Many studies have identified various types of parasites that infect people diagnosed with MS. These parasites cross the blood brain barrier which is supposed to protect the brain and spinal cord from invaders. Why is the blood brain barrier compromised in MS patients? New research shows that people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis are infected with a larger number of bacteria that produce a neurotoxin that causes a leaky blood brain barrier and inflammatory demyelination in animals with a lesion pattern similar to that found in people with MS. This post discusses this important discovery, how to treat these bacteria and other parasites and so we can recover from MS and other diseases.
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease.
MS and all chronic diseases are inflammatory conditions. The immune system’s main job is to defend the body from parasites and toxins. In chronic disease, inflammation occurs when the immune system is trying to rid the body of parasites, similar the war zone where soldiers are trying to win a battle against an enemy.
Multiple sclerosis lesions are centered around blood vessels in the central nervous system (CNS).
Gut dysbiosis is common before the first MS attack
Many studies have confirmed that gut dysbiosis is common in MS. Dysbiosis means that the microbes that live in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) are out of balance – there are too many disease-causing parasites and not enough health-promoting microbes in the GI tract. Researchers agree that there is a significant disruption in the microbiome of MS, but they don’t know which parasites could be the cause of multiple sclerosis.
It has been known for many years that people who suffer from multiple sclerosis have more bowel problems than people who don’t have MS. A 2023 Canadian study found that in the five years before their first MS attack, people with multiple sclerosis are more likely to experience GI problems. CLICK HERE to learn more about bowel problems in MS.
One study looked at the gut microbiota from 34 human twin pairs where one of each twin had MS and the other did not. The gut microbes from each pair of twins were transferred into separate mice. The researchers found that gut microbiota from multiple sclerosis-affected twins caused a CNS-specific autoimmunity at a higher rate than the microbiota from the healthy co-twins. Their results provide more evidence that the microbiome of people with MS contributes to CNS-specific autoimmunity.[i]
In addition, case studies have shown long-lasting symptom remission in MS patients who received fecal transplants. One study reported that three patients diagnosed with MS who received fecal transplants for constipation not only resolved their constipation but also experienced a long term major reversal of all their neurological symptoms.[ii]
The blood brain barrier becomes leaky in MS
A healthy blood brain barrier prevents parasites, toxins and other factors in the blood from entering the central nervous system. Over the past 10 years, most MS medical experts believe that a disruption to the blood brain barrier allows the inflammatory process of MS to occur.[iii]
Clostridia bacteria greatly impact human health
Clostridia bacteria produce more toxins than any other bacteria[iv] and most are sensitive to oxygen.
The types of Clostridia that have the greatest impact on human health include C. difficile, C. tetani, C. botulinum, C. perfringens and other species that produce botulinum toxins.[v]
- C. botulinum infection produces botulinum toxin which is one of the most toxic substances known. It is a neurotoxin that causes botulism and has a high death rate. Botulinum toxin type A is approximately 1,000 times more toxic than the tetanus toxin. Botulism symptoms can include lip trembling, drooling (inability to swallow, saliva gathers in mouth), dysphonia (vocal cord paralysis results in rasping voice), difficulty in articulating, weak jaw and facial muscles, pharyngeal muscle weakness, weakness of the trunk, extremities, and smooth muscle, and eventual paralysis.[vi]
- C. tetani infection causes tetanus which is often fatal. The toxin produced by these bacteria act primarily in the CNS. The bacteria first become established in a wound, then move into muscle tissue, the lymphatic system, the blood and finally the CNS. Symptoms include facial stiffness, sudden, involuntary muscle spasms (often in the stomach), painful muscle stiffness all over the body, trouble swallowing, seizures (jerking or staring), headache, fever and sweating, changes in blood pressure and heart rate.[vii]
- C. difficile infection is a major cause of sickness and death in hospitalized patients. It can cause diarrhea and colitis and complications from systemic toxemia which can include hypotension, multi-organ failure, a buildup of fluid in the spaces of the abdomen, a buildup of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity, cardiopulmonary arrest, visceral abscess, bacteremia, skin and soft tissue infections, abdominal compartment syndrome, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and renal failure.[viii]
C. perfringens and the epsilon neurotoxin it produces discovered in multiple sclerosis
C. perfringens infection is the cause of many human diseases. It causes gangrene, food poisoning, diarrhea, inflammation of the small intestine and other diseases. It can produce up to 17 different toxins. Some of these toxins are responsible for tissue lesions and death.
We are exposed to this bacterium through our food, pets, and many environmental sources such as soil. The ability of C. perfringens to become established in the small intestine largely depends on the health of our microbiome. The use of antibiotics dramatically alters the health promoting microbes that act as our natural defence, which makes us more susceptible to a C. perfringens infection.
C. perfringens lives in the small intestine and produces the epsilon toxin.
Consuming a lot of carbohydrates can lead to gas production in the intestines and it can slow or stop the normal flow of partially digested food, which helps these bacteria to become established and increase the production of toxins.
It has recently been discovered that people with MS are more likely to have a greater abundance of C. perfringens bacteria that produce the neurotoxin epsilon, when compared to people who do not have MS.[ix]
This neurotoxin moves from the small intestine into the blood without causing injury or inflammation. In the bloodstream, the epsilon toxin targets the cells of the blood brain barrier, which leads to an increase in the permeability of the blood brain barrier. A leaky barrier allows parasites, toxins and other material to enter the brain and spinal cord.
In the study, they showed evidence that the epsilon producing strains of bacteria can act as environmental triggers for MS.
These researchers first showed that there was an association between epsilon producing strains of C. perfringens and MS in clinical samples.
They found that people with MS have significantly more bacteria that produce epsilon toxin in their gut microbiome than healthy people and showed that epsilon can induce inflammatory demyelination in different locations of the CNS when animals were immunized with the myelin antigen.
The animal model used to study MS is called EAE (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis). To study MS, rodents are injected with the pertussis toxin from the bacteria that causes whooping cough in order to compromise the blood brain barrier and activate an MS like condition in the animals.
This study also showed that the epsilon toxin induced inflammatory demyelination in active EAE more closely resembling the lesion distribution normally found in MS when compared to the traditional pertussis model of EAE.
In the cells that line the blood brain barrier, they also found epsilon toxin caused the expression of genes known to alter the blood brain barrier.
They first detected epsilon toxin in 61% of MS patients and only 13% of controls.
A different test they performed showed that the epsilon toxin was significantly associated with disease status – MS vs healthy control.
Their data consistently showed that people with MS are more likely to be infected with strains of C. perfringens that produce the epsilon toxin compared to healthy people.
Another study reported that 40% of MS stool samples compared with only 0.001% of samples from healthy people contained the specific C. perfringens bacteria that produces the epsilon neurotoxin. It also reported that when mice were injected with tiny amounts of this toxin with myelin antigen, MS like brain lesions appeared.[x]
How to treat and recover from C. perfringens
When dealing with chronic bacterial infections, solely relying on antibiotics for long-term recovery has not been proven to be very helpful. A much better approach is to follow the Live Disease Free Plan. The first step is to change the diet and follow the Live Disease Free Diet guidelines to decrease the carbohydrates which feed these bacteria and other parasites. The second step is to support the body. By changing the diet and supporting the body, symptoms often improve even before treatments are started. When ready to treat, it’s important to treat larger parasites first and treat in cycles. A layering of therapies is most helpful which incorporates oxygen therapies, parasite drugs, herbs and therapeutic probiotics.
There are real solutions to recover from parasites today!
To restore health, we must focus on treating the cause of inflammation, which are parasites. First, identify the enemy (parasites), then support the body and treat the parasites while following a holistic approach. When parasitic infections are treated effectively, we can overcome inflammation or disease.
If you’re frustrated with the fact that our standard of care STILL doesn’t offer a real solution for treating MS and other diseases, then click on the link below to watch Pam Bartha’s free masterclass training and discover REAL solutions that have allowed Pam and many others to live free from MS and other diseases.
CLICK Here to watch Pam’s masterclass training
Or take the Health Blocker Quiz to see if you could have parasite infections
References:
[i] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1711233114
[ii] https://journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2011/10002/fecal_microbiota_transplantation__fmt__in_multiple.942.aspx#JCL0-1
[iii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8395058/
[iv] https://www.scielo.br/j/jvatitd/a/JTgttbx6McRKFLXBcWF4kvP/?lang=en#:~:text=They%20produce%20one%20of%20the,are%20responsible%20for%20botulism%20symptoms.
[v] https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/microbiolspec.GPP3-0033-2018#:~:text=The%20pathogenic%20clostridial%20species%20with,perfringens%2C%20C.
[vi] https://www.newyorkfacialparalysis.com/treatments/bulbar-palsy/
[vii] https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/about/symptoms-complications.html
[viii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885049/
[ix] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36853799/
[x] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37115699/
Clinically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 28, Pam chose an alternative approach to recovery. Now decades later and still symptom free, she coaches others on how to treat the root cause of chronic disease, using a holistic approach. She can teach you how, too.
Pam is the author of Become a Wellness Champion and founder of Live Disease Free. She is a wellness expert, coach and speaker.
The Live Disease Free Academy has helped hundreds of Wellness Champions in over 15 countries take charge of their health and experience profound improvements in their life.
