Finnish Doctor Uses Herbs to Heal Lyme Disease & Coinfections

June 24, 2019

https://www.lymedisease.org/marjo-valonen-herbs/

This Finnish doctor uses herbs to heal Lyme disease and co-infections

Marjo Valonen, MD

By Marjo Valonen, MD

It was the happiest moment of my life, to hold my twin babies for the first time. I am so glad that I didn’t know what was ahead of me: that I would be bedridden and seriously ill for years. That I couldn’t walk, play with my kids, or have the strength to sing to them. Even smiling at them would require all the energy I could muster.

Ever since I was six years old, I wanted to be a doctor. Everything about humans and human health interested me. My first dream was to be a brain surgeon, but when I was actually working as a surgeon, I realized that this wasn’t quite what I wanted. I aspired to understand the whole human body, instead of settling for any single specialty. My thirst for knowledge drove me instead into looking at traditional Chinese medicine and then integrative medicine.

Unexplained symptoms

So, when I fell so ill after giving birth to our twin boys and one and a half years later to our daughter, I was confused. Confused, because I thought that I already knew so much. I consulted countless colleagues, the best in their field, but no one knew what was wrong with me. And sadly, it seems that not knowing, is for many doctors, too difficult a burden to bear. They didn’t think: oh wow, this is something I don’t know, let’s study more and find out! Instead, they got angry at the patient that dared to have symptoms or illness that they didn’t have answers for.

My symptoms included extreme fatigue. Even keeping my eyes open felt like too much work. If I tried to get up and walk, I fainted. So, confined to my bed, I relied on my husband for everything. He brought me my food, carried me to the bathroom, took care of our three small children and maintained his own work outside the home. He is the real hero of this story!

Wracked with pain, I had sinus infections – with pus constantly oozing out of my sinus cavities – for which I underwent numerous operations. However, when doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with my lab tests, they told me that I was just imagining it all, that it was all in my head, and that I was causing myself to be ill. One colleague even said to me, “You’re just lazy. You don’t want to work.”

The search for a cure

The worst of it lasted about two years. After that, I was able to sit and walk a bit, but I still couldn’t do much. I started searching for answers on the Internet and reading recommended books. I did everything I could think of: I healed my gut, I found many food intolerances, balanced my hormones, and supported my thyroid and adrenals.

Finally, I ran into the question of chronic infections. I ran tests on myself and confirmed my suspicion of having Lyme disease. It turns out I had loads of other infections, as well. That started me on the next step of my journey back to health: finding out how to treat these infections.

Initially, I was told that I had to treat it with antibiotics. This didn’t sit well with me – with how I think about life and how we should treat our bodies. But I eventually decided to try antibiotics, since that was the conventional procedure. ILADS is doing great work regarding Borrelia, and I tried the combination of antibiotics suggested by ILADS. But they were too hard on my gut. My system just couldn’t handle them.

The Cowden Protocol

I started looking at herbal solutions. I loved learning about the many different ways herbs can help and support us. I tried many different protocols but none of them worked very well for me. Then, I heard from my colleague Dr. Armin Schwarzbach about the support protocol developed by Dr. Lee Cowden, called CSP (Cowden Support Program). Imagine my joy and gratitude when after a month or two I started feeling better. I could walk and hug my kids and enjoy life!

Sharing my own healing with others

At last, after such a long period of professional inactivity, I began seeing patients again. As I encountered those who had the same problems that I had, I used the Cowden Protocol with them. We’re still amazed at how well it works! I’m glad that I was able to find a way to help my patients without having to use antibiotics.

Typically, patients don’t have many positive test results at first. These usually appear after a short period of initial treatment. When you give patients herbs, their immune system starts fighting against the infection. Some patients are so sick when they first come to my office that their immune system is totally shut down and can’t fight anything. In that situation, all results will be negative.

If their doctor doesn’t know this and understand the underlying mechanisms, they will just look at the negative lab results and declare the patient healthy, when in fact these are the sickest cases needing the most help and support. That is why the diagnosis needs to be based on clinical picture and symptoms, not just lab results.

Of the symptoms, pain and fatigue are typically the worst part of being ill. We ask them to rate both between 0 and 10, with 10 being the worst imaginable. We do this at the beginning of treatment, and we then follow their self-assessments.

Sometimes, both objective lab results and subjective self-assessments improve at more or less the same rate. When that happens, we’re really happy and can trust that the treatment is working. One or the other isn’t enough. If the lab results are great, but the patient is fatigued and in pain, then the infection might just be hiding somewhere. Then, you have to sort of dig it out.

Cure or remission?

Can Lyme disease be fully cured? Or, must we be content with tolerable remission of active symptoms? This is a good question.

I think that we can get our patients cured in such a way that Lyme doesn’t affect their life anymore. The question of whether or not we can ever be totally rid of Borrelia microbes cannot really be answered, since they can spread everywhere within the body. However, we all carry all sorts of microbes and parasites within us, at all times. That’s life. The question is, “Who is in charge: you, or the microbes within you?”

I agree with the assessment of the American cardiologist Dr. Thomas Levy: namely, that Borrelia is normally a commensal bug, requiring an already compromised autonomic nervous system to become infectious.

I contracted Lyme in the womb, from my mother. I carried it within me throughout my early years without noticing it. After the twin pregnancy and the birth of my daughter, during which I had many complications, my immune system took a hard hit. And, that’s when “the enemies” got the upper hand, moving from the incubation state to the acute one.

The immune system is key

I am convinced that my role as a doctor is fundamentally to support my patients’ immune systems. Only then can these microbes be defeated. Sometimes my patients express their concerns about ticks being everywhere. I remind them at those times that we can’t live in a bubble. Some have famously tried it, but it isn’t a very good solution. We neither can nor should stop our children from running and playing in the woods. The best thing is to take care of our own body and immune system so that we are strong enough to resist all of this.

This leads to the whole idea of preventative wellness. This is where medicine is seen not so much as treating diseases as helping people so they do not become ill in the first place. That’s one of the reasons why I think Dr. Cowden’s program is simply genius, because the use of antimicrobial herbs is constantly changing, affecting different kinds of microbes – not just Borrelia, but also the co-infections. The antimicrobial herbs, moreover, are complemented by detoxifying and anti-inflammatory ones, as well as herbs that support energy production. Some people think that it’s enough to take antibiotics or even antimicrobial herbs. But, that’s just killing pathogens. I advocate a much wider approach, one that supports the whole system. Uprooting is not enough. You have to replant.

What happens after symptoms disappear?

Our patients receive an ongoing maintenance program from us for the rest of their lives. By the time that they are fully functional again, we’ve known them for several months or, in the harder cases, several years. So, we usually have acquired a good idea of their genetic composition and their ability to withstand these things on their own. Hence, someone with a robust constitution may need only a basic multi-vitamin and some detox and supporting herbs.

On the other hand, a very fragile person might need other things to support them. I myself have genetic problems with my immune and detox systems, but I’m doing fine with herbs. I am still taking selected herbs as well as some important immune supporting supplements and I’ll never give them up! By taking care of myself, I can live a normal life.

In fact, I travel throughout Europe teaching about herbs. When I speak at conferences and other venues, I like to share patient cases. They are real life, allowing me to demonstrate what we are doing and how well it’s working. I give detailed information on what herbs I use and in what dosages. My mission, the reason why I’m going around Europe, and now also the States, talking about herbs, is to teach other professionals how to help others in the same way.

So, what began as my own personal interest has become my life’s work.

The future of medicine

I believe we’re living already the future of medicine. It’s so great that we have researchers like Professor Eva Sapi, of the University of New Haven. So, we’re constantly getting more information on how herbs work. Of course, there are always those people who think that herbs can’t possibly be that effective. They need to be reminded that the Nobel Prize for Medicine was given in 2015 to Professor Tu Youyou, a pharmacologist at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, in recognition of her work with the herb Artemisia annua. Also, about 50% of conventional medicines are developed from natural substances, including herbs. But, since you can’t patent something derived from nature, then medical companies have to change or break these substances in order to obtain patents and then charge big prices for their products.

On antibiotics

Returning to the question of antibiotics, I think we often use them irresponsibly, which leads to the loss of their efficacy. Bacterial resistance has become a big problem. It is much more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to an herb, though, which may have tens or even hundreds of different substances with which it fights bacteria.

It’s quite easy for a bacterium to develop resistance to an antibiotic, since it is just this one thing against which it has to fight. But when you send hundreds of things against that bacterium, it has a much harder time developing effective resistance.

I don’t think it’s wrong to use antibiotics when they are needed. The problem is when we use too much of them, for minor conditions. We’re also giving them to our livestock, which results in indirect antibiotic exposure for us. What was designed to help us is really hurting us.

Bringing back hope

Lyme and co-infections can be devastating. Not just to the person who falls ill, but for their loved ones as well. Our family has been through it, and that is why I want to share my story and share my knowledge. I don’t want anyone to have to go through as much pain and suffering as I had to.

With the herbal and supplemental protocols that we use at our clinic, we’ve been able to help even the worst cases of Lyme and co-infections. Even those that have been taking antibiotics for years, without getting better. So, I don’t want anyone to lose hope – there is still lots that can be done. It may take some detective work to find the right protocols, but I am a living proof that it is possible!

Marjo Valonen, MD, is medical director of Astris Medical Center in Helsinki, Finland. Her clinic specializes in tick-borne and other chronic infectious illnesses. She has also lectured widely at Lyme-related conferences.

_________________

For more: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/ Herbal options are listed in the treatment section.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/07/which-herbs-for-inflammation/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/24/herbs-habits-to-revive-your-gut/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/02/cant-sleep-18-plants-herbs-can-help/

Category:

Activism, Herbs, Lyme, Supplements, Treatment

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Herxheimer Reactions & Lyme Disease: All You Need to Know

https://www.bca-clinic.de/en/herxheimer-reactions-and-lyme-disease-all-you-need-to-know/

Herxheimer Reactions And Lyme Disease: All You Need To Know

20. May 2019in BCA-clinic

Warm weather brings many opportunities for fun, especially for people who enjoy being outside. Whether it’s hiking, camping, picnicking or simply reading a good book in the garden, the spring and summer months have much to offer in the way of outdoor activities.

But along with opportunities for fun, unfortunately, spending time in nature during the warmer months also brings danger in the form of Lyme disease. This is especially true for people who live in regions where the ticks that carry Lyme infection are common. But Lyme disease has been found on every continent except Antarctica, and cases of Lyme disease are growing at such a high rate that almost anyone who spends a significant amount of time outdoors could be at risk of exposure to Lyme disease.

What is Lyme disease and how is it transmitted?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a spirochete (corkscrew-shaped) bacterium named Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacterium is carried by rodents and animals like the white-footed mouse and deer that are the preferred hosts of ticks known as Ixodes, deer or black-legged ticks.

When an Ixodes tick feeds on a creature that’s carrying Borrelia burgdorferi, it becomes infected with the bacterium. An infected tick can then transmit Borrelia burgdorferi to humans through a single bite, causing Lyme infection.

People who contract Lyme disease are often bitten by ticks that are still in their nymphal, or immature, phase. Nymphal ticks are tiny – about the size of a poppy seed – and their bite is usually painless, so many of those who have been bitten by a nymphal tick have no idea.

The chance of Lyme infection being transmitted from an infected tick to a human goes up the longer the tick stays attached, so the tiny size and painless bite of nymphal ticks are frightening factors that can increase infection risk.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Lyme infection can be separated into two phases: acute and chronic. The acute phase is the preliminary stage of Lyme disease and typically includes the following symptoms:

Erythema migrans, an expanding red rash that sometimes resembles a bullseye
Fever
Chills
Headaches
Neck pain and stiffness
Fatigue
Joint pain and swelling
Weakness and paralysis of facial muscles
Lightheadedness and fainting
Heart palpitations and chest pain

Neck pain is one of the symptoms of Lyme disease.

If Lyme disease is caught within the first few weeks of infection, it may be effectively treated with antibiotics. But if it’s not properly diagnosed or treatment fails, Lyme disease can progress to the chronic phase. Symptoms of chronic Lyme disease are many and varied, but some of the most common ones are:

Joint pain
Headaches
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Memory loss, trouble concentrating or ‘brain fog’
Neuropathy (including nerve pain, numbness, or tingling)
Sleep problems
Changes in mood
Digestive issues

What is a Herxheimer reaction and how is it connected to Lyme disease?

Officially known as a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (and often called a Herx for short), a Herxheimer reaction occurs when the beginning of an antibiotic treatment course causes a spike in the die-off of spirochetal bacteria. It was named after European dermatologists who were the first to observe that symptoms worsened in syphilis patients being treated with mercurial compounds. This exacerbation of symptoms continued to be observed when penicillin became the main treatment for syphilis, usually occurring within the first 24 hours of treatment.

Like syphilis, Lyme disease is caused by a spirochetal bacterium. Herxheimer reactions sometimes happen to patients with Lyme disease when they first begin antibiotic therapy as a result of the Borrelia burgdorferi dying. The die-off causes your body to release proteins called cytokines. While a moderate amount of cytokines can help boost your immune system, too many of them can cause adverse effects.

Although they are sometimes considered a good thing because they indicate that the medication is working to kill Lyme bacteria, Herxheimer reactions can cause patients experiencing them to suddenly feel very poorly. Herxheimer reactions are characterised by a worsening of existing Lyme symptoms like:

Inflammation
Fatigue
Memory impairment and/or brain fog
Nerve and muscle pain
Chills/sweats

How is a Herxheimer reaction treated?

There’s no question that going through a Herxheimer reaction is difficult, and knowing that it’s a possibility can cause some Lyme patients to delay or even avoid treatment. When they’re already struggling with the symptoms of Lyme disease, the idea of feeling even worse is sometimes unbearable.

Although Herxheimer reactions be a necessary evil when beginning treatment for Lyme disease, there are things you can do to mitigate the damage. Some of the supplements believed to lessen Herxheimer symptoms include:

Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that can help the liver process toxins
Activated charcoal, which may remove toxins from the body by binding to them
Curcumin, another strong antioxidant that has been shown to reduce inflammation
Epsom salts, which are used externally for bathing and contain magnesium sulfate for relaxing muscles and drawing toxins

Bathing in Epsom salts may help with symptoms of a Herxheimer reaction.

Aside from supplements, lifestyle choices like moderate exercise can alleviate the discomfort of Herxheimer reactions. While working out may be the last thing a Lyme patient experiencing a Herxheimer reaction wants to do, exercising stimulates the body’s lymphatic system, allowing more efficient removal of toxins from the body.

A Herxheimer reaction during Lyme disease treatment can make a bad situation worse, but knowing what to expect and how to support the body during this process arms patients and practitioners alike with the information they need to handle the challenge.

___________________

For more: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/08/15/herxheimer-die-off-reaction-explained/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/26/lyme-herxheimer-reactions-dr-rawls/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/12/06/tips-for-newbies/

https://www.lymedisease.org/lymesci-herxing/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/06/28/jarisch-herxheimer-a-review/

Enzymes: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/04/22/systemic-enzymes/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/05/how-proteolytic-enzymes-may-help-lyme-msids/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/24/herbs-habits-to-revive-your-gut/

MSM – another detoxifier, gut support, & inflammation & pain reducer: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/02/dmso-msm-for-lyme-msids/

Category:

Herbs, Inflammation, Lyme, Supplements, Syphilis, Treatment

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Fighting Lyme Disease in Maine – Part 2 TV Report

June 23, 2019

https://www.wabi.tv/content/news/PART-TWO-Fighting-Lyme-Disease-511597151.html TV News Story Here

PART TWO: Fighting Lyme Disease

By Morgan Sturdivant

Posted: Thu 7:18 PM, Jun 20, 2019

ORONO, Maine (WABI) – “Through our lab we’re kind of trying to provide surveillance on tick populations as well as the pathogens that they spread,” says Griffin Dill.

Griffin Dill is doing critical research on ticks at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. He says reported cases of disease from ticks is increasing and so is the population here in Maine.

“It’s a more forested state with the human element mixed in so it’s kind of created the perfect habitat for ticks as well as their wild life hosts.”

He says people don’t have to change their lifestyle, but it is important to take some simple precautions, like treating clothing and gear with repellents, like permethrin which is a highly effective repellent for ticks.

“We want people to be aware of ticks but not afraid. We want people to go outside.”

“I got sick after two tick bites.”

Constance “Happy” Dickey is a founding director of Maine Lyme. Happy and the others behind the organization have made education, support and prevention their mission because they know isolating and costly it can be.

“Everything after the tick bite is more complicated than preventing the tick bite. We need to make prevention second-nature to us.”

There are multiple resources on the Maine Lyme website for prevention and education including what to do if you find a tick attached to your skin. It’s important not to put any soaps, ointments, alcohol or heat on the tick and do not squeeze the body of it. Take note of when the tick was found and mark the bite area. Report any illness or rashes to your doctor. You can even send the tick to the UMaine Tick Lab for testing.

Your pets are susceptible, too.

“”For the most part of if your animal gets sick with it they have a fever. That’s one of the first signs. So same with a human if you feel tired, lethargic, you don’t really feel like moving around, so if you see that, it’s one of the things we start to think of,” says Dr. David Cloutier at the Veazie Veterinary Clinic.,

They can also test and treat for Lyme at the Veazie Veterinary Clinic. Care that comprehensive for people is what those in this fight are hoping for.

“I’ve heard from so many of my constituents.”

Including Senator Susan Collins who has recently introduced the TICK Act.

“It’s evident from the exploding numbers of these illnesses that are borne by ticks that we need to do much more.”

Dill says he meets with a group run by the Maine CDC ona regular basis for a statewide strategy. He says he wants people to know work in being done in the fight against Lyme.

“Hopefully, we make some breakthroughs on potential management strategies for controlling tick population’s as well as the medical side with the potential for new treatments even vaccination.”

__________________

**Comment**

After watching both of these news reports and being in a few of my own, one thing sticks out to me: there’s never reporting on effective treatments.

Why?

Because it’s sticky and the way this is being treated by mainstream medicine, the CDC, and other authorities isn’t working. Period.

It’s easier to do a 2-4 minute sound bite and interview a tick researcher than it is to get to the bottom of this plague which is riddled with conflicts of interest and frankly patient abuse.

Do not let the tick researcher working with the CDC fool you. They are doing nothing. They have changed nothing, and forget about that “Lyme vaccine” which has directly caused Lyme symptoms in dogs and people: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/22/why-we-care-so-strongly-about-a-potential-lyme-vaccine/ (Many more links within this one)

I’m not saying the study of ticks isn’t important but there’s so much more that needs to be done:

Transmission studies: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/24/microbiology-professor-im-convinced-lyme-disease-is-transmittable-from-person-to-person/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/02/transmission-of-lyme-disease-lida-mattman-phd/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/are-mosquitoes-transmitting-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/19/33-years-of-documentation-of-maternal-child-transmission-of-lyme-disease-and-congenital-lyme-borreliosis-a-review/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/02/24/pcos-lyme-my-story/

Effective treatments: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/22/why-mainstream-lyme-msids-research-remains-in-the-dark-ages/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/29/is-the-sky-truly-going-to-fall-for-patients-with-the-untreatable-form-of-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/

The recognition and treatment of coinfections: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/01/co-infection-of-ticks-the-rule-rather-than-the-exception/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/30/study-shows-lyme-msids-patients-infected-with-many-pathogens-and-explains-why-we-are-so-sick/

The recognition and treatment of the pleomorphism of borrelia: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/12/14/closing-in-on-the-8/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/05/ability-of-stationary-phase-persister-biofilm-microcolonies-of-borrelia-burgdorferi-to-cause-more-severe-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/three-antibiotic-cocktail-clears-persister-lyme-bacteria-in-mouse-study/

More accurate testing: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/15/news-release-on-57-1-million-lyme-disease-lawsuit-filed-against-cdc/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/12/13/suppression-of-microscopy-for-lyme-diagnostics-professor-laane/

Science on chronic/persistent symptoms: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/13/chronic-lyme-post-mortem-study-needed-to-end-the-lyme-wars/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/25/medical-stalemate-what-causes-continuing-symptoms-after-lyme-treatment/

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Ticks

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Fighting Lyme Disease in Maine – TV Report

https://www.wabi.tv/content/news/Part-One-Fighting-Lyme-Disease-511540782.html (News Video Here)

By Morgan Sturdivant

Posted: Wed 7:08 PM, Jun 19, 2019

Part One: Fighting Lyme Disease

HERMON, Maine (WABI) – “For me, the month of May is awareness month and I will fight to my death to get awareness.”

Every day last month Regina Leonard posted something on Facebook about Lyme Disease.

“To get people to acknowledge it.”

She knows first hand the havoc the tick-borne illness can cause someone.

“It was three years ago in the fall that I got a call from the teachers that Cooper was not feeling well and he had this random rash all over his body.”

“I immediately noticed that he had a rash on his face and he had raccoon eyes and it was all red and blotchy,” said Erica Hake, a teacher at Hermon Elementary School.

Cooper was six at the time. His teachers at Hermon Elementary School contacted Regina when they saw the rash and knew something wasn’t right.

“My heart sank. I was just really worried about Cooper,” said Hake.

“The fact that they caught it and called me meant the world.”

Regina immediately took Cooper to walk-in care.

“We literally saw the rash spread before our eyes at the doctor’s office. Within eight hours my kid couldn’t walk on his own. His hands were curled in like a paraplegic. He stuttered when he spoke. He just screamed and cried in pain and for the next two and a half weeks it was like that. I was really scared. There was a moment I really thought my kid was going to die,” said Regina.

“I remember things like waking up in the middle of the night and feeling sick and I remember when I first got it, throwing up in the trash can,” said Cooper.

One of the most alarming factors is the Leonards never saw a tick on Cooper.

“Never, ever did I think it was a tick. I didn’t find a tick on him. I do tick checks. I thought I was being thorough.”

It’s been a hard road for Cooper. They were only given two weeks worth of antibiotics. Regina says when their doctor said Coop was cured three years ago and they were still dealing with symptoms, they turned to a doctor in New Hampshire friends of theirs had success with.

“He’s a homeopathic but he works in an integrated health facility combined with holistic therapy in order to treat this. I left there completely in tears because I felt like we had answers, I was listened to and that he was going to get some help.”

“I think it’s just quite devastating and quite unbelievable in this day in age that we don’t have a better handle on this,” said Constance “Happy” Dickey.

Happy Dickey is an RN and a past president of the non-profit, MaineLyme. She’s also had to pay out of pocket for her own Lyme Disease treatment.

“The treatment is treat the patient. If the patient is getting better continue treatment if the patient isn’t responding change it up and do something else.”

Happy, along with the other members of Maine Lyme, began working to educate others about Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses in 2010. She says while more and more people are becoming aware of the damage ticks can do, many are still not taking critical precautions at a time when the tick population is growing in Maine.

“This is an epidemic. And we need to prevent people, help people prevent illness and we’re just not doing it. I shouldn’t have to do this. This should be coming from the CDC. This should be part of the doctor’s tool box and it’s not. It’s pretty devastating.”

For Regina, she says when she found out her dog, Lionel had Lyme it was easier to treat and cure him than her son. Now, she says they’re hoping for a break from the medications and from the bills.

“Not only for Cooper to get a break but for the wallet because it’s been really expensive to pay for this out of pocket.”

She says it was worth every penny but hopes their story will possibly prevent other families from going down the same road.

“I’d like to gather every single tick and then cover the bucket in gasoline, light it on fire then put some dynamite next to it,” said Cooper.

_________________

**Comment**

Thank God for astute teachers!

“Happy” Dicky’s statement is too logical for mainstream medicine:

“The treatment is treat the patient. If the patient is getting better continue treatment if the patient isn’t responding change it up and do something else.”

You know things are bad when your dog gets better treatment than you do…

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Ticks

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Can Therapeutic Peptides Revolutionize the Future of Precision Medicine?

June 22, 2019

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-therapeutic-peptides-revolutionize-future-jill-c-carnahan-md/

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Can Therapeutic Peptides Revolutionize the Future of Precision Medicine?

Published on June 20, 2019

Jill C. Carnahan, MD

Founder, Medical Director, Flatiron FunctionalMedicine

By late 2018, it was estimated that 17 million people have had their DNA analyzed by companies like 23andMe and Ancestry. And that number is expected to grow by at least a million every month. You might even know someone who has done one. And you might be wondering: What’s the point?

The truth is, big questions need big data. DNA repositories are now getting so big that the information gained from them can be used in ways we thought we’d only see in science fiction movies just decades ago. And one of the most undeniably significant applications of this data is precision medicine.

Humans are incredibly complex beings — but until recently, modern medicine has treated every patient as if they were one and the same. Doctors had no idea who would benefit from certain drugs, who was at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, or even seemingly trivial things like who would go bald. While we certainly have a long way to go in terms of personalizing medicine for each and every patient, recent research suggests that therapeutic peptides could pave the way.

Peptide therapy has been gaining great interest and popularity in recent years as a novel approach to slow down aging and treat diseases. In this article, we’ll discuss what peptide therapy is and how it might benefit your health.

What are Peptides?

Peptides can be thought of as small proteins (less than 50 amino acids long) that typically act as highly specific signaling molecules in many crucial functions in our bodies, including hormone production, cell signaling, and cell-to-cell communication.

Peptides often have attractive properties and pharmacological profiles that make them highly desirable as starting points for drug design and development. There are several advantages of using these small receptor-binding molecules as therapeutics, a few of which are:

Low toxicity
High chemical and biological diversity
High potency and specificity
Good efficacy, safety, and tolerability
Broad range of targets
Low accumulation in tissues

But perhaps the biggest advantage of therapeutic peptides is the fact that they are amenable to rational design. Therapeutic peptides can be designed to be involved in virtually any cellular process. This means that they can be designed to block interactions of proteins as long as enough of the sequence of the target site is known and conditions allow for the peptide to bind it.

Owing to these advantages as well the rapid developments in proteomics and bioinformatics, more than 7,000 naturally-occurring peptides have been identified, and the global peptide therapeutics market is expected to reach over $50 billion by 2024.

But why has it taken so long for peptides to be as well known as they are today? The idea of using peptides for drug design was largely ignored by pharmaceutical companies due to several intrinsic weaknesses, such as :

Poor chemical and physical stability
Small size, which makes them vulnerable to degradation
Prone to hydrolysis and oxidation
Tendency for aggregation
Short half-life, fast elimination
Low oral bioavailability
Low membrane permeability
Higher production costs

Because of these weaknesses, naturally-occurring peptides are not directly suitable for use as therapeutics. However, thanks to recent advances in technology, numerous improvements have been made to the stability, transport, oral availability, and affinity profiles of peptides. These changes have renewed interest in peptides as potential therapeutic drugs.

What Conditions Can Peptides Therapy Treat?

Peptides can be used to treat a wide range of illnesses. The list of potential conditions that can benefit from peptides is nearly endless, but here are just a few:

Insomnia
Inflammation
Cancer
Lyme disease
Dementia
Mold-related illness
Joint injury
HIV and chronic infections (HBV, HCV, CMV, etc.)
Inflammatory bowel disease
TBI
Neurodegenerative conditions (Parkinson’s, MS, etc.)
Erectile dysfunction, low libido
Fibromyalgia
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

What Types of Peptide Therapy are Available?

Thymosins

The thymus gland is located behind your breastbone and between your lungs. Although it’s only active until puberty, it nevertheless plays a crucial role in the development of the immune system and in protecting the body against autoimmunity, a state in which the body’s immune system turns on itself. It is responsible for producing and secreting a hormone called thymosin, which stimulates the development of white blood cells called T-lymphocytes or T cells. For their roles in regulating the immune system, thymosins (also known as thymic peptides) are referred to as immune-modulatory peptides.

There are two thymic peptides commonly used in peptide therapy: Thymosin alpha 1 (Tɑ1) and thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4). Both of these peptides have been shown to have important clinical applications, such as in modulating immune responses, neuroplasticity, blood vessel formation, etc.

Let’s take a closer look at Tɑ1 and Tβ4.

Thymosin Alpha 1 (Tɑ1)

Thymosin alpha 1 is a naturally-produced peptide of 28 amino acids that can enhance the body’s ability to recognize and respond to foreign invaders. At the cellular level, Tɑ1 interacts with proteins called Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs), and it is the interaction with TLRs on dendritic cells and precursor T cells that results in immune-stimulating effects, including:

Increased natural killer cell activity
Increased expression of TH1-type cytokines
Increased levels of cytotoxic T cells
Reduced apoptosis of immune cells
A shift of T helper cells to Type 1 T helper (TH1) cells
Activation of dendritic cells

Studies show that immune dysregulation and/or immunosenescence (gradual deterioration of the immune system associated with age) results in an imbalance of TH1 and TH2. TH1 and TH2 cells secrete proteins called cytokines that exhibit protective effects. TH1 cells produce interferon (IFN) -g and interleukin (IL)-2 which tend to be pro-inflammatory, while TH2 cells produce IL-4, IL-5, Il-6, IL-10, and IL-13 which are anti-inflammatory.

TH1 and TH2 cells produce also differ in the types of immune responses they produce. TH1 cells typically deal with pathogens that get inside cells, such as bacteria and viruses. On the other hand, TH2 cells parasites that attack from outside the cells as well as toxins and allergens.

Both sides need to work together to have a well-balanced immune system. Neither should be in a dominant position. However, in some people, there is a prolonged period of time in which either TH1 or TH2 dominance occurs, leading to health problems. In particular, an increase in TH2 relative to TH1 has been linked to:

Depression
Insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes
Chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia
Autoimmune disease
Chronic infections (including Lyme, viruses, parasites)
Oxidative stress
Alterations in gut microbiota (i.e., dysbiosis)
Food allergies
Changes in sex hormone levels
Zinc and other mineral deficiencies
Cancer

This is one of the most significant clinical applications of Tɑ1. As an immunomodulator, Tɑ1 restores balance to the body by increasing TH1 and decreasing TH2, thus breaking the cycle of immune dysfunction so often found in these illnesses.

Several clinical studies have shown that Tɑ1 can benefit a broad range of conditions, some of which include:

Due to the success of these clinical trials, drugs containing Tɑ1 have been approved for clinical use in over 35 countries (including the U.S.) and have had very few reports of adverse effects so far.

Thymosin Beta 4 (Tꞵ4)

Thymosin beta 4 is also produced in the thymus gland and is also the predominant form of thymosin in the human body. This means it can be found in all human cells, although it is typically found in high concentrations in wound tissue and in certain blood cells involved in wound healing.

Despite being a peptide of only 43 amino acids, Tꞵ4 is involved in modulating a wide range of regenerative activities. When the wound healing process begins, Tꞵ4 aids in:

Promoting formation of new blood vessels to the injured area which carry essential reparative substances
Increasing “good” inflammation that can help the wound heal faster
Increasing the amount of cell-building proteins such as actin
Restoring tissue structure and metabolism
Promoting hair growth
Reducing acute/chronic pain

From its anti-inflammatory properties, it’s easy to see why Tꞵ4 has such a huge potential in terms of clinical applications. So far, it has shown to be effective in several injury models, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, a model of multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and cardiac damage resulting from reduced blood flow.

BPC 157

Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 is a synthetic, partial sequence of body protection compound (BPC), a protein that is naturally produced in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But the effects of BPC 157 extend beyond the GI tract – studies have also revealed that it has influences on:

Tissue repair
Formation of new blood vessels
Maintenance of gut mucosal integrity
Decreasing inflammatory mediators
Growth rates
Improving digestive function
Traumatic brain injury
Protecting the liver from toxins

The mechanism of BPC 157 is not yet fully understood. Some studies suggest that the peptide may be involved in the activation and regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), enhancement of the growth hormone receptor expression, and the FAK-paxillin pathway.

Like the other peptides we’ve discussed, BPC 157 has great potential for use in many chronic diseases like HIV, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune diseases. However, a majority of studies investigating BPC 157 have been done only in animal models, which do not always accurately predict effects in humans.

Cerebrolysin

Cerebrolysin is a nootropic, a synthetic drug that may enhance cognitive functions, such as memory, creativity, and motivation. Rather than being a single peptide, Cerebrolysin is a mixture of very small peptides derived from brains of pigs. The small size of Cerebrolysin means it can cross the blood-brain and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers and directly act on the central and peripheral neurons.

The clinical value of Cerebrolysin comes from its neuroprotective effects. It has been shown to be effective when used for:

Dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment
Recovery after a stroke
Traumatic brain injury, concussion
Spinal cord injury
ADHD
Treatment-resistant depression

Studies have indicated that Cerebrolysin is safe in humans for short-term use (up to 3 years). However, it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What Does the Future Look Like for Peptide Therapy?

As we make advancements toward precision medicine, peptide therapy provides an innovative way to deliver highly potent and cost-effective medicine. Researchers continue to expand the number of peptide-addressable targets for which there are no drugs available, which simply indicate the nearly endless opportunities for new peptide therapeutics.

Now that we’ve discussed a bit about peptide therapy, it’s time to hear from you. Do you have any experience with therapeutic peptides? What are your thoughts about their future in medicine? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5216031/

https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/4600544/global-peptide-therapeutics-market-dosage-price

http://www.jneuropsychiatry.org/peer-review/the-significance-of-proinflammatory-cytokines-and-th1-th2-balance-in-depression-and-action-of-antidepressants.html

https://cvi.asm.org/content/6/3/306

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3018761/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/2018/3985154/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9200929

http://www.jimmunol.org/content/176/5/2765

http://www.hnykdxxb.com/PDF/201710/21.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2901354/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454441/