H. pylori is a troublesome infection that is often resistant to treatment. What foods and supplements might help support conventional therapy? Find out here.<\/p>\n
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H. pylori<\/em> is a dangerous species of bacteria that can infect the stomach and cause ulcers [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Standard antibiotic therapy for H. pylori<\/em> has an eradication success rate of under 60%, with several long-term side effects.<\/p>\n Nutritional and supplemental strategies may help support conventional antibiotic therapy. Some nutrients can lower the levels of bacterial colonization and improve symptoms of stomach damage<\/strong>. Nutrition can also enhance the efficacy of standard antibiotic treatment and simultaneously prevent antibiotic side effects [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In most cases, supplemental and nutritional therapies cannot permanently eradicate H. pylori<\/em><\/strong>. The best way to ensure that an infection with H. pylori<\/em> is resolved is to precisely follow your doctor\u2019s recommendations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n That being said, some foods and supplements have been associated with decreased H. pylori<\/em> load or improved response to conventional therapies. While we strongly recommend against using any of the strategies below in place of what your doctor recommends<\/strong>, some of them may be helpful alongside prescribed medication. Your doctor can help you determine which complementary strategies could be right for you.<\/p>\n In many clinical studies, the addition of certain<\/strong> probiotics<\/strong><\/a> to antibiotic therapy against H. pylori<\/em> improved overall efficacy and reduced negative gastrointestinal side effects<\/strong> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Use of the probiotics Lactobacillus<\/em>, Bifidobacterium<\/em>, and Saccharomyces <\/em>boulardii<\/em><\/a> improved the eradication rate of H. pylori<\/em> by about 10% and reduced adverse effects of therapy by about 15% [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Probiotics with studies to indicate that they are beneficial against H. pylori<\/em> colonization include: L. acidophilus<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>], L. reuteri<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>], L. delbrueckii<\/em><\/a> ssp. <\/em>bulgaricus with S. thermophilus<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>], L. gasseri<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>], L. johnsonii<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>], L. salivarius<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>], L. brevis<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>], S. boulardii<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>], and B. infantis<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Probiotics effective in reducing H. pylori<\/em> therapy side effects include: L. rhamnosus<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>], L. reuteri<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>], S. boulardii<\/em> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]. B. animalis<\/em><\/a> spp. lactis<\/em> [R<\/a>], C. butyricum<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>], and B. subtilis<\/em><\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The specific mechanisms of action by which probiotics improve infection rates are currently unknown [R<\/a>]. Studies show that probiotics reduced the ability of H. pylori <\/em>to effectively colonize the stomach, but it is not clear whether the effects are explained by competition for space and nutrients, changes in the stomach pH, chemicals produced by the other bacteria, or other changes caused by probiotic<\/a> colonization [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Probiotic supplements are generally recognized as safe, but they may rarely produce side effects in people with compromised immune systems. To avoid any adverse effects or unexpected interactions, talk to your doctor before starting a new probiotic.<\/p>\n Certain fermented beverages – especially wine, beer, and fermented milk – have produced promising clinical results in supporting H. pylori<\/em> treatment.<\/p>\n In a cross-sectional study of over 10,000 people in England, moderate consumption of wine and beer was found to be somewhat protective against H. pylori<\/em> infection. The authors suggested that moderate wine and beer consumption could produce an environment in the stomach that is hostile to H. pylori<\/em>, thereby making it easier to eradicate the bacteria [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n However, another study found that alcohol consumption was positively associated with H. pylori<\/em> infection, suggesting that a component of wine and beer other than alcohol could be responsible for their apparent benefit [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir<\/a> were also found to be protective against H. pylori<\/em> infection. Furthermore, the addition of yogurt to conventional therapy improved eradication rates in one trial of 347 patients [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Some authors have suggested that other fermented foods could protect against H. pylori<\/em>, but that our poor understanding of specific ethnic fermented foods around the world is a major obstacle to using them in a clinical setting [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Sulforaphane<\/a>, a compound found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts<\/a>, may inhibit the growth of H. pylori<\/em> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Researchers have suggested that sulforaphane may protect the mucosal membranes of the stomach, which may lead to reduced inflammation [R<\/a>]. Improved mucosal membrane health may also make it more difficult for H. pylori<\/em> to colonize the stomach effectively, explaining the reduced rate of colonization found in some studies [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In asymptomatic patients with confirmed H. pylori<\/em> infection, eating 70 g\/day of broccoli sprouts resulted in a significant decrease of colonization intensity [R<\/a>]. Another study also reported a loss of H. pylori<\/em> colonization following broccoli sprout treatment in four out of nine test subjects (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In type 2 diabetic patients infected with H. pylori,<\/em> broccoli sprouts powder in addition to standard triple therapy showed a considerable improvement in H. pylori<\/em> eradication, and also showed improved heart health in subjects (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In mice, H. pylori<\/em> infections were effectively eliminated by sulforaphane injections [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n However, a small study with H. pylori<\/em>-colonized humans in Japan was unable to demonstrate an improvement when supplementing broccoli sprouts [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Other brassica vegetables (cauliflower, swede, headed cabbage, turnip, radish) also contain compounds similar to sulforaphane, called isothiocyanates. Patients who consume high amounts of isothiocyanates had a lower risk of gastric cancer [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n According to the American College of Gastroenterology, there is significant clinical evidence to support the use of bismuth as part of a \u201cquadruple therapy\u201d against H. pylori<\/em>, along with tetracycline, a nitroimidazole, and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Your doctor may or may not recommend bismuth as part of a treatment for H. pylori<\/em>. Talk to your doctor before attempting to use it, as the FDA has only approved bismuth to treat diarrhea, and large amounts may be toxic to the kidneys [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>Foods and Supplements<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Possibly Effective<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>1) Lactobacillus & Saccharomyces Probiotics<\/h4>\n
<\/a>2) Fermented Foods & Beverages<\/h4>\n
<\/a>3) Broccoli Sprouts and Brassica Vegetables<\/h4>\n
<\/a>4) Bismuth<\/h4>\n