How To Treat Bacterial Dysbiosis?

[Crayons574]

I just found out I have bacterial dysbiosis, even though I am taking probiotics, digestive enzymes and other things for the GI tract and am having protein malabsorptions. What causes it and what is usually the treatment? Also, what is the best diet for this--the Paleo diet? Thanks!

[daphniela]

Stay away from processed food and sugar

[burdee]

I just found out I have bacterial dysbiosis, even though I am taking probiotics, digestive enzymes and other things for the GI tract and am having protein malabsorptions. What causes it and what is usually the treatment? Also, what is the best diet for this--the Paleo diet? Thanks!

How did you learn you have bacterial dysbiosis? If your doc gave you a stool test, which diagnosed that problem, the lab results often indicate which drugs or herbal supplements can treat the bacteria causing your imbalance.

Bacterial dysbiosis simply means that you have an overabundance of bad bugs (bacteria, parasites or fungus) and not enough good bacteria in your gut. Even if you take probiotics, you can get an overgrowth of certain bacteria or parasites or fungus (esp. candida). If your probiotics are not 'viable' (live) cultures or just not potent enough, you won't get enough good bacteria from the probiotics. If your stomach acid is low or you have taken acid blockers, you can easily pick up food born bad bacteria by simply eating foods that haven't been thoroughly washed or prepared safely. Normal levels of stomach acid kill most food born bacteria before they can proliferate in the intestines. You can get parasites from water or produce raised in steer manure and not thoroughly washed. However treatment with antibiotics can also destroy enough of your good bacteria to allow bad bacteria to proliferate in your intestines. Also you can pick up bacteria in any public place or restroom. So washing your hands with soap and water frequently can prevent getting bugs from public places.

In order to treat bacterial dysbiosis, you need to know which bacteria (parasite or fungus) is causing your symptoms. Hopefully you have been diagnosed with a stool test. Then you need to kill off enough of the bad bacteria to allow your good bacteria from your probiotics to regain balance in your intestines. So you may need to take an antibacterial drug or herbal supplement. Only your doc or lab test results can recommend which drug or supplement will kill your problem bacteria. Although many people recommend special diets (limited carbs, molds and yeasts) to 'starve' candida fungus, bacteria and parasites can only be eliminated by killing them with an antibacterial or antiparasitic agent. So you need to identify your specific bacteria and to which drug/supplement that bacteria is sensitive.

During the past 3 years I've taken stool tests which diagnosed 3 different bacteria, a parasite and a fungus (candida). I've successfully eliminated all but the last bacteria (c-diff, which commonly recurs after treatment) with drugs or herbal supplements. I'm currently treating my 3rd recurrence of c-diff with pulse-dosing which recent research has shown to be successful with recurrent c-diff. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions about bacterial dybiosis.

SUE

[Crayons574]

Thank you both for your answers. Sue--that was a really helpful response! Thank you!

[IChaseFrisbees]

Don't take antibiotics! My stool test came back with 0 good bacteria and a bad one, so I thought "well, if I have no good ones anyway might as well take the antibiotic!" Now I've been informed that was a bad idea. Take a quality probiotic and eat cultured foods (sauerkraut, pickles with live cultures, yoghurt if you can or other fermented foods, and find out what the bad bacteria (if you have any) are weak to.