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I have a friend who is a heilpraktiker and a nutriotionist. I once asked him what he thought was the ground cause of my MC. His answer was short - and a bit too simple and disappointing:
B12 deficiency = lack of stomach acid = all symptoms you consider as so called allergies and intolerances.
I suspect if my sister was a doctor or nutritionist that is what her answer would be. I say that half jokingly. She is a fan of vitamin B12. When ever I've complained about my MC around her the answer is the same, take B12.
Your heilpraktiker/nutritionist friend is saying that the cause of your MC is pernicious anemia. But he has the chicken confused with the egg. Pernicious anemia is common with MC because the malabsorption problem that develops as a result of the inflammation often eventually leads to a deficiency of B-12 (which is the cause pernicious anemia). But the MC causes the pernicious anemia, not the other way around.
He's sort of right though, because taking vitamin B-12 can certainly help to reduce some of the symptoms (such as low energy and neurological issues). Unfortunately though, taking vitamin B-12 won't stop the D, nor the inflammation that causes it.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex: I agree with the chicken-egg comparison. But, he also said something interesting; that is to make bone broth. And, as a substitute for bone broth I could take gelatin, a lot of gelatin (the one we use to make jello), that contains glycine which makes wonders for the damaged intestines.
One has to peel away some of the advices one gets, and keep the ones that make sense
Lilja
Collagenous Colitis diagnosis in 2010
Psoriasis in 1973, symptom free in 2014
GF, CF and SF free since April, 2013
Ironically, gelatin is collagen. The diagnostic marker of collagenous colitis is collagen bands in the wall of the intestine that have become much too thick (IOW too much built-up collagen). So there is some question in my mind whether gelatin is as beneficial for treating CC as some people believe it is. I have a hunch that it can be helpful in the later stages of healing, but not necessarily early on (because for one thing, we may not be able to digest it early on — collagen is cartilage, gristle, etc.).
Bone broth helps healing because it's loaded with nutrients, and bones are roughly 50 % protein. And that doesn't include all the collagen protein that bones contain. It's true that gelatin contains the amino acids needed by the body to rebuild damaged collagen in the body, but if our digestive system is unable to digest food properly and absorb the resulting nutrients, then gelatin may not provide much benefit because our digestive system may not be able to break it down to the amino acids that are the building blocks of new collagen. We can't absorb collagen — we can only absorb the amino acids that result from the complete digestion of collagen.
Bone broth will produce far more healing benefits than gelatin, especially early on when the most damage is present. Gelatin is certainly better than nothing, but IMO it's a very poor substitute for properly prepared bone broth. Collagen provides only a fraction of the benefits of bone broth. Here's some extensive information on this comparison if you are interested:
But again, none of this is actually useful until after we stop the production of new inflammation by changing our diet to avoid our food sensitivities and drug sensitivities.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex wrote pretty much what i was going to say, gelatin alone wont heal leaky gut.
it is the combo of all the ingredients that gives it the healing powers including the fats etc.
The other factor to consuming just gelatine, is that most gelatine is derived from pork only, this could be an issue for those that have sensitivities to pork
making bone broth from your safe proteins optimises MC wellness.
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
A note about B-12....I can take the sublingual kind as I don't have any MFTHR issues, my husband has a genetic issue with MFTHR and has to take Methylfolate tabs (he started out slow with one tab and has worked himself up to 5 a day now...I told him you don't want to rev the engine too fast in the beginning so graduate the tabs slowly.....I know someone who has to take a prescription formula of 15 mg which would be 15 of the tabs my husband is taking )
Methylation is a new and under investigated way to help out our bodies I am learning.
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Interesting comments about gelatin and bone broth.
A couple of years ago my B-12 levels were extremely low although I do not recall any symptoms. I took supplements with no impact. My doctor had me take B-12 shots and eventually got the levels in the normal range. I haven't been tested recently but I am guessing the levels will be low again. I have read on this forum that sublingual B-12 is effective. Does anyone have any info regarding the differences between B-12 shots, B-12 pills and sublingual B-12? I am wondering if I need to be concerned about this...again.
Sublingual B-12 lozenges are generally considered to be at least as effect as the injections. Whether or not B-12 oral pills are effective depends on the type of B-12 in the pills, whether we have certain methylation issues, and the extent of any malabsorption issues.
IOW, if the oral pills contain cyanocobalamin, and we have methylation issues and/or malabsorption issues, we may derive very little benefit from them. Oral pills based on methylcobalamin are much more effective, but absorption may be somewhat restricted (compared with sublingual lozenges dissolved under the tongue), if we have significant malabsorption issues. With sublingual lozenges, dissolved under the tongue, we will absorb the B-12 in them regardless of any methylation issues or malabsorption problems.
The liver can store enough B-12 to last for up to 5 years, if one's diet contains plenty of B-12 initially. So unless we are don't have any reserves, we have a grace period of up to 5 years after first developing malabsorption problems. IMO, if someone has been reacting for several years, then a B-12 deficiency can definitely cause problems.
I blame too many years of reacting (before I figured out what was wrong with me and corrected my diet) for my peripheral neuropathy issues (IOW, permanent nerve damage). By the time I began taking a B-12 supplement, the damage had been done.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex:
Really interesting comments. I had no idea about the different make-ups of B-12. I'm so sorry about your peripheral neuropathy, but thank you for sharing. This makes me realize I need to jump on having my B-12 tested again.
Weezie
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