i read on this website that pysllium is bad for leaky gut whereas cellulose is good. however i have been doing and have done psyllium bentonite and caproil cleanses for my candida with no improvement. however my diet wasnt very good i was still eating tons of grains. anyways i was thinking of doing another psyllium bentonite caproil cleanse and i bought some cellulose but its doesnt bulk up and make a good shake like the psyllium does and my naturopath recommends the psyllium seed. anyone know why pysllium is bad for leaky gut?

Hi,

Fibre is actually quite a complex subject. To answer your question we first need to understand that psyllium is a form of soluble fibre, meaning it dissolves and bulks up in water, while cellulose is an insoluble fibre, which does not.

In the book Optimal Digestion: New Strategies for Achieving Digestive Health it is reported that integrated medical doctor and expert on gut microflora and leaky gut syndrome has found that soluble fibre tends to worsen leaky gut syndrome while insoluble fibre actually helps. This finding led to the formulation of Perm-a-vite - a nutritional supplement complex for healing leaky gut syndrome produced by Allergy Research Group - which contains cellulose, along with l-glutamine, and other herbs and nutrients.

You should also be aware that soluble fibre tends to be highly fermentable - i.e. feeds intestinal microflora (including Candida). Whether psyllium specifically is fermentable by Candida I am not certain but I would think it is likely.

Based on all this my personal feeling is that psyllium is probably not the best option in those with significant Candida issues.

strange, because any time I have asked a naturopath the best thing for Candida, because I have never been able to treat mine for very long because of the die off,I have had many of them tell me to do psyllium,clay, Caprilic acid cleanses. they seem to be the most famous and favorite treatment plans of Canadian natural pathic doctors. that one dosilly andctor is the only one I have ever heard say psyllium is bad for leaky gut.

You need to be sure of any healthcare provider's credentials before taking their advice. Here in the UK anybody can call themselves a \"naturopath\" - I'm not sure what the situation is in Canada? I would rather take the word of a medical doctor (Leo Galland, M.D.) than someone who might have done an unaccredited weekend course in naturopathy for a year.

I know in the US there are NDs that are trained like MDs so obviously these can be trusted. I know there are medical schools for NDs in Canada too but am not sure if other individuals without the education and training can call themselves naturopaths as well.<br /><br />Post edited by: Maff, at: 2009/09/11 20:08

I'm not sure what to think really. So what is bad about psyllium? That it feeds intestinal microbes?what does Leo Galand say the reason is for it being bad?

Unfortunately there is often uncertainty around medical treatments, especially as far as controversial conditions such as Candida-related illness are concerned, as the medical profession often fails to take them seriously and spend time and money investigating effective treatments.

Dr. Galland has found that psyllium increases intestinal permeability, i.e. makes leaky gut syndrome worse. I can only assume this is the result of it causing irritation and inflammation of the intestinal lining, or mucosa, although this is usually associated with insoluble fibre such as bran. However, as you are no doubt aware intestinal Candida overgrowth and leaky gut syndrome tend to occur together so taking psyllium when you have these problems would not be a good idea if Dr. Galland is correct.

Because psyllium is a soluble fibre and is therefore likely to be highly fermentable it would feed intestinal microbes, including Candida, yes.

I can see why psyllium is often recommended for Candida. The idea of using it in combination with antifungal agents, usually caprylic acid, is to increase the amount of antifungal that comes into contact with the gut mucosa which is where Candida colonizes. Psyllium can also be helpful with constipation and other symptoms of Candida overgrowth - it may soak up toxins, for example. The problems I've talked about however would make me wary of using or recommending this approach.

Best of luck with whatever you try and let us know how you get on...<br /><br />Post edited by: Maff, at: 2009/09/18 19:55