-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
digestive system
intestinal dysbiosis
diagnoses
definition and etiology
definition:
Excessive production of toxic metabolites of digestion, especially in the colon.
Bowel toxemia has been noted as a cause of poor health since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Western research on the subject was very active from 1890-1940, when many medical doctors were doing involved studies on the subject, and the results firmly proved the existence of the phenomenon (Immerman). Interest in the subject died out in the 1940s, although the former results of the "pro-toxemia" doctors were never disproven.
etiology:
Bowel toxemia results from abnormal bowel flora, improper diet, poor digestion, or bowel obstruction /sluggishness/atony. Several or all of those factors will typically be involved. For example, a poor diet, high in fleshy proteins and fatty foods, will over time lead to the predominance of bowel flora that are more responsible for toxin production. The same diet increases constipation, which furthers toxin production by allowing the food to sit in the colon long enough for the bacteria there to act upon it. Diets high in complex carbohydrates and low in protein and fats favor the development of a colon rich in non-putrefying bacteria.
Toxins produced in the gut are detoxified in the liver; if the liver is not functioning optimally, or if the amount of toxin production overwhelms its metabolic capabilities, the toxins can enter the systemic circulation and cause numerous health problems by causing tissue aggravation and change, or by irritating a preexisting condition.
signs and symptoms
signs and symptoms: many symptoms are possible, depending on the type of toxin(s) being produced
specific toxins and the disease(s) that are associated with them:
tryptamine: hypertension
tyramine (from tyrosine): epinephrine-like symptoms
histamine: headache, arrhythmias, depression, low BP, nausea
putrescine and cadaverine: low BP
estradiol and other similar steroids: premenstrual syndrome, gynecological cancers
ammonia: coma, tremor, altered EEG, mental changes
indole (from tryptophan): bladder tumors
phenol: depressed CNS and circulation, mucosal irritation, damage to kidney and liver cells
skatole (from tryptophan): injures RBCs and HGB molecules, depresses CNS and circulation
hydrogen sulfide (from protein breakdown): mucosal irritation, congestion and increased intestinal permeability, depressed CNS and circulation
other general symptoms and history:
maldigestion: bad breath/morning breath with coated tongue, flatulence, irregular stools, foul stool/ foul flatulent odor
miscellaneous: headaches, arthritis, sciatica and low back pain, EENT problems, rashes, breast conditions, epilepsy, psychological problems
fatigue: nervousness, heart conditions
history of poor diet: high fat, high protein, overeating
skin problems: acne vulgaris, psoriasis/eczema; skin may be brownish/yellow, dull and appear unhealthy
lab findings:
increased bowel transit time
urinary indican of first void (Obermeyer test): indicates high breakdown of undigested tryptophan
comprehensive stool analysis may show undigested food particles and other indications of toxemia
urine phenol: end of day random void
(+) stool culture for pathogenic flora and flora imbalance
(+) stool gram stain: showing gram+ gram- imbalance
(+) candida culture of stool
course and prognosis
Most conditions of untreated intestinal toxemia will cause various degrees of low-grade morbidity in the patient. However, it will often act as the predisposing factor for the development of chronic disease. Treatment, through bowel cleansing, diet adjustments, and supplementation can correct the intestinal condition and lead to disease reversal. It is important to emphasize that many traditional and alternative schools of medical thought and training have long recognized the connection between bowel toxemia and the development and reversal of chronic disease. Recognizing the key role of digestion and toxemia in the pathogenesis of the "chronic diseases of affluence" may be one of the major elements in addressing many of the health care issues presently facing society.
differential diagnosis
Since bowel toxemia may underlie a wide variety of clinical and sub-clinical conditions, it needs to be considered and ruled out in many of these. Specific gastrointestinal complaints should be ruled out where GI symptoms are a significant part of the clinical picture.
footnotes