Giardia parasite infestation is treatable with herbs and diet

What is Giardia lamblia

Herbs for Giardia

Diet for Giardia

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Giardia lamblia

G. lamblia is a pear-shaped, flagellated protozoan that causes a wide variety of gastrointestinal complaints. Giardia is arguably the most common parasite infection of humans worldwide, and the second most common in the United States after pinworm. Between 1992 and 1997, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that more than 2.5 million cases of giardiasis occur annually.10

Because giardiasis is spread by fecal-oral contamination, the prevalence is higher in populations with poor sanitation, close contact, and oral-anal sexual practices. The disease is commonly water-borne because Giardia is resistant to the chlorine levels in normal tap water and survives well in cold mountain streams. Because giardiasis frequently infects persons who spend a lot of time camping, backpacking, or hunting, it has gained the nicknames of "backpacker's diarrhea" and "beaver fever."

Food-borne transmission is rare but can occur with ingestion of raw or undercooked foods. Giardiasis is a zoonosis, and cross-infectivity among beaver, cattle, dogs, rodents, and bighorn sheep ensures a constant reservoir.

The life cycle of Giardia consists of two stages: the fecal-orally transmitted cyst and the disease-causing trophozoite. Cysts are passed in a host's feces, remaining viable in a moist environment for months. Ingestion of at least 10 to 25 cysts can cause infection in humans. When a new host consumes a cyst, the host's acidic stomach environment stimulates excystation. Each cyst produces two trophozoites. These trophozoites migrate to the duodenum and proximal jejunum, where they attach to the mucosal wall.

Giardia growth in the small intestine is stimulated by bile, carbohydrates, and low oxygen tension. It can cause dyspepsia, malabsorption, and diarrhea. A recent theory suggests that the symptoms are the result of a brush border enzyme deficiency rather than invasion of the intestinal wall. Some trophozoites transform to cysts and pass in the feces.

Clinical presentations of giardiasis vary greatly. After an incubation period of one to two weeks, symptoms of gastrointestinal distress may develop, including nausea, vomiting, malaise, flatulence, cramping, diarrhea, steatorrhea, and weight loss. A history of gradual onset of a mild diarrhea helps differentiate giardiasis or other parasite infections from bacterial problems. Symptoms lasting two to four weeks and significant weight loss are key findings that indicate giardiasis.

Chronic giardiasis may follow an acute syndrome or present without severe other symptoms. Chronic signs and symptoms such as loose stool, steatorrhea, a 10 to 20 percent loss in weight, malabsorption, malaise, fatigue, and depression may wax and wane over many months if the condition is not treated.

Cyst excretion occurs intermittently in both formed and loose stools, while trophozoites are almost only found in diarrhea. Stool studies for ova and parasites (O&P) continue to be a mainstay of diagnosis despite only low to moderate sensitivity.

Herbs for Giardia

• Pippali rasayana is a traditional Ayurvedic formulation consisting of Piper longum and Butea monosperma (palash). Pippali rasayana (PR) has traditionally been used in the treatment of chronic dysentery and worm infestations. 1gr, 3x daily for 15 days

• Garlic 600mg 2x daily for 3 days

• Grapefruit extract over a two month period

• Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) over a two month period

• Indian long pepper (Piper longum) in aqueous extracts (250mcg/ml) and ethanol extracts (125mcg/ml) for 14 days

• Probiotics can also enhance intestinal IgA immune responses and increase intestinal mucin production. The actions and qualities of probiotics appear to be strain-specific. Even closely-related bacterial strains within the same species may have significantly different actions.

• Prebiotics, such as fructooligosaccharides, may play a minor role in the management of giardiasis, Prebiotic fermentation increases short-chain fatty acid production in the colon, and subsequent increased mucin production in the GI tract, which may enhance giardial clearing. Only minimal dosages of prebiotics can be used (e.g. 2gm twice daily), as symptoms such as abdominal bloating and flatulence may increase.

• MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) Oregon Health Sciences University researchers have found that MSM has anti-parasitic properties against giardia.

• Ozone / Oxidative Therapy ozonated oil or water.
  Each patient drank four glasses of ozonated water per day for ten days, followed by a 7-day period without treatment. This cycle was then repeated a second time.

Diet for Giardia:

High/Increased Fiber Diet Nutritional intervention aims to reduce the acute symptoms of giardia and help clear the infection. This can best be achieved by consuming a whole-food based, high-fiber diet that is low in fat, lactose, and refined sugars.
Dietary fiber probably plays an important role in the clearance of giardia infection. that the fiber induced an increase in mucous secretion and, in combination with the bulk movement of insoluble fiber, reduced trophozoite attachment to the intestinal mucosa and decreased the probability of trophozoites establishing and maintaining mucosal colonization.

Sugars Avoidance / Reduction is helpful

Dairy Products Avoidance. Studies have shown that giardia infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, can reduce the production of lactase in the small intestine, resulting in lactose malabsorption and its resultant diarrhea. Therefore, minimizing consumption of lactose-containing dairy products may improve diarrhea and the abdominal bloating and pain commonly associated with giardiasis. A 100-150gm serving of yogurt (about 1/2 cup) contains 3.0-5.3gm of lactose, and thus should be a safe amount to consume.

Low/Decreased Fat Diet Reducing the intake of fat might reduce the nausea, steatorrhoea, and diarrhea often associated with giardiasis. Dietary fat is also the main stimulator for the release of bile acids into the intestinal lumen, which giardia trophozoites depend on for survival in the small bowel.

Wheat Germ Wheat germ contains a lectin (wheat germ agglutinin - WGA) that specifically binds to NAG residues.
Recommended dose: 2 Tbsp of wheat germ three times daily.

Taking sauerkraut or kim chi throughout the day is a dietary measure that often helps.


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