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Glutathione and Lyme Disease

Glutathione and Lyme Disease

Lyme disease–caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete–is often transmitted through the deer tick. However, it’s not the only source of infection. It can also be transmitted via mites from rats, mice, birds, and maybe even bed bugs. Of course not every mite or bed bug is infected with Lyme disease but in the case of these organisms transmitting skin parasites such as Collembola, Strongyloides Stercoralis, and Morgellons it’s estimated that 95% of those afflicted with these organisms have Lyme disease according to Dr. Harvey of Texas.

Usually when inflicted via the deer tick a bull’s eye rash develops which is often the tell tale sign of Lyme disease. Treated early on Lyme disease can often be effectively treated with several common antiobiotics. Years ago tetracycline was widely used, today doxycycline and amoxicillin or cefuroxime are used for two to three weeks.

If the disease is more progressed, intravenous antibiotics are used for up to a month.

For even more resistant chronic Lyme disease a rotation of various antiobiotics–bactrim for 3 months followed by zithromax for three months and then biaxin for another two months.
With chronic Lyme disease it morphs to hide in yeast.

Thus simultaneously Fluconazole (100 mg once/week — anti fungal) and Flagyl er 750 mg two days in a row per week are often used.

To obtain best results from this regime it’s suggested that one be on a low glycemic diet such as a candidia albicans diet to eliminate the formation of yeast in the body.

Even with this sophisticated approach, as with myself, Lyme disease is not often eliminated.  The results are

* Swelling and joint pain (like arthritis).
* Tingling and numbness in your hands, feet, and back.
* A lack of energy that does not get better.
* Trouble focusing your thoughts.
* Poor memory.
* Weakness or paralysis in your face muscles.

In my case I contracted Lyme disease through skin parasites.

I controlled it many years with a diet–the King diet–which is necessary to control the parasites. As I won the battle against the parasites, I went off the diet and the swelling and joint pain in my knee became unbearable and debilitating.

Dr Richard Horowitz of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center believes that the Lyme disease bacteria interact with heavy metals in our cells to cause inflammation. “Glutathione is like a sponge that pulls them out”

In my case. boosting my glutathione took away the inflammation and pain.

How does one boost glutathione?

There are several ways of doing this. Here are the pros and cons of each.
1. Glutathione supplements–they are inexpensive
 but get destroyed in the stomach and are basically useless.
2. Intravenous injections–they cost approximately 5 each. Glutathione, however, is a large tripeptide molecule and it’s difficult
for it to cross the cellular membrane to get into the cells where the toxins accumulate. Plus you need more than one shot a month.
3. Skin Patch by Light Wave–approximately /month, but only boosts glutathione in the blood stream. Again it doesn’t get the glutathione into the cell where most of the toxins are.
4. Immunocal–a whey drink costing about /month. This product does boost glutathione in the cell. However, the percent increase is nominal and there are a lot of calories in the whey drink for those who are weight conscious. Obviously those with whey allergies can not take this product.
5. OSR #1–Prescription only at about 0/mo. This is actually a chemical antioxidant and detoxifyer. It does operate in the cells themselves and serves to preserve glutathione (keep it from getting used up) for glutathione’s other functions. The issue is that there are no clinical studies other than on animals. What it’s long term effect might be with humans is unknown.
5. NAC (N acetylcysteine)–an inexpensive nutrient /month
 that does boost intra-cellular glutathione. The problems are that without proper nutritional balance it could cause kidney stones, it doesn’t work for everyone and it’s percent boost in glutathione levels is limited.
6. Max GXL–approximately /mo. A clinical double blind, placebo controlled crossover study on humans indicates an increase of 276% glutathione intra cellularly in two weeks. It should not be taken with those with organ transplants and those sensitive to certain shell fish (not all) and certain mushrooms (not all) may have a problem. 

I chose the latter one, Max GXL, and noticed that the swelling and pain in my knee diminished greatly within six weeks.