Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis refers to the condition where the normal healthy population of beneficial bacteria in the intestines has been disrupted, leaving it open to the overgrowth of yeast, fungi, parasites and potentially harmful strains of bacteria.

Dysbiosis has a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, allergies, food sensitivities, and environmental sensitivities just to name a few.

The largest cause of dysbiosis is the use of antibiotics.  Antibiotics have one purpose, to kill bacteria.  This is a good thing when you have a bacterial infection, but the problem arises when the antibiotics also kill the good bacteria, also known as your normal flora.  The normal flora has many functions.  They produce B vitamins, Vitamin K, and natural antibiotics, as well as defend from harmful bacteria, yeast and parasites.

When your flora has been compromised you will get an increase in the amount of the yeast and bad bacteria.  This is why some women get vaginal yeast infections when they take antibiotics.  You have normal vaginal flora as well, which are killed when you take the antibiotics, allowing the yeast to flourish. However, your intestines usually don’t give you such obvious symptoms.

This imbalance of the gut ecology allows the bad organisms to produce what are called endotoxins.  These endotoxins are basically feces of the bad organisms.  Your body will absorb these endotoxins, which will have to be detoxified by your liver.  This increases the burden on your liver, which can be a contributing factor to your toxicity levels.  This is why the number of bowel movements you have is so important.  You should have a bowel movement after every meal, usually within a half an hour.  If you don’t, the feces sit in you and you continually absorb the toxins in it.

It has been discovered that your mitochondria (the energy producing part of the cell) were once bacteria.  Since they were bacteria they can be easily damaged by the use of antibiotics, causing a decrease in energy production.  In nature bacteria compete with one another by producing substances (toxins) that will damage or inhibit other bacteria.  When you have dysbiosis the toxins produced by the bad organisms will also inhibit mitochondria function.  This is the relationship between antibiotic use and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Poor gut ecology can affect you hormonally as well.  When you detoxify your estrogen through the liver, it is conjugated into an excretable form.  It then passes through the kidneys, or it is placed in the bile where it is excreted through the bowel.  If you have dysbiosis you will produce an enzyme called Beta-Glucoronidase.  This enzyme deconjugates the estrogen back into its original form, which is then reabsorbed, increasing your estrogen levels.  The more estrogen you’re exposed to in your lifetime, the greater chance of breast and reproductive cancers

The dysbiosis can cause the permeability of your intestines to increase (leaky gut syndrome).  This will allow larger food molecules (greater then 3 amino acids long) to pass through the intestines.  These molecules are considered foreign to the body.  Your body will then have an immune reaction to them.  Because two thirds of your immune system is located in your gut (gut associated lymphoid tissue and mucosal associated lymphoid tissue), this will stress your immune system, which can cause it to become overactive leading to environmental sensitivities, food sensitivities and even autoimmune disorders.  This constant assault will slowly deplete your immune system making you more susceptible to infections and even cancer.

This is an epidemic in our society and it should be addressed before anything else.  If you don’t address this problem you will be chasing your tail on your journey to optimal health.  If you suspect you have this problem click here to download a screening questionnaire.

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