and F. prausnitzii. Patients with IBS have a decrease in Roseburia and F prausnitzii (good Firmacutes). Crohn's patients have antibodies against flagellar antigens (Roseburia and E rectale.)
Basically Borrelia screws all of this up through altering pH and through damaging the tight junctions in the GI tract. Tight Junctions are the space between cells in the GI tract where nutrients are absorbed into the blood. Borrelia most likely damages or alters these to allow bacteria to advance further into the junction and almost into the blood stream. The body CANNOT allow this to happen so it increases free radical production and ammonia production which raises the pH and alters bacterial growth. To get well, we have to alter the intestinal pH through diet and pathogen reduction and recover our proper bacterial ratios. There are theories that chronic Lyme is from damaged tight junctions, but I disagree.
Eating animal protein plays a role in all of this but I've yapped enough.
@stevesawbone
