Microscopic Colitis and Anti-Inflamitories
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Microscopic Colitis and Anti-Inflamitories
Ok, having learned a bit more about MC, I'm curious as to why AntiInflamitories like Ibuprophen are bad. Isn't Colitis an inflamation of the Colon and thus an anti inflamitory would help? A couple of things that are negative I suppose is that anti-inflamitories might decrease protein synthesis and thus repair of the damage to the colon.
Hi Mike,
As usual, it's not quite that simple. It's not that anti-inflammatories in general are bad, it's the way that NSAIDs work that make them problematic for sufferers of IBDs.
The primary problem with NSAIDs, is the fact that they block the producton of prostaglandins.
In healthy people, the intestinal environment maintains a healthy balance, with anti-inflammatory proteins keeping pro-inflammatory components in check. In people with IBDs, however, the immune system can't calm the inflammatory response occurring in the gut. The result is damage to the intestinal lining, which causes an increase in the flow of intestinal contents, leading to diarrhea, and can also cause ulcers and and bleeding, in the case of crohn's and UC.
Although NSAIDs block prostaglandins, thereby reducing fever, pain, and swelling that prostaglandins cause, it’s not necessarily a good thing for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Prostaglandins play a useful role in the GI tract, where they have a protective effect on the mucosal lining of the gut. They can lessen the effects of cytokines, which are proteins released by the immune system, that produce inflammation. Therefore, although NSAIDs can ease joint pain, and possibly help in other components of various inflammatory activities, they can also cause damage to the mucosa in healthy people, or reactivate the symptoms of disease in IBD patients.
IOW, the mucosa of our intestines is already highly vulnerable to attack by our immune systems, and for many or us, the reduction in prostaglandin production caused by NSAIDs, may be enough to allow an autoimmune reaction to proceed. The NSAIDs simply provide an increased opportunity for our overactive immune systems to wreak havoc with our guts.
Tex
As usual, it's not quite that simple. It's not that anti-inflammatories in general are bad, it's the way that NSAIDs work that make them problematic for sufferers of IBDs.
The primary problem with NSAIDs, is the fact that they block the producton of prostaglandins.
In healthy people, the intestinal environment maintains a healthy balance, with anti-inflammatory proteins keeping pro-inflammatory components in check. In people with IBDs, however, the immune system can't calm the inflammatory response occurring in the gut. The result is damage to the intestinal lining, which causes an increase in the flow of intestinal contents, leading to diarrhea, and can also cause ulcers and and bleeding, in the case of crohn's and UC.
Although NSAIDs block prostaglandins, thereby reducing fever, pain, and swelling that prostaglandins cause, it’s not necessarily a good thing for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Prostaglandins play a useful role in the GI tract, where they have a protective effect on the mucosal lining of the gut. They can lessen the effects of cytokines, which are proteins released by the immune system, that produce inflammation. Therefore, although NSAIDs can ease joint pain, and possibly help in other components of various inflammatory activities, they can also cause damage to the mucosa in healthy people, or reactivate the symptoms of disease in IBD patients.
IOW, the mucosa of our intestines is already highly vulnerable to attack by our immune systems, and for many or us, the reduction in prostaglandin production caused by NSAIDs, may be enough to allow an autoimmune reaction to proceed. The NSAIDs simply provide an increased opportunity for our overactive immune systems to wreak havoc with our guts.
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.
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annie oakley
- King Penguin
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- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 5:56 pm
Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances produced within the body, that regulate dilation of blood vessels, inflammatory response, and other critical processes. Fish oil, as you know, is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed for prostaglandin formation, while NSAIDs actually block the producton of prostaglandins.
Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids, make prostaglandins of the three series, which are anti-inflammatory and not constrictive. Prostaglandins can trigger pain and inflammation when they belong to the two series (arachidonic acid), however, the three series counteract that production and actually relieve pain and inflammation. Arachidonic acid dominates the average diet (meat and dairy), and without omega 3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, this balance tips in favor of inflammatory, pain-producing and vasoconstrive prostaglandins. This explains the seeming paradox of why the average person gets too much fat in their diet, and yet most people suffer from a fatty acid insufficiency (better termed a fatty acid imbalance). They actually don’t get enough of the “good” fatty acids.
Therefore, "natural" anti inflammatory type foods/supplements, such as fish oil, (especially), do not have the same problem as NSAIDs.
Tex
Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids, make prostaglandins of the three series, which are anti-inflammatory and not constrictive. Prostaglandins can trigger pain and inflammation when they belong to the two series (arachidonic acid), however, the three series counteract that production and actually relieve pain and inflammation. Arachidonic acid dominates the average diet (meat and dairy), and without omega 3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, this balance tips in favor of inflammatory, pain-producing and vasoconstrive prostaglandins. This explains the seeming paradox of why the average person gets too much fat in their diet, and yet most people suffer from a fatty acid insufficiency (better termed a fatty acid imbalance). They actually don’t get enough of the “good” fatty acids.
Therefore, "natural" anti inflammatory type foods/supplements, such as fish oil, (especially), do not have the same problem as NSAIDs.
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.
Wow, great info! Thanks, guess I gotta start taking those fish oil caps again. :)tex wrote:Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances produced within the body, that regulate dilation of blood vessels, inflammatory response, and other critical processes. Fish oil, as you know, is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed for prostaglandin formation, while NSAIDs actually block the producton of prostaglandins.
Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids, make prostaglandins of the three series, which are anti-inflammatory and not constrictive. Prostaglandins can trigger pain and inflammation when they belong to the two series (arachidonic acid), however, the three series counteract that production and actually relieve pain and inflammation. Arachidonic acid dominates the average diet (meat and dairy), and without omega 3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, this balance tips in favor of inflammatory, pain-producing and vasoconstrive prostaglandins. This explains the seeming paradox of why the average person gets too much fat in their diet, and yet most people suffer from a fatty acid insufficiency (better termed a fatty acid imbalance). They actually don’t get enough of the “good” fatty acids.
Therefore, "natural" anti inflammatory type foods/supplements, such as fish oil, (especially), do not have the same problem as NSAIDs.
Tex
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kate_ce1995
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1321
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 5:53 pm
- Location: Vermont
I don't know the answer to "natural" anti-inflammatories, mike. But they could work by increasing good prostaglandins. I can't remember it all, but there are different levels of prostaglandins (labeled E, F and probably others). It is specific ones that, for example, for women increase smooth wall muscle contraction (cramps/labor). One of the problems of NSAIDs is they reduce all prostaglandins, not just the harmful ones (or maybe hurtful is a better word). The cox-2 inhibitors like vioxx and celebrex, were/are better for the stomach because they target specific prostaglandins and not others. But they have obviously been shown to have other problems. You might try reading up on why something like fish oil is thought to work against inflamation.
Katy
Katy
tex,
Great info! In another thread I just suggested that you put the info/chart on NSAIDs in the Info on Medication Room - but now I'd like to suggest that you also put this info at the beginning of that post (and then add the specific info from the charts) as an explanation of why NSAIDs are not good for us. This is info that needs to be readily available at all times.
Love,
Polly
Great info! In another thread I just suggested that you put the info/chart on NSAIDs in the Info on Medication Room - but now I'd like to suggest that you also put this info at the beginning of that post (and then add the specific info from the charts) as an explanation of why NSAIDs are not good for us. This is info that needs to be readily available at all times.
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.