Acid Reflux, Heartburn & Fatigue? H. Pylori Could Be the Culprit.
If you’re someone with a diverse collection of symptoms that most doctors can’t seem to help, consider turning your attention towards your gut. Many medical mysteries can benefit from some health detective work focused on digestive function. H. pylori infection is very common and often overlooked, especially when you don’t have digestive issues, but could it be the culprit behind your symptoms?
What is H. Pylori & What are the Symptoms?
Helicobacter pylori is a type of bacteria which can reside in the stomach and duodenum. It has a rod-like, helix shape which allows it to burrow deep into the lining. The stomach is a very acidic environment, and to survive H. Pylori releases an enzyme called urease which turns urea into ammonia, neutralizing the gastric juices around the bacteria. Normally your body would send immune cells to attack and kill bacterial invaders, but immune cells can’t burrow into the lining of the stomach.
H. pylori burrows deep into the stomach to inflame the mucosal lining and slow down the activity of the parietal cells which produce stomach acid. H. pylori is well known for causing gastritis, ulcers, and heartburn, but can also cause a variety of seemingly unrelated symptoms through the reduction of stomach acid. Stomach acid is extremely important for digestive and overall health because it’s the primary line of defense against pathogens entering the intestines. Adequate stomach acid is also needed to properly digest food, particularly protein. Without proper protein digestion, it’s hard to absorb critical nutrients.
More than 50% of the population is infected with this bacteria which can be contracted by kissing or sharing drinks/utensils with someone who’s already infected. While some silently house H. pylori, others share the following symptoms: burping, feeling bloated, abdominal pain when hungry, nausea, heartburn, fever, lack of appetite, unexplained weight loss, anemia, and blood in the stools. An H. pylori infection can cause peptic ulcers, gastritis, and GERD symptoms; 98% of people who get gastric cancer, the most prevalent form of cancer, had an H. pylori infection.
How to Address H. Pylori Naturally
H. pylori infection is usually acquired during childhood, although the exact means of acquisition is not always clear. Researchers aren't sure how H. pylori spreads, but possibilities include unclean food and water, or through contact with an infected person's saliva and other body fluids. The best way to combat the bacteria is to practice good hygiene by washing your hands frequently, drinking clean water, and preparing food properly.
There are four ways to test for H. pylori: breath test, blood test, stomach biopsy, and stool test. The conventional way to treat H. pylori is antibiotic therapy, but antibiotics are not 100% effective due to antibiotic resistance and because H. pylori burrows deep into the stomach lining and forms a protective shield, a biofilm from the body’s own biological materials. Antibiotics will also annihilate your good bacteria, so they may be considered a last resort.
While diet is not a major factor in the eradication of H. pylori, some foods can irritate symptoms, such as coffee, carbonated beverages, and pickled or spicy foods. Because it lowers stomach acid as the first line of defense against pathogens, it can be accompanied by other gut infections, such as candida, parasites, and SIBO, so it’s best to test for a variety of gut bugs. Natural herbal protocols to address H. pylori include sulfurophane (found in broccoli sprouts), matula tea, mastic gum, bismuth, zinc carnosine, and turmeric. Like other gut infections, it’s a complicated condition to rebalance, so working with a trained functional medicine practitioner is always recommended.
Many people may not know they have it in their body, but when H. pylori colonizes, it changes the environment of your stomach, making it less acidic and more inhabitable to some bad bugs which can lead to various gut related issues. People will have different symptoms of gut infections, some of which seem completely unrelated to the gut, so if you suspect something is off, then let’s get down to the root cause and get you feeling better today!