Throughout school and life, we have been taught that bacteria are bad (eww, germs!). This actually is not the case. We live with over a trillion bacteria in our G.I. system (aka gut), which create a symbiotic homeostasis.
At Evoke 5 Medical Center, we talk a lot about gut health and the importance of healthy bacteria in the gut.
The whole purpose of bacteria in the gut is to clean decaying material, help to break down food, and detoxify our bodies from metals and chemicals in our environment. The bacteria in our gut can also help regulate our mood, our sleep, our pain, our genetics, our metabolic function, and improve detoxification.
New research also reveals that bacteria have internal clocks that align with our 24-hour cycle of life. Drinking at least 16 ounces of water each morning can help “wake up” the bacteria in your gut.
We can think about bacteria being a protective barrier to our bodies, and working in a symbiotic way to detoxify our system. But when toxins damage tissue, microorganisms can change in response to these damaged tissues. In other words, “pathogenic” (disease-causing) microorganisms are there because of the environment.
Common Chemicals We’re Exposed To
There are thousands of chemicals and toxins that our bodies respond to negatively, including some in the news recently like glyphosate, which is present in Roundup and other pesticide products. Below are some of the major chemicals that we see most commonly:
- Glyphosate: broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant
- O-Xylene: toxic industrial solvent
- Diesel exhaust particles: hydrocarbons from C10-C28
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB): found in electrical equipment, paints, plastics and wall coverings
- BPA (Bisphenol A): plastics
- Adipic Acid: used in manufacturing (nylon, polyester, PVC, etc.)
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA): industrial toxins
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS): chemical used in cleaning products, paints, paper and textiles
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): chemical and detergents, dyes, nonstick cookware, and water-resistant carpet and fabrics
- Polyethylene: chemical in food and liquid containers
- Polymethylpentene: coating and food containers
- Polypropylene: chemical in plastic food containers
- Polystyrene: plastic used in many consumer goods
- 1,2,5,6,9,10-Hexabromocyclosdodecane: flame retardant
- Isopropanol: solvent (chemical intermediate)
Glyphosate’s impact on our microbiome can be very detrimental. In vitro studies have shown that highly pathogenic species of bacteria, such as salmonella, typhimurium and Clostridium, are highly resistant to glyphosate. On the other hand, beneficial bacteria like species of enterococcus, Bacillus, bifidobacterium and lactobacillus were found to be moderate to highly susceptible. (Curr Microbiol. 2013 Apr;66(4):350-8).
At Evoke 5, we offer toxin testing and all-natural detox protocols to help balance the harmful effects of the everyday toxins that surround us.
Building Up Bacteria to Break Down Toxins
The bacteria in our gut have an important role to play in breaking down the toxins introduced by our environment. We can support healthy gut bacteria with probiotics, which help build vitamins and enzymes. Enzymes built by the probiotics help to break down toxins in the gut. Each microbe will make different enzymes to break down different toxins.
Many studies have shown that certain species of normal gut flora bacteria can help detoxify from certain toxins that are ingested. Species of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus have been found in animal research to help the body detoxify by reducing the intestinal absorption of bisphenol A (Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008 Jun;72(6):1409-15).
Certain lactobacillus species can help find and sequester heavy metals to their cell surfaces, removing them through bowel movements. Cadmium and lead have also been shown in studies to be removed by species of lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (Biomacromolecules. Jul-Aug 2002;3(4):880-4).
Some studies with species of lactobacillus were shown to be able to bind and remove arsenic from water. Also, certain species of lactobacillus have been shown to protect against aluminum toxicity in mice, possibly by reducing intestinal aluminum absorption and tissue accumulation and ameliorating liver damage, kidney, and brain oxidative stress.
Certain probiotics of lactobacillus have also been shown to reduce pesticide absorption. This protection from pesticides was shown to decrease the cytotoxic effect of these toxins on human cells (Adv Pharm Bull. 2016 Jun; 6(2): 201-210). Many lactobacillus species have also been shown to be protective from mycotoxins (Molecules. 2020 Jun; 25(11): 2655).
As you can see, there are many benefits of bacteria throughout our G.I. system. You can also see how taking antibiotics over and over as a child can be problematic for long-term health and toxin overload. Many of our children play sports on fields that get sprayed with pesticides and chemicals many times a year. Many of our children go to schools that have had water damage and mold overgrowth with poor treatment. Many of our children live in cities where air pollution can determine whether or not they play outside that day. And many of our kids live in communities where the quality of water, an essential component to life, is poisoned.
Detoxifying with Probiotics
These are things that we can work on changing over time to make our environment a better place to live. But in the meantime, we need to be proactive about our health and detoxifying our bodies. Part of this is as easy as taking a probiotic daily. For many of my patients, I recommend probiotic and binder supplements, like CT-Spore (a probiotic) and ViRadChem (a binder).
Before detoxifying, I work with my patients to support their drainage pathways and make sure their bowels are moving, so that toxins can be eliminated from the body effectively. This usually involves a three- to four-week pre-detox protocol, including supplements like KL Support, Advanced TUDCA, LymphActiv, and Bowel Mover.
If you are interested in learning more about detoxifying your system and improving your gut health, please get in touch with us at Evoke 5.