could high protein be contributing to dysbiosis in the gut?

[uni]

Hi,

I realize that most people follow a higher protein, higher fat, lower carb diet and that this has been recommended by many of the top doctors. I've also read of people not doing well on vegetarian or high carb diets.

I am wondering that, maybe, for me, a higher protein diet is actually contributing to the cycle of dysbiosis and leaky gut in my body. I've in general been following a higher protein, higher fat diet, but I still eat a good amount of carbs. The carbs help me function better, as I've tried lower carb and my brain was not happy at all. In the years before I developed CFS, I was actually already following a higher protein diet and I notice that it slowed down my gut motility and was possibly contributing to the dysbiosis I currently have.

I am wondering how it would play out if I kept the protein lower and ate a bunch of fruits and vegetables, increasing carbs and eating frequently. There are people on other forums that have reported getting rid of "candida" with a lower protein, high fruit diet. On the candida forums, it seems that the candida diet does not help eliminate the dysbiosis at all, but just keeps the symptoms away. The diet is heavy on protein which seems to contribute to the cycle of dysbiosis.

This has already been tried by some people I'm sure, and did not work out. I've never given it a good try though, and I've been eating pretty high protein for the last several years. Maybe it would just make me worse, without first getting rid of the bad bacteria in my gut.

 

[ukxmrv]

I didn't find that eating more fruit helped with candida at all. On the 80's Crook type anti-Candida diet I did fruit was too be avoided. Diet didn't help with getting rid of Candida and when I did clear up the small infections I was getting (with drugs) my health overall didn't improve.

Prof Meirlier in Belgium is finding CFS are often intolerant of fructose anyway.

Could you try something like Betaine HCL to help with the gut motility instead?

With ME it's like fighting a multi-headed animal. Knock one off and another appears. If I added more fruit and veges to my diet my gut would swell, function would deteriorate and I'd get increased diarrhea.

It's a very individual thing.

 

[baccarat]

I need carbs to function too. I tried an experiment years ago when a nutritionist suggested that sort of high fat / low carb diet that seems to be "the diet" for cfs.
I'm a former cyclist and I know that carbs is what keep us going on very long rides. Anyhow, to cut the story short, I tried an experiment. I went on the diet she suggested for a couple of weeks. I then tested my stamina on my stationary bike and could only cycle for about four minutes and felt really empty afterwards. Usually I can do around ten minutes without risking a crash later. I then went back to my normal diet and after a week I tried again and got back to my usual ten minutes. I didn't touch that diet since.

 

[mellster]

While proteins are generally useful, esp. undenatured whey protein as glutathione precursor I am also skeptical of those diets simply because the amount of protein that most people consume these days is brutally high compared to their daily athletic output, it doesn't make sense to eat like a strong man competitor if you are not. Personally I also notice slight digestive issues if I overconsume proteins. Not sure about the candida impact, but generally digestive-wise fruits, when taken on a mostly empty stomach, should be among the easiest nutrients to quickly absorb (unless you have certain allergic conditions). cheers

 

[uni]

baccarat - do you have gut issues? how do you resolve gut ecology problems while eating carbs?

thats a big problem for me. i know dysbiosis is very taxing on my body and immune system - but I can't function while cutting carbs, so I eat it, and my gut ecology remains relatively the same

 

[baccarat]

Uni,
Fortunately I don't have gut issues but I've always had a pretty healthy diet. Since I was a child I've never eaten process food, don't eat sweets (well some choc from time to time) , drink only good red wine etc. So I don't think I understand problems people report when eating carbs. I eat plenty of fruit but avoid refined carbs, pasta and the like. We tend to eat complex low GI carbs mostly quinoa, millet, buckwheat, oats and usually we soak the grains and sprout slightly before cooking. I'm very picky when it comes to flour, only stone grounded without any additives and we make our own bread, sourdough leavened with probiotic yeast. The past couple of days I also started to culture my own probiotic yoghurt and it feels good.
I'm not sure I know about dysbiosis but I did suffer from some acid reflux when I was very unwell and not able to move a lot. As others I found betaine hcl quite helpful in resetting my digestion.

 

[sianrecovery]

I have worked with nutritionalists specialising in ME, and doctors, and the consensus has always been for high protein, low carbs (no sugars). However, I also have kidney stones and osteoporosis, both of which may be exacerbated by high protein. I am slowly coming to the realisation that no one really KNOWS what will work best for my body, and I will have to experiment while using my own judgement and observational skills. When I have managed with no carbs or sugars, I have had more energy, but I have also felt irritable and unsatisfied. My current compromise is a diet high in organic meats, veg, no diary, no cereals inc gluten, and some carbs. Its always a work in progress - I always want to consume more sugar, and walk a fine line in keeping it under control - and not getting completely by a diet dominated by restriction, rather than pleasure in feeding myself.

 

[Valentijn]

I prefer eating low carb for weight and hunger control reasons and feeling better in general, but there are times when eating protein (not just meat) or even thinking about it makes me very nauseated.

Eating lots of carbs when feeling anti-meat doesn't seem to have the negative effects that I get if I eat a lot of carbs when I'm feeling normal. In fact, it feels pretty good.

Call me confused!