Ground Floor Health

Oral candidiasis is often a difficult condition to treat. Conventional treatments can be very effective with several drawbacks. Most conventional medications for oral candidiasis kill the yeast, but also attack the normal flora in the gut. This can lead to other health conditions. Conventional treatments can also be costly.

Several botanical extracts have proven antibacterial and anti-fungal activity against microorganisms including yeast. However, many of these botanicals do not exhibit effectiveness when tested in clinical trials. Several factors can account for the failed results including incorrect preparation and insufficient dose.

A preliminary study was published in the journal Tropical Doctors in April 2005 that tested the efficacy of garlic paste as a treatment for oral candidiasis. The garlic paste was a concentrated preparation high in volatile oils.

The study had 56 participants. Each participant was given an oral application of garlic paste once daily for 14 days. The treatment was compared to treatment with an oral rinse of clotrimazole, a commonly prescribed over the counter anti-fungal.

The researchers found that garlic paste administered once daily was as effective as clotrimazole for treating oral candidiasis. The garlic paste was proven to suppress the clinical symptoms of oral candidiasis. This study did not compare cultures of the oral mucosa before and after treatment to determine any change in colony count.

In conclusion this preliminary trial shows promising results that garlic can be used as an effective anti-fungal for oral candidiasis. It is safe and will not cause systemic depletion of normal flora in the GI system. Larger double blind studies are needed to confirm this

Omega 3 fatty acids play important roles in many of the biochemical processes of the body. They are involved in the production of many chemicals used for communication including steroid hormones and neurotransmitters. There has been epidemiological evidence that the consumption of fish may decrease the likelihood one would suffer from depression. Evidence has been found to connect abnormal metabolism of omega 3 fatty acids and eicosanoids may have a causal role in depression.

Omega 3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have been investigated as a possible treatment for mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia. In June the Journal of Clinical Psychology published the results of a small open label study testing the efficacy of EPA for bipolar disorder.

The study enrolled 12 participants being treated for Bipolar I disorder in an outpatient setting. The patients were diagnosed according to criteria in the DSM-IV. Patients were given 1.5-2.0 grams of EPA per day for 6 months in addition to their current medications for the disorder.

The results of the study showed that 8 out of 10 patients who consumed the recommended amount of EPA for greater than one month had a 50% reduction in scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression is a routinely used modality for assessing clinical change in mood disorders. Throughout the study no patients developed hypomania or manic symptoms. No side effects from the ingestion of EPA were reported.

Overall the researchers were satisfied with the results of the study. A few limitations to the study exist such as the small sample size, it was an open label study, and it did not test the efficacy of EPA in severe cases of bipolar disease, which can be encountered in an inpatient setting. The positive aspects of the study definitely support the proposition to fund a larger, double blind study perhaps in an inpatient setting.

Omega 3 fatty acids such as EPA have proven to be a safe, effective add on treatment for mild to moderate bipolar disorder. It does not cause fluctuations in mood nor result in hypomania or manic symptoms, which can often occur with the addition of new antidepressants or conventional medications for bipolar.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel condition that results in loss of the normal architecture of the intestine. As a result nutrients are poorly absorbed and children often suffer from malnutrition. Crohn’s disease in children results in poor weight gain and low body mass index (BMI). They also may suffer from delayed maturation (sexual and behavioral) as well as poor growth. Cachexia is a medical condition characterized by protein wasting due to loss of caloric intake. It is often encountered at the end stages of chronic disease or in developing countries where food is scarce. The body essentially begins to break down its lean muscle mass, sparing the fat mass.

Many studies have documented the effects of Crohn’s disease on growth, development, and nutritional status. The effects of Crohn’s disease on lean mass and fat mass in children had not been studied until a recent publication in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine aimed to quantify the lean and fat mass in children and young adult with Crohn’s disease and compare to healthy matched control subjects. The study enrolled 104 subjects with Crohn’s disease and 233 healthy controls. Fat and lean mass was measured using DEXA.

The results showed that children and young adults have a body composition similar to individuals suffering from cachexia. Subjects with Crohn’s disease had a lower height for age and BMI for age. Children with Crohn’s disease had decreases in lean mass compared to healthy subjects and normal fat mass. In the control group fat mass and lean mass were positively correlated with one another, as one increase the other would. That trend was not present with the children with Crohn’s disease.

These results support past evidence that children with Crohn’s disease have significant deficits in growth and development. Understanding the relationship between lean and fat mass assimilation can help determine proper interventions from a nutritional standpoint. This information can also be useful in developing fitness programs to improve body composition in children with Crohn’s disease.