n-Butyrate and other intestinal and chemical issues

[Guest guest]

I'm trying to find some answers to a problem that I have. I did a Great

Smokies Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, and among all the pathogens

and other things, it said that I have very low levels of n-Butyrate, which

is a short chain fatty acid that is produced by bacteria fermenting fiber in

the intestinal tract. I'm getting plenty of fiber in my diet. So I am

puzzled by that. The pH of my intestines is way off as well - too alkyline,

and according to what I can dig up, an alkyline intestine prevents bacteria

from breaking fiber down into n-butyrate. Since n-butyrate is the primary

energy source for epithelial cells lining the intestines, my intestines are

literally starving to death. There is a possibility that I have ulcerative

colitis, and according to what I read, low levels of n-Butyrate is

considered to be one of the primary causes of ulcerative colitis. So

correcting this might kill two birds with one stone.

So I thought, what if I just find a way to supplement it? So I went out and

found Butyric acid, but it says that it should not be taken by individuals

with ulcers, and I have ulcers. (aparently not from too much stomach acid)

Butyric acid is made from glutamine and glucose. That rang a bell in my

mind, so I went and checked on the bottle of N.A.G. that I've taken in the

past, (But haven't for several weeks) and sure enough, N-Acetyl Glucosamine

is made from glutamine and glucose. It doesn't seem to make any difference

in my intestinal symptoms.

When I did a web search on Butyric acid, I came up with GABA, which is Gamma

Amino Butyric Acid, which is also made from glutamine and glucose. GABA

happens to be antagonistic to NMDA activity in the brain, and I have

symptoms of having overstimulation of my NMDA receptor sites - autonomic

system problems, sleep problems, anxiety problems, etc. Magnesium seems to

help. But magnesium supplements are undoubtedly contributing in making my

intestines too alkyline.

I can connect all of these things with glutamine and glucose, but that's as

far as I can get. I am absolutely brain numb. I can't even be sure that

there is a connection. Maybe it's like all life forms being carbon based;

they share the same basic chemical structures, just arranged in different

ways and have nothing whatsover to do with one another.

So what's the connection? What's the connection between mucopolysacharides

and short chain fatty acids? How do I alter my intestinal pH without

increasing my problems with ulcers?

The lab test showed that I had a major problem with Staphylococcus aureus. I

have gone over the foods that I ate from the last few days before the test

through the end of the test, and I can't come up with anything that I could

have gotten it from. Everything I ate was either freshly cooked and served

immediately, nothing was thawed and then frozen again, no leftovers, no

cream-based foods like cakes, no left-overs, everything cooked was served

hot and eaten immediately, the closest thing I could think of would be that

I ate raw carrots, but they were very high quality, I washed them and peeled

them, and ate them immediately.

I've been treated with things that Great Smokies said that the

staphylococcus was sensitive to, so it should have been cleared up in long

ago if it is not a recent thing. But the problems that I've had have been

going on for a long time, since long before this test, and there were no

additional problems during the test any different than they have been for a

long time. So I have reason to believe that I've got a staph infection

somewhere in my body that is not accessible to antibiotics or the

supplements that I've been taking, and that it's severe enought to be

reinfecting my intestines in spite of the supplements that I've taken. Thats

the only idea I can come up with. I know that some people have had blood

tests done that found staph inside their red blood cells and I'm considering

that as a possibility. But I have no clue how to go about fighting it.

There are a couple of other bacteria that are out of balance, and I have a

moderate candida problem. As for the intestinal pH, there are so many things

that could be altering that, that I don't even know where to begin. I need

someone familiar with all these chemicals to help me decipher it somewhat,

or offer some suggestions. On the good side the analysis found that I had

plenty of beneficial bacteria, which surprised me.

lindaj@...