Category Archives: Ulcerative colitis

Colostrum Plus, Oxy-Powder, Saccharomyces boulardii, Ulcerative colitis, Ulcerative colitis treatment

Tackling ulcerative colitis: the role of probiotics and supplements

For many of us, mercifully, an upset tummy – or unhappy digestive system – isn’t a regular occurrence and more an uncomfortable irritation that sets us back a little when it occurs. For others, however, it’s a far bigger deal; it can be an unpleasant, painful and frequent experience that leaves them feeling debilitated on a regular basis. In some cases, such people may be suffering from what’s known as ulcerative colitis (UC), which on occasions, along with the different but related Crohn’s disease, is referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)1.

Symptoms-wise, ulcerative colitis is far from fun. Recurring diarrhoea, possibly containing blood, mucus or pus, as well as abdominal pain and the urge to empty your bowels more than you’d wish are very common; sometimes people suffer heavy fatigue and appetite and weight loss too1. Why do these things happen? Well, Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition (its symptoms can be very frequent but equally not, as it goes into remission and comes back).

It’s caused by the colon (the gut or small intestine) and the rectum become inflamed. This sees small ulcers forming on the lining of the colon, which often bleed and produce pus1. The reasons why this happens are debated by experts, but it’s commonly held that the condition’s autoimmune-related – the thinking goes that the immune system confuses harmless bacteria in the gut for harmful organisms and, thus, attacks the colon’s tissue1.

Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

Owing to the relatively widespread nature of UC – there’s a reported 900,000 sufferers in the United States alone2 – treatment for the condition is nowadays available in all different kinds, shapes and sizes. Some of these forms of treatment are pretty obvious; others less so. Here are those worthy of note:

  •  Medication – as you’d expect, prescribed drugs are one of the most prevalent UC treatments and often they’re corticosteroids, but it depends on the condition’s severity and how the sufferer responds; in fact, after a year’s worth of medication treatment, around one third (30%) of patients experience remission3,
  •  Surgery – for non-responsive sufferers, surgery is common and may involve two- or three-stage procedures; indeed, recent research suggests that three-stage surgery may not actually be as safe as was originally believed
  •  Acupuncture – moxibustion (heating an acupuncture site) in addition to treatment via a traditional UC drug has apparently shown good results of late, while a study found that use of the Kuijiening plaster, again in addition to medication, appears to be better than taking the medication on its own
  •  Probiotics and other supplements – finally, naturally-derived supplementation is gaining more and more attention as a UC treatment8 and rightly so, as results of probiotics and other ulcerative colitis supplements look favorable9; the following, as well as many more, are all available viaThe Finchley Clinic and come highly advised among our customers for promoting improved bowel health and treating the symptoms of ulcerative colitis:

Saccharomyces boulardiiSaccharomyces Boulardii – a probiotic that may support good bowel health, comfort and function; also recognised as the number one probiotic for managing diarrhoea.

 

Oxy Powder 120 capsulesOxy-Powder – designed for optimum colon health via helping to cleanse and oxygenate the intestines.

 

Colostrum PlusColostrum Plus – a supplement that promotes digestive health, tackles inflammatory problems and supports the immune system.

 

References:

1. ‘Ulcerative colitis’. NHS Choices. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ulcerative-colitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Last reviewed: 17 Mar 2016.

2. Manfred E. ‘True Stories: Living with Ulcerative Colitis’. Health Line. http://www.healthline.com/health/ulcerative-colitis-take-control-true-stories. Last reviewed: 15 Feb 2017.

3. Mehta S. J., Silver A. R. and Lindsay J. O. ‘Review article: strategies for the management of chronic unremitting ulcerative colitis’. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 38 (2): 77-97. doi: 10.1111/apt.12345. July 2013.

4. Reinisch W., Sandborn W. J., Panaccione R., Huang B., Pollack P. F., Lazar A. and Thakkar R. B. ‘52-week efficacy of adalimumab in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who failed corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants’. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 19 (8): 1700-9. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0b013e318281f2b7. July 2013.

5. Hicks C. W., Hodin R. A. and Bordeianou L. ‘Possible overuse of 3-stage procedures for active ulcerative colitis’. JAMA Surg. 148 (7): 658-64. doi: 10.1001/2013.jamasurg.325. July 2013.

6. Zhang L. C., Zhang S., Zhong W., Long J. X., Li X. N. and Chen L. S. ‘Observation on clinical effect of ZHUANG medicine mediated thread moxibustion combined with medication for patients with ulcerative colitis’. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 38 (5): 399-402. Oct 2013.

7. Huang L., Cai Z., Zhu Y. and Wan H. ‘Treatment of ulcerative colitis with spleen and kidney yang deficiency by kuijiening plaster: a randomized controlled study’. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 33 (7): 577-81. July 2013.

8. Kruis W. ‘Probiotics’. Dig Dis. 31 (3-4): 385-7. doi: 10.1159/000354706. 14 Nov 2013.

9. De Greef E., Vandenplas Y., Hauser B., Devreker T. and Veereman-Wauters G. ‘Probiotics and IBD’. Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 76 (1): 15-9. Mar 2013.

Colon cleansing, Oxy-Powder, Ulcerative colitis

From supplements to acupuncture: your options for ulcerative colitis treatment

For many, conditions affecting the digestive system and, in particular, the colons are something they don’t find easy to discuss or even face up to. However, such illnesses need to be taken seriously. For instance, within 10 years of their original diagnosis, almost one-third of those who suffer from an active form of ulcerative colitis require surgery for a colostomy1.

Treatment shouldn’t be taken lightly then for the likes of ulcerative colitis – a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which intermittently inflames and causes ulcers on the innermost wall of the colon. But equally, surgery is far from the only option; indeed, depending on the timing of diagnosis, there may be several other avenues to explore in treating the condition, not only to alleviate symptoms but hopefully to force it into remission.

Surgical treatment

As mentioned above, surgery for non-responsive patients may prove inevitable, especially if ulcerative colitis has unfortunately developed into colorectal cancer. Standard surgery comprises two stages, although recently some doctors have favoured a three-stage approach – however, research could suggest this latter approach may not be as safe as the former2, 3.

Pharmaceutical treatment

Long before it may be decided surgery’s the only course of action for an afflicted patient, though; drugs are commonly deployed to fight the condition. This, depending, of course, both on the condition’s severity and patient responsiveness, often involves corticosteroids. Often, through treatment of such drugs, nearly one-third of patients (30%) enter remission after one year4, 5.

Acupuncture treatment

It’s perhaps understandable that, when it comes to treating a condition like ulcerative colitis (which, if left unchecked, can get dramatically worse), some may be sniffy when the word acupuncture is mentioned; others may be downright against its suggestion at all. However, two relatively recent studies point to potentially positive results from acupuncture as ulcerative colitis treatment.

The first attested that, in addition to a drug commonly used for ulcerative colitis, the heating of an acupuncture site (otherwise known as moxibustion) lent patients suffering from mild to moderate symptoms ‘greater relief and symptom reduction’ than those who received the drug alone6. The second suggested that patients whom received (again in addition to a traditional drug) Kuijiening plaster – to treat the ulcerative colitis-related spleen-yang deficiency – enjoyed better results than those whom merely had the drug treatment7.

Supplement treatment

Finally, if studies suggest we should consider the positives of acupuncture in treating ulcerative colitis, then surely we ought also to take seriously research – and patient testimonials – that clearly state treatment through supplements and probiotics can pay dividends. With studies suggesting probiotic supplementation is favorable8, sufferers may consider Restore (for Gut Health), which promotes the strengthening of the tight-junction barrier in small and large gut membrane cells for an optimal gut environment,or the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii (a natural and safe supplement that scientific research has concluded helps provide bowel health, comfort and function – it’s also recognised as the number one probiotic for managing diarrhoea).

Oxy-Powder-capsules

This supplement is available directly through the Finchley Clinic, as are others that can help treat ulcerative colitis, such as Oxy-Powder (which promotes optimal colon health and aids in cleansing and oxygenating the intestines) and Colostrum Plus (which promotes digestive health, tackles inflammatory problems and supports the immune system). When trying supplements, of course, it should be noted that no person’s body is the same and so results can vary – but then so can most other forms of treatment. Evidently, when it comes to ulcerative colitis, depending on your diagnosis (and your doctor’s advice), there are many options of treatment available – certainly not just surgery.

 

 

 

References:

1 Nieminen U, Jussila A, Nordling S, Mustonen H, Färkkilä MA. Inflammation and disease duration have a cumulative effect on the risk of dysplasia and carcinoma in IBD: a case-control observational study based on registry data. Int J Cancer. 2014 Jan 1; 134 (1): 189-96. doi: 10.1002/ijc.28346.

2 Hicks CW, Hodin RA, Bordeianou L. Possible overuse of 3-stage procedures for active ulcerative colitis. JAMA Surg. 2013 Jul; 148 (7): 658-64. doi: 10.1001/2013.jamasurg.325.

3 Dayan B, Turner D. Role of surgery in severe ulcerative colitis in the era of medical rescue therapy. World J Gastroenterol. 2012 Aug 7; 18 (29): 3833-8. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i29.3833.

4 Mehta SJ, Silver AR, Lindsay JO. Review article: strategies for the management of chronic unremitting ulcerative colitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Jul; 38 (2): 77-97. doi: 10.1111/apt.12345.

5 Reinisch W, Sandborn WJ, Panaccione R, Huang B, Pollack PF, Lazar A, Thakkar RB. 52-week efficacy of adalimumab in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who failed corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2013 Jul; 19 (8): 1700-9. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0b013e318281f2b7.

6 Zhang LC, Zhang S, Zhong W, Long JX, Li XN, Chen LS. Observation on clinical effect of ZHUANG medicine mediated thread moxibustion combined with medication for patients with ulcerative colitis. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2013 Oct; 38 (5): 399-402.

7 Huang L, Cai Z, Zhu Y, Wan H. Treatment of ulcerative colitis with spleen and kidney yang deficiency by kuijiening plaster: a randomized controlled study. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2013 Jul; 33 (7): 577-81.

8 De Greef E, Vandenplas Y, Hauser B, Devreker T, Veereman-Wauters G. Probiotics and IBD. Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 2013 Mar; 76 (1): 15-9.