Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (140 page)

Try coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
CoQ10 is necessary for energy production, immune function, repair and maintenance of tissues, and enhanced cell function. Take 60 to 100 mg daily.

Try glutamine.
Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in our bodies, is used in the digestive tract as a fuel source and for healing stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative bowel diseases, and leaky gut syndrome. Begin with 8 grams daily for four weeks.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an illness that results in chronic discomfort or pain in the bladder and pelvic area. The discomfort can be mild to extreme. Common symptoms include urgent need to urinate, pain with urination, frequent urination, pelvic pain, prostitis in men, and pain with love-making. Interstitial cystitis is more commonly diagnosed in women (90 percent) than in men (10 percent). In women, symptoms can get worse during menstruation. The women I have worked with have so much pain after making love that they just don’t make love anymore. About half of women spontaneously improve without any medical treatment.

Irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia are common co-diseases. Since in both fibromyalgia and IBS small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) plays such a large role, I looked to see if there had been any studies on SIBO in IC. In 2008 Dr. Leonard Weinstock studied 21 women with interstitial cystitis. Seventeen (81 percent) had SIBO as determined by lactulose breath testing. Fifteen women were treated with 1,200 to 1,800 mg Rifaxamin for 10 days. Afterward improvement was sustained with 3 mg of tegaserod nightly. There were moderate to great improvements in 11 (73 percent), and all but one were able to sustain the benefits. Improvements in interstitial cystitis were moderate to great in six of the women (40 percent) and were sustained in seven (47 percent). However, in e-mails with Dr. Weinstock, he said that a placebo-controlled trial had results that were less dramatic. Nonetheless, in an illness where little helps, this is worth exploring.

Entire books have been written about using a low-acid diet and lowering the number of foods containing phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, asprartate, and
tryamine in an effort to control IC. Foods that have been reported as problems include tomatoes, alcohol, spices, chocolate, foods with caffeine, citrus fruits, and artificial sweeteners.

One group of researchers tested for food and inhalant allergies. When specific diets were utilized, there were improvements. In my experience in working with women with interstitial cystitis, elimination diets and testing for food and environmental sensitivities has been useful. I have also found that balancing pH and inflammation is very useful.

Functional Laboratory Testing

Breath test for SIBO

Food sensitivity and food allergy testing

Testing for molds and environmental chemical sensitivities

Celiac testing

pH testing

Healing Options

Rule out SIBO.
In a 2008 study of 21 women, 81 percent of those tested had SIBO. When treated, most of them improved. Use the SIBO breath test described in
Chapter 11
.

Try an elimination diet.
Bring down the total inflammatory load in your body by trying an elimination diet. This diet eliminates artificial sweeteners and alcohol. You may also want to exclude tomatoes, citrus, and other acidic foods. (See
Chapter 15
.)

Balance pH.
See
Chapter 17
for more information.

Try quercetin and grape seed extract.
High levels of mast cells have been found in the bladders of women with IC. Quercetin is a mast-cell inhibitor; it reduces inflammation and acts to decrease allergy responses. In one study 22 women were given 500 mg of quercetin twice daily with the protein-splitting enzymes bromelain and papain. In four weeks symptoms improved by 62 percent and the problem index by 55 percent. All but one patient had at least some improvement. Take 1,000 to 3,000 mg of quercetin daily, plus 10 mg grape seed extract daily.