Re: Helpful hints, please - For now Monolaurin

[Guest guest]

Serena I don't think Monolaurin is the same as cod liver oil or a good fish

oil. I believe they are suggesting it as an antimicrobial agent.

I do know we need to be careful with the consumption of cod liver oil due to

it's high levels of Vit D and if one is getting enough sunshine they should

use a high quality fish oil rather than the cod liver oil; some suggest

using cod liver oil during the winter months and switching to fish oils

during the other seasons.

Now monolaurin is a monoglyceride comprised of lauric acid and glycerol.

Dose suggested is 6-12 caps a day.

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional

beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal

body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal

monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid-coated viruses

such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic

bacteria, including listeria monocytogenes and helicobacter pylori, and

protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some

antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid. See

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/28/coconut_health.htm for an interesting

article on this subject.

According to some research, monolaurin will target:

Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable gut

bacteria, but rather on only potentially pathogenic microorganisms.

For example, Isaacs et al (1991) reported no inactivation of the common

Escherichia coli or Salmonella enteritidis by monolaurin, but major

inactivation of Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Group

B gram positive streptococcus.

The potentially pathogenic bacteria inactivated by monolaurin include

Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae,

Groups A,F & G streptococci, gram-positive organisms, and some gram-negative

organisms if pretreated with a chelator.

Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased production of toxic

shock syndrome toxin-1 was shown with 150 mg monolaurin per liter (Holland

et al 1994). Monolaurin was 5000 times more inhibitory against Listeria

monocytogenes than ethanol (Oh & Marshall 1993). Helicobacter pylori is

rapidly inactivated by medium-chain monoglycerides and lauric acid, and

there appears to be very little development of resistance of the organism to

the bactericidal effects (Petschow et al 1996) of these natural

antimicrobials.

A number of fungi, yeast, and protozoa are inactivated or killed by lauric

acid or monolaurin. The fungi include several species of ringworm (Isaacs et

al 1991). The yeast reported is Candida albicans (Isaacs et al 1991). The

protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by free fatty acids and

monoglycerides from hydrolyzed human milk (Hernell et al 1986, Reiner et al

1986, Crouch et al 1991, Isaacs et al 1991). Numerous other protozoa were

studied with similar findings; these findings have not yet been published

(Jon J. Kabara, private communication, 1997).

Research continues in measuring the effect of the monoglyceride derivative

of capric acid monocaprin as well as the effects of lauric acid. Chlamydia

trachomatis is inactivated by lauric acid, capric acid, and monocaprin

(Bergsson et al 1998), and hydrogels containing monocaprin are potent in

vitro inactivators of sexually transmitted viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1

and bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Thormar 1999).

Rosie

Re: [] Helpful hints, please - For

I was just wondering if you'd every tried Monolaurin. It's supposed to have

the same properties, is not terribly expensive, and is very safe to use.

meganreamer@... wrote: We all take good quantities of cod liver oil

daily so we've got that covered. I don't breastfeed him and haven't for

several years. His troubles started once I started to wean him at 13

months...I gave him breast milk after I had my daughter (they are 18 months

apart) but he hasn't had any for about two years. I called the milk bank

today in Denver to start immune therapy with breast milk...The woman there

told me they've worked with many adults who are immunocompromised who start

with about 12 oz of breast milk a day and see significant changes. We'll see

how it goes.

[Guest guest]

No, it's not anything to do with fish oil. But thanks for looking all that stuff

up. Monolaurin has several very cool features:

It's non-prescription. You can buy it on your own.

It's safe as mother's milk, because it works very much the same way. Even at

my worst, I could take this stuff all day, every day. I was thinking about those

little boys being so sick and so sensitive to so many things. The last they need

is to be under assault from more infectious agents or medications that make them

even sicker.

It's an anti-fungal, which....yay! And specific for c.Albicans - so, even

better.

It takes out some bugs you'd usually have to take fungal-based antibiotics

for, so it provides an alternative for those who can't or won't do antibiotics.

And...this is the reason I'm so glad you posted that stuff...I see now that

it's effective against the very same staph infections some of us are plagued

with that keep us relapsing. (I didn't even know about any of that back when I

was taking it regularly.) Whether it kills staph in the sinuses, I have no clue,

and that's where the staph takes up residence. But I really like the

proposition. I hope that works out. I've tried a lot of different things over

the years, and this was one of the very few I've been whole-heartedly pleased

with. It does a lot of good things, and yet has no real potential for doing

harm. That's a very, very rare find!

healthier4all <Healthier4All@...> wrote:

Serena I don't think Monolaurin is the same as cod liver oil or a good fish

oil. I believe they are suggesting it as an antimicrobial agent.

I do know we need to be careful with the consumption of cod liver oil due to

it's high levels of Vit D and if one is getting enough sunshine they should

use a high quality fish oil rather than the cod liver oil; some suggest

using cod liver oil during the winter months and switching to fish oils

during the other seasons.

Now monolaurin is a monoglyceride comprised of lauric acid and glycerol.

Dose suggested is 6-12 caps a day.

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional

beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal

body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal

monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid-coated viruses

such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic

bacteria, including listeria monocytogenes and helicobacter pylori, and

protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some

antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid. See

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/28/coconut_health.htm for an interesting

article on this subject.

According to some research, monolaurin will target:

Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable gut

bacteria, but rather on only potentially pathogenic microorganisms.

For example, Isaacs et al (1991) reported no inactivation of the common

Escherichia coli or Salmonella enteritidis by monolaurin, but major

inactivation of Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Group

B gram positive streptococcus.

The potentially pathogenic bacteria inactivated by monolaurin include

Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae,

Groups A,F & G streptococci, gram-positive organisms, and some gram-negative

organisms if pretreated with a chelator.

Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased production of toxic

shock syndrome toxin-1 was shown with 150 mg monolaurin per liter (Holland

et al 1994). Monolaurin was 5000 times more inhibitory against Listeria

monocytogenes than ethanol (Oh & Marshall 1993). Helicobacter pylori is

rapidly inactivated by medium-chain monoglycerides and lauric acid, and

there appears to be very little development of resistance of the organism to

the bactericidal effects (Petschow et al 1996) of these natural

antimicrobials.

A number of fungi, yeast, and protozoa are inactivated or killed by lauric

acid or monolaurin. The fungi include several species of ringworm (Isaacs et

al 1991). The yeast reported is Candida albicans (Isaacs et al 1991). The

protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by free fatty acids and

monoglycerides from hydrolyzed human milk (Hernell et al 1986, Reiner et al

1986, Crouch et al 1991, Isaacs et al 1991). Numerous other protozoa were

studied with similar findings; these findings have not yet been published

(Jon J. Kabara, private communication, 1997).

Research continues in measuring the effect of the monoglyceride derivative

of capric acid monocaprin as well as the effects of lauric acid. Chlamydia

trachomatis is inactivated by lauric acid, capric acid, and monocaprin

(Bergsson et al 1998), and hydrogels containing monocaprin are potent in

vitro inactivators of sexually transmitted viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1

and bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Thormar 1999).

Rosie

Re: [] Helpful hints, please - For

I was just wondering if you'd every tried Monolaurin. It's supposed to have

the same properties, is not terribly expensive, and is very safe to use.

meganreamer@... wrote: We all take good quantities of cod liver oil

daily so we've got that covered. I don't breastfeed him and haven't for

several years. His troubles started once I started to wean him at 13

months...I gave him breast milk after I had my daughter (they are 18 months

apart) but he hasn't had any for about two years. I called the milk bank

today in Denver to start immune therapy with breast milk...The woman there

told me they've worked with many adults who are immunocompromised who start

with about 12 oz of breast milk a day and see significant changes. We'll see

how it goes.

FAIR USE NOTICE:

[Guest guest]

Good morning everyone. I'm enjoying this discussion and research on

monolaurin. However I would strongly suggest we do a little more research

before rushing to purchase this product. We need to know dosage (for

children, adults), best time to take the product (empty stomach, with meals

....I'm assuming with meals since it's a lipid), duration of treatment,

exactly what this does in our bodies, and if we should perhaps consider

taking the pure form of this product. See

http://www.lauricidin.com/default.asp

While googling I found the above site and was quite impressed with the

indepth data presented. I plan to phone them later this afternoon to ask a

few questions. I like that this site is offering the pure product without

fillers and would certainly be much more cost effective than the capsules.

I'm also concerned since each capsule contains 106mg Calcium phosphate if

one takes the suggested 6-12 capsules a day they will have an imbalance of

the calcium/magnesium ratio needed by the body. The pure form would

alleviate such concerns.

I also found interesting the statement that monolaurin does not destroy the

friendly bacteria in our gut; however it is recommended that probiotics be

taken and taken apart from the monolaurin which makes me wonder.

Perhaps some of our M.D.'s on this group could give us their expert opinion.

As with all things we really need to know what we are taking and if

appropriate for us.

...>>>On Behalf Of SERENA EDWARDS

>>>> It's safe as mother's milk, because it works very much the same way.

Even at my worst, I could take this stuff all day, every day. I was thinking

about those little boys being so sick and so sensitive to so many things.

The last they need is to be under assault from more infectious agents or

medications that make them even sicker. >>>

Serena, monolaurin is not totally " natural " since it is a derivative of

lauric acid chemically bonded to glycerol to form monolaurin.

>>> It takes out some bugs you'd usually have to take fungal-based

antibiotics for, so it provides an alternative for those who can't or won't

do antibiotics. .>>>>

However we need to know proper dosing and duration. So, if one is used to a

round of antibiotics taken for 5-10 days they would not have the expected

results using monolaurin for such a time period. On the website I

referenced about they stated:

" Q: How long will it take to see results?

A: LauricidinR like vitamins does not have an instant effect on your health.

Although we have seen results in weeks LauricidinR should be taken 3-6

months before seeing optimum results. Because everyone's genetic makeup is

completely different individual time response will vary "

Let's continue to research this, hopefully our M.D.'s will join us and

perhaps it just may become another viable protocol for us; especially in the

pure form rather than the capsules which will give us an imbalance in

minerals.

Just my thoughts,

Rosie

[Guest guest]

--- In , SERENA EDWARDS <pushcrash@y...>

wrote:

>

> Yes, you're right, of course. Please don't be too swayed by my own

enthusiasm for these ideas, guys. I'd totally hate it if anybody was

harmed by something just because I liked it. That's just me. My body,

my reactions, my ideas about it. I did get the Monolaurin from my

doctor, so my confidence in buying it was very high.

>

> Please let us know what else turns up in your research?

Hi Serena:

Thanks. It's not so much a question of harming someone but finding

out all the data we can about this and all other products we take.

Especially the idea of how long to use the product, when, and at what

dose.

For example echinacea is often discussed in magazines for the common

cold and flu and then we see studies telling us echinacea is totally

ineffective. However it's not a matter of echinacea being ineffective

but the dosage and type of preparation and parts used. Traditionally

1 teaspoon of the root tincture was recommended every 2 hours; that's

quite different from a dropperful 3 times a day.

For my own edification would you mind sharing the instructions your

doctor gave you for the Monolaurin such as dosage, how long to take

it, etc? Did he advise supplementation with probiotics? And did he

mention the calcium factor in this product and possibly balancing with

additional intake of magnesium?

Thanks so much and I'm really looking forward to hearing from others

their opinion of this product.

Rosie

[Guest guest]

Tsk, tsk, Rosie. That doctor is a she : ).

Yes, she had me taking magnesium at the same time. I wish I could recall the

exact dosage of everything. I'd have to find the instructions again, because

they aren't prescription (no dosage instructions on the label). I do remember

reading (sorry, haven't got that link any more), that some of the scientists who

were actually working with the monolaurin were taking 6 or 8 caps (basically, by

the handful) at the first sign of a cold or flu, because there's no big lag time

and no toxicity problem. (My understanding only), but with this stuff, you

aren't trying to use one organism to kill another, or to ramp up production of

anything the body takes a lot of time to produce and accumulate. You simply fuel

up the body with the materials, and it goes right to work using them. That was

the beauty of it. But again, I'm waiting to see what more you found. Your stuff

is current, and I understand more now, so let's see where it leads us.

Serena

There is no such thing as an anomaly. Recheck your original premise.

...Ayn Rand,

paraphrased

---------------------------------

Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover

Photo Books. You design it and we’ll bind it!

[Guest guest]

>

> Tsk, tsk, Rosie. That doctor is a she : ).

>

> Yes, she had me taking magnesium at the same time. I wish I

could recall the exact dosage of everything. I'd have to find the

instructions again, because they aren't prescription (no dosage

instructions on the label). I do remember reading (sorry, haven't

got that link any more), that some of the scientists who were

actually working with the monolaurin were taking 6 or 8 caps

(basically, by the handful) at the first sign of a cold or flu,

because there's no big lag time and no toxicity problem. (My

understanding only), but with this stuff, you aren't trying to use

one organism to kill another, or to ramp up production of anything

the body takes a lot of time to produce and accumulate. You simply

fuel up the body with the materials, and it goes right to work using

them. That was the beauty of it. But again, I'm waiting to see what

more you found. Your stuff is current, and I understand more now, so

let's see where it leads us.> Serena

giggles and tsk tsk back to you for not sharing with the others that

magesium supplementation is advisable when taking the monolaurin in

therapeutic doses. I think this is a perfect example (don't take

this personal please) that we must give as much data to the members

as possible in case someone wishes to try a product mentioned on the

list or in cyberspace or anywhere really. Too many variables and we

can't just start popping OTC things without some knowledge.

I like your doctor: she seems very knowledgeable with dietary

products.

Rosie

[Guest guest]

Monolaurin is a monoglyceride (not a triglyceride as Dr. Schaller

mistakenly stated), which is an ester of glycerine with one lauric acid, a

saturated fatty acid with 12 carbon atoms. Lauric acid is separated

commercially from fatty acids extracted from coconut or palm kernel oil.

A triglyceride is glycerine esterified with three fatty acids.

Triglycerides are the predominant form of fat in most living organisms.

Monoglycerides are rare in their free form. However, a typical fat enters

the stomach and is hydrolyzed to monoglyceride and free fatty acid, which

crosse from the stomach into the bloodstream, where they almost immediately

convert back to triglyceride for storage in fat cells. Mono-glycerides

behave, and enter the blood to react with free fatty acids to form

triglycerides. Since H. pylori exists in the stomach (where it causes

ulcers), monolaurin might have some effect on it, as suggested in one recent

letter. However, it is quite doubtful that monolaurin has much other effect

that cannot be realized by eating coconut oil or coconuts. Lauric acid and

its monglyceride or triglyceride forms are subject to the same normal fat

metabolism by beta oxidation as any other fatty, and can be used for energy

by bacteria or molds, as well as by humans. Though anti-bacterial properties

are seen in a lab, probably based on the emulsification-surfactant

properties of the monoglyceride, there is little reason to suspect the same

would apply once it has passed into the bloodstream as a triglyceride.

Monolaurin probably won't hurt anything, but it also probably will help

the wallet of the supplier far more than it will help the health of the

buyer.

[Guest guest]

Dear Gil Vice:

Thank you for sharing. Please do take a look at the 2 types of

monoglycerides: SN1 and SN2. There might be a difference. My petals of

thoughts and understanding is the E.M. Ewig published findings and wrote a

book on dietary applications of lauric oils (meaning coconut oil) however we

could consume gallons of coconut oil and not have any antimicrobial effect

(SN1). Lauricidine (monolaurin) is a molecular distilled product. There are

discussion groups and online sites stating coconut oil can cure herpes, HIV

and a host of over diseases. However, as you so correctly stated: " Though

anti-bacterial properties

are seen in a lab, probably based on the emulsification-surfactant

properties of the monoglyceride, there is little reason to suspect the

same would apply once it has passed into the bloodstream as a

triglyceride. "

However, Ewig's data and your statement I believe is based on the SN2 rather

than SN1 isomers. I'm thinking Triglycerides from coconut or MCT oils in

contrast to those in mother's milk are hydrolyzed in the body to

sn2-monoglycerides and free fatty acids. However, these monoglycerides and

fatty acids are quickly resynthesized to inactive triacylglycerols after

absorption into the enterocyte whereas sn1 -monoglycerides are absorbed and

not converted to the triglycerides.

The two isomeric monoglycerides ( sn2 and sn1 follow two different

metabolic pathways and therefore have different biochemical affects. This is

important since triglycerides/diglycerides have been shown to be inactive as

antimicrobial agents while the monoglycerides are active.

Improperly consumed, too high dosage initially, or with a very ill person

monolaurin can produce very severe Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. Hence the

need to fully understand specific dosage based on each individual.

Please take a look at the link below if you wish.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gquery/gquery.fcgi?term=monolaurin

It gives 81 pubmed abstracts and 27 pubmed central free full text journals.

Course I have no commercial interest in monolaurin or lauricidine and do not

recommend this product. Am discussing only due to my own curiosity.

Rosie

Monolaurin is a monoglyceride (not a triglyceride as Dr. Schaller

mistakenly stated), which is an ester of glycerine with one lauric acid, a

saturated fatty acid with 12 carbon atoms. Lauric acid is separated

commercially from fatty acids extracted from coconut or palm kernel oil.

A triglyceride is glycerine esterified with three fatty acids.

Triglycerides are the predominant form of fat in most living organisms.

Monoglycerides are rare in their free form. However, a typical fat enters

the stomach and is hydrolyzed to monoglyceride and free fatty acid, which

crosse from the stomach into the bloodstream, where they almost

immediately

convert back to triglyceride for storage in fat cells. Mono-glycerides

behave, and enter the blood to react with free fatty acids to form

triglycerides. Since H. pylori exists in the stomach (where it causes

ulcers), monolaurin might have some effect on it, as suggested in one

recent

letter. However, it is quite doubtful that monolaurin has much other

effect

that cannot be realized by eating coconut oil or coconuts. Lauric acid and

its monglyceride or triglyceride forms are subject to the same normal fat

metabolism by beta oxidation as any other fatty, and can be used for

energy

by bacteria or molds, as well as by humans. Though anti-bacterial

properties

are seen in a lab, probably based on the emulsification-surfactant

properties of the monoglyceride, there is little reason to suspect the

same

would apply once it has passed into the bloodstream as a triglyceride.

Monolaurin probably won't hurt anything, but it also probably will help

the wallet of the supplier far more than it will help the health of the

buyer.