Multiple
Sclerosis and Bladder Infections
Bladder infections are a common
finding in MS and may be a big clue to the cause of the disorder.
As far as I know, bladder infections in adults are caused by present
day bacteria, not air pollution, not a lack of essential fatty
acids and not from milk drinking during your childhood -
the factors many researchers attribute to a cause of MS.
Probiotics,
which add beneficial bacteria to a person's intestinal tract,
have been shown to prevent urinary tract and vaginal infections.
Interestingly, probiotics also increase absorption of nutrients
like magnesium and the B vitamins, which have been shown to be
low in various studies of people with MS.
A lack of beneficial bacteria can
lead to an increase in harmful intestinal bacteria, which, besides
bladder infections, can cause intestinal gas and bloating.
Interestingly, intestinal
gas has been linked to MS, as have a wide variety of bowel
problems that share symptoms of those associated with an overgrowth
of harmful intestinal bacteria. Recent
studies recommend probiotics for treating irritable
bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by intestinal gas
and bloating. An overgrowth
of harmful intestinal bacteria can also cause pruritus,
a condition associated with multiple sclerosis.
Symptoms of MS often appear right
after people have had a cold or the flu -- a time when people
often get treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics wipe out
both the bad bacteria and the beneficial bacteria that people
need to absorb nutrients properly. If people do not eat
cultured food like yogurt or take probiotics
after antibiotic therapy, the beneficial bacteria that ideally
should be residing in their stomachs never get replaced, and
may allow less desirable bacteria to multiply and thrive.
Perhaps antibiotics wiping out beneficial bacteria play a role
in MS. Antibiotics are only
common in industrialized countries, where MS is also more common.
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