HEALTH: What you need to know about H. pylori

WHAT IS IT?

A corkscrew-shaped bacterium that lives inside our stomachs.

How do I know I have it?

Terrible bloating around the solar plexus area is a common initial symptom. Ulcers are also very common. In fact, more than 90 per cent of duodenal and over 70 per cent of stomach ulcers are caused by H. pylori infection.

WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS?

Aside from the sheer discomfort that sufferers face, there is a link between H. Pylori infection and stomach cancer. I have also seen women unable to get pregnant until the bacterium is eradicated. The most recent case I’ve seen is a woman who had ben unable to get pregnant for 10 years prior to treatment.

WHAT DOES THE BACTERIUM DO?

Our stomachs contain a strong acid that is required to help digest the food that we eat. It’s actually so strong that it could actually digest itself – and that’s where the protective stomach lining comes in.

This mucous lining acts like a barrier between the acid in your stomach and the stomach itself. What H. pylori bacteria does, is to alter the structure of these protective cells, thereby weakening the mucous lining that protects the stomach.

Can’t I just take some antibiotics to kill it?

Conventional medication revolves around a combination of antacids and antibiotics, but 10-20 per cent of treatments fail to eradicate the organism.

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

I’m always quoting the maxim “let food be your medicine”. Nowhere is this truer than the treatment for H. pylori: a plant extract called mastic gum.

Traditionally used as a food ingredient in Mediterranean countries, mastic gum appears to work by killing H. pylori. One particular trial showed that just two weeks of mastic treatment led to complete ulcer healing in 70 per cent of sufferers.

Take one gramme of mastic gum every day for about two to four weeks.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

Liquorice root is another effective natural remedy. It stimulates the secretion of the protective mucous on the inside of the stomach/duodenum, soothing the lining. It appears that the flavonoids it contains also helps to inhibit growth of the H. pylori.

Recent studies have also shown that it can also reduce gastric bleeding caused by aspirin and compares very favourably with the popular drug cimetidine (Tagamet).

However, the kind you buy is crucial: look for deglycyrrhizinated liquorice (DGL) in chewable tablets. The normal recommended dose is 250 to 500 mg, 15 minutes before each meal and one to two hours before bedtime.