Diane gained 41 pounds in 16 months with absolutely no change to her diet. Why? She did a controversial treatment that’s making a risky return.
Now, normally, I’m a big supporter of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Like Ayurvedic medicine, it dates back more than 5,000 years. And plenty of modern studies confirm its effects.
TCM healers use herbal medicines as well as different mind/body practices like acupuncture and Tai chi.
But there is one TCM treatment that I strongly recommend you avoid.
You see, back in the 4th century, a Chinese physician named Ge Hong came up with a treatment that involved orally administering the fresh stool of a healthy neighbor to patients with severe diarrhea.1
There’s a popular expression that says everything old is new again. So let’s fast-forward to the 21st century…
Thanks to the Internet and social media, this stool-swapping practice is making a comeback. Thankfully, today’s users aren’t doing the treatment orally. Instead, they’re choosing a do-it-yourself enema.
It’s becoming popular because gastrointestinal problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have reached epidemic numbers.
More than 70 million Americans suffer with it. IBS causes bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, distention and cramping. And people get so desperate they turn to these dangerous trends to find some kind of relief.
Most doctors have no idea what causes IBS. They’ll tell you your colon looks normal and your bowel is just “irritable.”
But the truth is that bad bugs in your gut can be a big cause of IBS…
Your gut is host to 100 trillion bacteria, viruses and fungi. And the secret to a healthy gut is having more good microbes that crowd out the bad ones and rebalance your microbiome.
But people who suffer from IBS typically have high levels of harmful “bad” bacteria. And they have low levels of healthy “good” bacteria. The most common cause of this microbiome imbalance is today’s grain-heavy modern diet.
And instead of getting to the root cause of the problem, physicians are turning to medically prescribed fecal transplants…
And early research shows great promise.
Recent studies show that “fecal microbiota transplantation” or FMT can quickly repopulate your gut with a healthy balance of bacteria.2 It can give you 500 different types of bacteria and up to 4,000 microbes.
In a 2012 study from King’s College London, 15 IBS patients were treated with FMT. A whopping 86% showed improvement in their symptoms.3 A Norwegian study of 90 patients with IBS found that 65% of patients had good results with FMT.4
For FMT, a doctor collects stool from a healthy donor. It’s mixed with saline, strained and planted in the colon of the IBS patient using a colonoscopy, endoscopy, enema or nasal tube. There are also capsules that can be taken orally. For chronic digestive problems, you may need multiple treatments over several weeks or months.
FMT has been used in animals for many years by vets. But in the past few years it’s become a DIY fad for IBS. People are buying kits online and finding their own donors. Don’t do it…
It’s important to go to a qualified doctor. You see, the success of FMT depends on the health of the donor. A donor must be screened for diseases and infections, including sexually transmitted diseases or hepatitis.
And even if your donor is healthy, there are still risks when you take on the bacteria from another person…
In Diane’s case, she was treated with FMT donated by her daughter. It turns out her daughter’s gut bacteria predisposed her to weight gain. And in fact, animal studies show an FMT from an obese mouse to a normal mouse can cause a big increase in weight.
Instead of experimenting with FMT, I help my patients resolve their IBS symptoms with simple treatments that “reset” gut bacteria. Here’s what I tell them:
- Get more good bugs. Good bacteria called “probiotics” help rebalance your microbiome. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut deliver billions of beneficial microbes in every mouthful. Other fermented foods that are natural sources of probiotics include pickles, miso, kimchi, kvass and kombucha.
But I find most of my patients benefit from also taking a supplement. You can find probiotics as liquids, powders, tablets or capsules. Look for one that guarantees 10-20 billion CFUs (colony forming units) at the expiration date.
- Boost your levels of this amino acid. Glutamine is an amino acid your microbiome uses for fuel. Some researchers believe that IBS may be a glutamine deficiency.
Most high-protein foods like beef, chicken, fish and beans will have good amounts of glutamine. Or you can take 1 gram (1,000 mg) of L-glutamine three times a day. The maximum dose is 5 grams taken six times a day.
But don’t overdo it. Too much can cause nausea, joint pain or hives. And avoid this supplement if you have or are at high risk of cancer since too much may feed tumor cells.
- Cook with this yellow root. Turmeric contains an active ingredient called curcumin that knocks out your body’s inflammatory “command center.” In one study, 207 IBS patients took turmeric extract every day. After eight weeks, two thirds of the patients had improved symptoms.5
I like to use fresh turmeric root in the kitchen. Add it to soups, stews, sauces, marinades, salad dressings, eggs and rice. Or look for a supplement with at least 90% or greater “curcuminoids.” It should also contain piperine (an extract from black pepper). That increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000%.
Take at least 500 mg to 1,000 mg every day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. Rossen NG., et al. “Fecal microbiota transplantation as novel therapy in gastroenterology: A systematic review.” World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21:5359–5371.
2. Brandt LJ. “Fecal Transplantation for the Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection.” Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;8(3):191-194.
3. Anderson JL, Edney RJ, Whelan K. “Systematic review: faecal microbiota transplantation in the management of inflammatory bowel disease.” Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2012;36(6):503-16.
4. Johnsen PH., et al. “Faecal microbiota transplantation versus placebo for moderate-to-severe irritable bowel syndrome: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single-centre trial.” Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;3(1):17-24.
5. Bundy R., Walker A., et al. “Turmeric extract may improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptomology in otherwise healthy adults: A pilot study.” J Altern Complement Med. 2004;10(6):1015-1018.