Antibiotics and obesity, illness, tendency for auto-immune diseases

How taking antibiotics can make you fat, ill and prone to auto-immune diseases

MEBO Research UK's Community Director, Stephanie, brings to our attention this article, which is so very pertinent to our community because the TMAU Odor-Management protocol recommends the use of antibiotics to control TMAU symptoms, and possibly other types of malodor conditions, even though this has not been researched fully to the satisfaction of our experts. It is, however, the method that has given positive results in regards to decreasing malodor. Nonetheless, treatment with antibiotics needs to be researched further to identify the microorganisms producing odorous compounds and the best treatment to create an optimal gut flora. The TMA-producing bacteria in our gut has yet to be identified, as our experts tell us in their interviews for this blog. Lack of research funding for this much needed research only accentuates the need for proactive work in our Raising Awareness Campaign because it was only a few weeks ago that the research grant was denied.

A team of UK specialists who got together to write a grant proposal to the Medical Research Council (MRC) for research funding into the specific intestinal bacteria found in the trimethylamine odor suffered by TMAU patients. This research would have also explored the possibility of fecal bacteriotherapy/human probioticn infusion as a treatment for odor disorders, such as TMAU. Unfortunately, this grant application was turned down. Thus, we as sufferers from around the world have been deprived of a treatment possibility by the rejection of this application.

INTERVIEW WITH NIGEL MANNING
Q: Do we know what bacteria is responsible for gut Trimethylamine (TMA) production ?

A: There are more than 400 species of bacteria in the colon but only a few described as TMA-producing. The fishing industry’s research microbiologists have published many papers on TMA and ‘fish-spoiling’ and cite species such as Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio fischeri, Photobacterium leiognathi and Shewanella baltica. The last of these is also know to generate hydrogen sulphide – or ‘ rotten egg’ gas. Whether these microbes are those responsible for human TMA production is a good question, but they may represent a small portion of the total.

Q: Is the bacteria in the colon or small intestine ?

A: The distal part of the colon is responsible for protein and amino acid breakdown and I suspect the area for TMA production. Although there are hundreds of intestinal bacterial species there may be just 30 or 40 species which represent more than 90% of the microbes in number. If a TMA-producing species becomes predominant, eradication with antibiotics may prove to be very difficult. Apparently there are ten times as many bacterial cells in the human gut as cells making up the entire human body – making the gut flora a powerful metabolic force. Attempts at eradication with antibiotics such as metronidazole have been successful for TMAU2 sufferers – leaving them odour-free after a single course in some instances (as I mentioned earlier). Other antibiotics include neomycin and amoxicillin. Without specific identification of bacterial species involved (and their severity of overgrowth) the choice of an effective antibiotic for TMAU2 is often a question of trial and error. TMAU1 sufferers can also benefit from periodic antibiotic therapy as well as dietary choline restriction. Both TMAU1 and 2 can be controlled in similar ways, although the secondary (acquired) form has the possibility of a complete cure. TMAU1 may be controlled to some degree by antibiotics, restriction of choline (eggs, liver, beans) carnitine (meat) and TMA-oxide (seafood). The odour effects of TMA may also be reduced by activated charcoal or copper chlorophyllin tablets to adsorb TMA in the gut and the use of pH5 skin creams to neutralize TMA in sweat.

INTERVIEW WITH CASS NELSON-DOOLEY OF METAMETRIX
Q: Do you think a particular type of bacteria are responsible for gut trimethylamine production? Do you have a good idea what microbes in particular cause gas smells? Do you have any theories as to how someone could smell of gut smells through their pores/breath?

A: The more smelly compounds like trimethylamine and hydrogen sulfide are not products of human metabolism, but they are produced by several bacteria under certain conditions. They tend to be strict anaerobes that could dwell in the colon or the vagina.

It is likely that bacterial overgrowth occurs in the small bowel and the products are absorbed and then emanate from the skin. I wouldn’t expect that the malodorous products would be absorbed from the colon. If someone has an overgrowth of Disulfovibrio, there may be a sulfur smell. If someone has an overgrowth of Pseudomonas sp., the smell may be sweeter (grape-like), but still sickly sweet. There is a whole group of sulfur-producing bacteria. Citrobacter freundii produces sulfur. Additionally, if the person suffers with maldigestion then food will undergo fermentation and this produces putrefactive compounds such as putrescine. While blood borne body odor is likely multi-factorial, at least for some patients, healing the bowel and cleaning up the diet could provide some relief.

Instead of the repeated use of antibiotics, this Health online article focuses on diet to control bacterial populations in our gut. Dr. Zhao Liping, Microbiologist, recommends,

Keep these bacteria in the right balance and they can control weight, cut the risk of eczema in babies and keep old people stronger, it seems.
It may even be possible to use beneficial bacteria to switch certain genes on or off.
If all this is true, it could be another very good reason for avoiding antibiotics.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2184626/Antibiotics-How-taking-make-fat-ill-prone-auto-immune-diseases.html#ixzz22vAWYV2y

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

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