I have been going over some of my test results from a few months back, and it struck me that I never followed up on an interesting result of my Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) from Genova Diagnostics (attached). Under "benefitial bacteria" my lactobacillus and bifidobacterium were within acceptable ranges, but my Escherichia coli measurement read "NG", meaning No Growth.

I have been taking probiotics for over 6 months, eating fermented cabbage, yogurt, etc., on a restricted diet, taking GSE, psyllium, but have had persistent gut problems. Then a post on ER triggered a reminder about the e.coli measurement from my tests. Could this "NG" be at the root of my stomach woes? I have since searched for ways to stimulate the growth of healthy e coli, but have hit a lot of dead ends when trying to find ways to do so. Most probiotics for sale focus on lactobacillus, but ignore e coli. And imagine the looks you get when you go around town trying to get your hands on e coli!

...then I came across the review of Mutaflor on this site, a probiotic supplement that contains "E.coli Nissle 1917". Using "E.coli Nissle 1917" as my new reference point, I found numerous studies about the benefits of this strain for ulcerative colitis, for preventive bacterial colonization of the gut of newborn subjects, and leaky gut to name a few.

The most interesting note that almost knocked me out of my chair was that

"A deficiency in this form of probiotic bacteria can result in reduced production of folic acid, the amino acids Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Tryptophan, SCFAs and also Co-Enzyme Q10"

I had expected to find some relief of stomach issues, but never expected there may be impacts to energy production and methylation. May be wishful thinking, but interesting nonetheless.

Needless to say, I am excited about the possibility of Mutaflor, and wanted to see if others had experiences to share, or had seen similar test results showing a lack of e. coli.

Hi there,

Great topic this as E. coli is seen exclusively as a pathogen by most people, including doctors. As you have discovered there are strains of this bacteria that are not only not harmful but are actually very beneficial to our health.

IBS is another common GI condition for which E.coli supplementation (in the form of Mutaflor) has been used successfully in clinical trials. Check out the manufacturer's website for a list of clinical studies on this product - http://www.ardeypharm.de/en/index.php?seite=clinical

The problem is that this product is produced in Germany and is not widely available in many countries. I believe it is not even allowed to be sold in the US at present. To my knowledge it is also the only probiotic supplement containing a beneficial E.coli strain.

The quote you gave on the beneficial effects of E.coli surprised me a bit too. That is some important work it is doing there. Besides impacting methylation and energy metabolism a deficiency would also directly disrupt neurotransmitter metabolism since tyrosine, phenylalanine and serotonin are required to produce noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin among others!

I thought I'd share my CDSA results from 10 years ago as they showed NG (0 at the time) for E.coli and only +1 for Lactobacilli. I am planning to have the Metametrix version shortly as that now tests for anaerobic bacteria using PCR which none of the other labs do.

Maff - Is it true that with the Metametrix test you only have to send them a one-time sample? Are there restrictions on taking probiotics around the time of the sample?

Through Geneova I needed to send samples from over 3 days, and was not allowed to have anything containing probiotics for almost 2 weeks beforehand.

Would be interested to hear if Metametrix has less restrictive requirements, but provides the same results as GD...

Yes the Metametrix GI Effects Profile only requires a single sample. I assume the thinking is that because they use DNA PCR analysis it is much more accurate than simply trying to culture all the microbes and thus using multiple samples doesn't really provide much benefit.

With any stool analysis like this you'd need to avoid probiotics beforehand since the bacteria in the probiotic could significantly skew the results e.g. show you to have more Lactobacilli or Bifidobacteria than you actually do.

Sounds informative. I don't think my GP has worked with Metametrix in the past, but it sounds like ordering the kit is an option we can explore.

Any idea what the ballpark cost out of pocket would be for the test?

I think the Metametrix tests runs something similar to the GDX one so £250-300? I am going to enquire with Dr. Myhill's office about it tomorrow as I want to do this test asap myself. I'll let you know a more accurate figure then.

Even if your GP won't order the test you can go through Dr. Myhill's website - www.drmyhill.co.uk

She orders the tests, interprets the results and then sends a letter to your GP reporting on the findings.