Lesson #4 - Endotoxin - A Common Cause of Chronic Disease and Premature Aging
(This is approximately a 5 min read)
In this lesson, I would like to introduce you to something most people haven’t heard about, and yet, it is a major cause of multiple chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory conditions affecting the digestive tract, the arteries, the joints as well as those autoimmune in nature, including rheumatoid arthritis.
It Is called endotoxin.
The preface “endo” means within. It is a sort of a toxin occurring from within. It comes from bacteria present within the human body.
Endotoxin refers to a category of molecules consisting of a combination of lipids and carbohydrates that stick out of the outer wall of certain bacteria. It is also called lipopolysaccharide (“lipo” refers to lipid, and “saccharide” refers to carbohydrates), or LPS for short.
Bacteria typically have a protective wall, and a certain category of bacteria (those classified as something called “gram negative” in the science world) has lipopolysaccharides (LPS) sticking out of its wall.
When LPS are dislodged from these bacteria, they can damage various cells, organs, and systems in the body, resulting in inflammation of these organs and systems.
While LPS can come from bacteria that cause respiratory tract infections or those that cause gingivitis, the most common source for the chronic presence of endotoxin is from bacteria in the small intestines.
We have more bacteria in the digestive tract than cells in the body. However, those bacteria are supposed to remain only in the large intestines. The large intestines also happen to
Bacteria typically have a protective wall, and a certain category of bacteria (those classified as something called “gram negative” in the science world) has lipopolysaccharides (LPS) sticking out of its wall.
When LPS are dislodged from these bacteria, they can damage various cells, organs, and systems in the body, resulting in inflammation of these organs and systems.
While LPS can come from bacteria that cause respiratory tract infections or those that cause gingivitis, the most common source for the chronic presence of endotoxin is from bacteria in the small intestines.
We have more bacteria in the digestive tract than cells in the body. However, those bacteria are supposed to remain only in the large intestines. The large intestines also happen to be impermeable (nothing can be absorbed through it). The small intestine, on the other hand, is both permeable (so that the food we eat can be absorbed through it) and sterile (meaning devoid of bacteria).
be impermeable (nothing can be absorbed through it). The small intestine, on the other hand, is both permeable (so that the food we eat can be absorbed through it) and sterile (meaning devoid of bacteria).
Under certain circumstances, bacteria move from the large intestine into the small intestine, where its LPS can be dislodged, travel through the lining of the permeable small intestine into the body, and further travel into the blood vessels to all the body organs and systems, where it can contribute to inflammation.
The effect of iron in the blood on bacteria that harbours LPS is particulary dangerous.
According to this study, iron activates the bacteria, no matter where it comes from (respiratory, oral, or intestinal) to release LPS (endotoxin), and this could result in any of the diseases mentioned earlier. This is another reminder to watch out for excess iron.
What causes bacteria to move from the large intestine to the small intestine (where its endotoxin can actually cross the GI lining into the blood)?
If bacteria were to remain in the large intestine, this wouldn’t be an issue because the impermeable nature of the large intestine would prevent endotoxins from penetrating the body.
There are two primary causes of the movement of bacteria from the large intestine to the small intestine.
The first cause is stress.
This can be any type of stressor, as long as the body perceives it as stress.
For example:
- The overbearing, prolonged difficult situation in life;
- “Chemical” stressors too (like PUFA and iron);
- Physical stressors like strenuous physical activity.
Stress makes the small intestine even more permeable and allows further absorption of endotoxins.
The second cause of the movement of bacteria from the large intestine to the small intestine is low thyroid function. It so happens that stress is the main cause of low thyroid function.
The intestines are always contracting and relaxing, a factor that keeps the bacteria in the large intestines. Low thyroid function makes the gastrointestinal tract sluggish, allowing bacteria to move from the large intestine to the small intestine
How do you know if you are affected by endotoxins?
Because endotoxins are “off the radar” as a popular cause of disease, tests to detect it are not very common.
There are a couple of blood tests that can be done through specialty labs. Most accessible currently is the serum Zonulin test. Zonulin is a human protein that is involved in repairng overly permeable intestines. It is a home test kit and can be ordered through practitiioners.
If the case is especially bad, there may be higher levels of methane and hydrogen in the breath. Some practitioners use instruments such as the Quintron breath analyzer to detect excess methane and hydrogen.
Significant endotoxins may be associated with symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort, such as bloating, pain, constipation, or diarrhea.
Very often, endotoxisn are present to some degree in the chronic conditions I mentioned earlier, even when gastrointestinal discomfomfort is insignificant.
What can you do if endotoxins are suspected?
I will mention a few possible things to do but keep in mind, none constitutes treatment. Any treatment would require a thorough understanding of the person’s situation and medical history.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are often prescribed to overcome respiratory bacterial infections.
Some doctors find that prescribing certain types of antibiotics for inflammatory bowel diseases and autoimmune conditions associated with bacterial endotoxins, sometimes helps significantly ameliorate those conditions.
Caution with probiotics
Excessive endotoxins are often associated with gastrointestinal discomfort. Probiotic supplements are often recommended for gastrointestinal issues. Probiotics are referred to as “friendly” bacteria and are recommended because it is believed that populating the gut with “friendly” bacteria will displace “bad” bacteria. However, there are many strains of bacteria, and different probiotic supplements contain different strains. Sometimes, too much “good bacteria” can become a
Excessive endotoxins are often associated with gastrointestinal discomfort. Probiotic supplements are often recommended for gastrointestinal issues. Probiotics are referred to as “friendly” bacteria and are recommended because it is believed that populating the gut with “friendly” bacteria will displace “bad” bacteria. However, there are many strains of bacteria, and different probiotic supplements contain different strains. Sometimes, too much “good bacteria” can become a bad thing. It is often unknown how introducing cetain types of “good” bacteria affect the overall bacterial makeup of the small intestine and may backfire, contributing to more endotoxins.
bad thing. It is often unknown how introducing cetain types of “good” bacteria affect the overall bacterial makeup of the small intestine and may backfire, contributing to more endotoxins.
If you were to use probiotics, ask for help to choose strains that have been researched and shown to help reduce endotoxins. A strain called B. Coagulans is one such example. It is best to speak to a knowledgeable health practitioenr or health advisor before taking any probiotics.
Flush it out
Alleviating constipation when present, or using healthy strategies to increase the number of healthy bowel movements, may help reduce the amount of bacteria in the small intestine.
Doing this safely requires taking steps to improve thyroid function (as a way to improve intestinal motility), and/or the temporary use of non-stimulant laxatives (like fenuegreek).
A word about low thyroid function
Blood tests that evaluate thyroid function have accuracy issues and usually identify advanced cases of low thyroid situations but fail to capture milder situations. Because the thyroid is involved in the initiation of energy generation in our cells, reduced function results in reduced energy generation and associated health issues. Pay attention to related symptoms such as fatigue, cold hands and feet, low metabolism, sluggish bowels, and hair loss. These are classic signes of low thyroid function. A very simple and relaiable test is to check your temerature. A temperature lower than 36.5C or 97.7 F is indicative of low function, and the lower the temperature, the worse the condition.
Even people with low function who are treated by the comon thyroid medication, L-thryoxine, may still experience symptoms of low thyroid function. L-thyroxine is a lab-made form of the lesser active form of the thyroid hormone (T4).
In such cases, I recommend clients to consider using T3, the active form of the hormone to treat the condition more successfully. I also help them identify and deal with underlying factors that contribute to low function to begin with.
Don’t feed the bacteria.
When endotoxins and their negative effects are suspected, one way to lessen the bacterial load in the small intestine is to reduce its food supply. One such strategy may be counterintuitive to what is often promoted for gut health - consuming lots of raw fiber. Bacteria uses raw fiber as a source of food and can thrive on it and multiply.
Eating easy-to-digest foods with less fiber, on the other hand, maybe helpful. For example, a
When endotoxins and their negative effects are suspected, one way to lessen the bacterial load in the small intestine is to reduce its food supply. One such strategy may be counterintuitive to what is often promoted for gut health - consuming lots of raw fiber. Bacteria uses raw fiber as a source of food and can thrive on it and multiply.
Eating easy-to-digest foods with less fiber, on the other hand, maybe helpful. For example, a serving of ripe melon may serve you better than a serving of raw broccoli. This is because the melon is digested and absorbed more quickly, whereas the raw broccoli with its larger fiber content remains in the intestines longer, where bacteria can feed on the fiber multiply, and become more numerous.
serving of ripe melon may serve you better than a serving of raw broccoli. This is because the melon is digested and absorbed more quickly, whereas the raw broccoli with its larger fiber content remains in the intestines longer, where bacteria can feed on the fiber multiply, and become more numerous.
Another common source of bacteria-feeding food that may increase the presence and effect of endotoxins is food emulsifiers. These are things such as gums and carrageenan, fibrous substances added to dairy products to make them creamy, as well as in non-dairy milk substitutes and other foods.
Natural mild antibiotic salad
The raw vegetable I do often recommend daily is carrot, in the form of raw carrot salad. If you leave carrots out on the counter or in the fridge for a long time, you’d notice it is slow to spoil because of the natural antimicrobial compounds it contains. You can make a shredded carrot salad with a dressing consisting of a mix of 1 tbsp. of vinegar and a tsp. of olive oil, coconut oil, and some salt. Vinegar and coconut oil also have mild antibiotic properties.
Now that you know about endotoxins, their potential for harm, and the need to limit their presence, let’s explore other concepts as we move on to the next lesson.
