The healthcare space is a minefield for anyone dealing with gut health issues just trying to feel better. Unqualified influencers and overly biased practitioners, along with overuse of Google and Chat GPT is a recipe for confusion. It's understandable to be desperately seeking answers, but I urge you to be cautious where you get information from.
In this article, I'll examine the four main gut health red herrings for you to be aware of. A red herring is something that is blamed for a particular situation when it's really an innocent bystander. In the field of gut health, this is very common because we as humans co-exist with a wide array of microbes in our gut and elsewhere, including parasites.
Save your time, money and sanity by focusing on the right things, not the wrong things.
Red Herring #1: H. pylori
H. pylori is a subject I've studied extensively and written about in my detailed four part H. pylori series. The series was created in response to the many clients I've had who have developed even worse gut dysfunction following medical treatment for H. pylori.
H.pylori is a bacteria normally found in humans and animals - most humans have it and are asymptomatic. Yet, H. pylori is often blamed for anything and everything gut-health related. Treatment with triple therapy or quad therapy is often disastrous - I've seen this first-hand in many of my clients who can pinpoint a significant worsening of their health to this treatment.
To be clear, H. pylori treatment IS appropriate in cases of stomach ulcer or gastric cancer - the problem is that it's being treated in situations where the evidence does not support it. H. pylori only becomes pathogenic in specific situations - usually in elderly people whose defences are impaired.
Even the naturopathic treatment can be problematic if the wrong thing is being treated. Incorrect diagnosis causes increased stress, lost money and effort. Many times, the H. pylori is still there after treatment - both medical and naturopathic - because it's a very hardy bacteria.
Far better to work on the individual's gut terrain and immune system to prevent H. pylori becoming pathogenic.
Research clearly shows that:
- H. pylori is associated with lower rates of inflammatory conditions
- there is no relationship between GERD and H. pylori
- eradication of H. pylori worsens GERD symptoms and the health of the esophagus
- most people affected by H. pylori are elderly, therefore they have lost natural defences that help us co-exist safely with H. pylori
- the presence of H. pylori on a test does not automatically mean it has become pathogenic - as a commensal species, it SHOULD show up on testing. But if it's in the context of ulcers or cancer, then yes it needs to be addressed
- H. pylori can reduce stomach acid, but only once its pathogenic properties have activated - this process is also highly nickel-dependent. In most cases, low stomach acid is due to factors such as hypothyroidism, increased age, chronic stress or autoimmune gastritis.
This is not medical advice - please consult your doctor before making any decisions about your health.
PMID: 36968099
PMID: 33642828
A full list of references is available on my website H. pylori articles.
Red Herring #2: Candida
Candida spp. is a family of commensal yeast species found in different parts of the body - skin, mouth, vagina, penis and gut. If you spend any time searching for help with your gut issues, no doubt you've come across the "candida cleanse" and a lot of information suggesting candida is THE thing for you to fix.
While vaginal yeast infections caused by candida overgrowth are fairly common - particularly following antibiotics - candida is much less of an issue in the gut for most people. This is because the gut microbiome is far more diverse than other microbiomes - this diversity has a protective effect, keeping candida in the gut under much better control. It IS possible to have candida overgrowth in the gut, however it is over-diagnosed.
Unfortunately, candida cleanses have been a thing for twenty or more years and candida is often pinned as being THE problem to focus on, with the goal of ultimate eradication. Excessive and inappropriate treatment has the effect of causing collateral damage where strong antimicrobials including oregano oil are used.
While excess sugar intake is obviously not ideal for health, super strict diets often "prescribed" for candida can have the unintended effect of causing high levels of stress and anxiety since they can be difficult to maintain. A more moderate diet, removing excess sugar and refined carbohydrates is the most sensible and sustainable approach.
So, if you're dealing with gut issues, candida is most likely not the issue unless you are immune-compromised.
Instead, focus on your immune health, your overall gut environment health and microbiome diversity. All of these things will benefit your health and keep candida naturally in check. If it turns out you do have a candida overgrowth, naturopathic treatment inherently keeps yeasts under control without causing additional harm.
This is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any decisions about your health.
Red Herring #3: Blastocystis hominis
Parasites are a normal part of the human gut microbiome. That's not to say they don't cause disease, because clearly they can do in some situations. The problem is when they are pinned as THE cause for anything and everything. Parasite cleanses are big business in the wellness space. Because Blastocystis can be tested by doctors on stool tests, if it comes up as a positive - which is pretty common - it can cause confusion and inappropriate treatment.
Blastocystis is a parasite that is present in most of us and many animals also carry it. There has always been quite a lot of debate about its role in human health. What complicates things is that there are 44 known subtypes of Blasto and each one seems to have a different association with the health of the host (or, the individual that carries it). Some types are associated with poorer gut health and others are associated with better gut diversity or are present in people with no symptoms.
There's no gold standard for treatment and a lot of debate among doctors about whether it should be eradicated or not. Medical treatment is actually considered experimental and may do more harm than good.
This is not medical advice - please consult your doctor before making any decisions about your health.
PMID: 41321962
Red Herring #4: Parasites, specifically vague parasite cleanses
Parasite cleanses were everywhere in wellness circles a couple of years ago and are still going strong. Without any diagnosis, unqualified influencers and somewhat-qualified practitioners are encouraging people with gut issues to do their expensive parasite cleanse.
Parasites a well established as a cause of digestive illness, that's not in question. We all know someone thats been infected with giardia and had a horrible time with that. It's also really common to pick up a parasite while traveling overseas, or getting food poisoning. These illnesses usually resolve over time with minimal treatment. In some cases,the infection CAN trigger IBS.
But when it comes to the marketing of parasite cleanses, the idea that's pushed is that parasites can explain anything and everything - if you've got a health problem of any kind, well it must be a parasite. While it's certainly true that parasites can cause illness in systems other than the digestive system, the problem is that often parasite cleanses are promoted in a generic fashion, rather than something being prescribed in a one-to-one consultation setting with proper oversight.
The wellness industry is worth $6.8 trillion a year - and - because it's largely unregulated - it's common to see people being taken advantage of by people just out to make money.
If I suspect a client has parasites based on their health history and symptoms, I always recommend a PCR&MCS faecal test which uses a combination of DNA identification and microscopy method to detect parasites. A Meta Panel test here in Australia is also useful: https://www.sonicmicrobiomics.com.au/our-tests/metapanel/
So, if you're dealing with any gut issues, make sure you get the right diagnosis and don't fall for the expensive parasite cleanses that promise the world.
I hope you've found this video helpful along with the whole series. Look out for more videos coming soon.
This is not medical advice - please consult your doctor before making any decisions about your health.
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If you're ready to get accurate insight and expert guidance for your health, find out how to work with me. I am a Clinical Nutritionist and Naturopath based in Sydney, Australia. I work with clients worldwide.
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