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Chia seeds broke my gut?

outdamnspot

Senior Member
Messages
924
I've realized a lot of the posts in this sub-forum are by me, so apologies, but I guess with symptoms being so dynamic/constant/changing, it can sometimes be hard to figure out what's going on.

Anyway, I've always had a mixed reaction to chia seeds. I started using them about 2 years ago because if I soak them in water and consume the gel before bed in order to 'coat' my stomach, it would stop my sleeping medication (Lunesta/Zopiclone) wearing off too quickly. For about 5-7 days, I'd actually get an anti-inflammatory reaction from the seeds, before they ended up turning on me, presumably due to the salicylate content.

However, as time went on, my tolerance for them has reduced, and often I'd get a weird feeling of 'mucus' in my gut while using them, accompanied by sinus congestion, trouble breathing etc. The last time I tried consuming them for a week (pretty much just so I could take the Lunesta and get decent sleep), I ended up with a full-blown bout of bronchitis and swore off them after that.

However, last week I was desperate to sleep and so prepared the gel, thinking I might be okay for one night. I was immediately hit by the weird stomach/nasal congestion, and for the past week my gut has been in shambles: vomiting, constipation, worsened food intolerances, and very poor gut clearance -- everything feels 'impacted' after I eat, and I can do several water enemas a day and just see endless stuff coming out.

Anyway, I think the symptoms are starting to a ease a little (?) but I'm really confused how this could happen from just consuming them once; I have mostly been eating meat, so maybe my gut is just really sensitive to plants/seeds at the moment. But is it also possible certain foods can trigger/feed some kind of pre-existing infection? I've developed new SIBO symptoms, esp. constant belching, since this happened, which is why I was thinking along those lines.
 
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Remi

Senior Member
Messages
169
I'm really sorry this happened! I do think SIBO makes one extremely sensitive to trigger foods. I can have weeks of nausea if I try veg.

Would collagen coat the stomach like the gut? Because it is said to be good for the gut.
 

outdamnspot

Senior Member
Messages
924
I'm really sorry this happened! I do think SIBO makes one extremely sensitive to trigger foods. I can have weeks of nausea if I try veg.

Would collagen coat the stomach like the gut? Because it is said to be good for the gut.

Thanks. I can psychologically tolerate crashes a little more easily if I can at least figure out what's going on, so was just really confused how it all happened after using them once (since previously it would take about a week or so of continuous use for symptoms to hit). I've been thinking of trialing an antibiotic for my gut issues -- have one saved from a previous infection, since doctor won't acknowledge that I could have SIBO -- so maybe this would be a good time to test it.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
I've realized a lot of the posts in this sub-forum are by me, so apologies, but I guess with symptoms being so dynamic/constant/changing, it can sometimes be hard to figure out what's going on.

Don't worry about asking too many questions. We're here to help if we can. Your questions and the answers you receive can be helpful to other people.

Anyway, I think the symptoms are starting to a ease a little (?) but I'm really confused how this could happen from just consuming them once

This is a poorly educated guess but maybe the prebiotic effects of chia have been feeding unhelpful bacteria in your gut. Bacteria and yeast can proliferate amazingly fast (consider how quickly bread rises from all that yeast multiplying and the gas byproducts). If your gut has been now been primed with a population of chia-loving bacteria then maybe that population now explodes at a single dose, and takes a week to rebalance.

it would stop my sleeping medication (Lunesta/Zopiclone) wearing off too quickly.

Slippery elm, and maybe flax gel, would probably have a similar effect of slowing absorption. Both feed gut bacteria so if chia is causing unhelpful bacteria to flourish then slippery elm and flax might have the same effect, although maybe they feed different types of bacteria.

everything feels 'impacted' after I eat

Some probiotics lead to slow-transit constipation. It happened to me with Dr. Ohhira's which includes prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. After I stopped taking it, weeks passed before my transit time increased. If the chia has caused a bacteria imbalance in your gut then maybe it's the type of bacteria that leads to slow transit/slow peristalsis.
 

outdamnspot

Senior Member
Messages
924
Don't worry about asking too many questions. We're here to help if we can. Your questions and the answers you receive can be helpful to other people.

This is a poorly educated guess but maybe the prebiotic effects of chia have been feeding unhelpful bacteria in your gut. Bacteria and yeast can proliferate amazingly fast (consider how quickly bread rises from all that yeast multiplying and the gas byproducts). If your gut has been now been primed with a population of chia-loving bacteria then maybe that population now explodes at a single dose, and takes a week to rebalance.

Slippery elm, and maybe flax gel, would probably have a similar effect of slowing absorption. Both feed gut bacteria so if chia is causing unhelpful bacteria to flourish then slippery elm and flax might have the same effect, although maybe they feed different types of bacteria.

Some probiotics lead to slow-transit constipation. It happened to me with Dr. Ohhira's which includes prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. After I stopped taking it, weeks passed before my transit time increased. If the chia has caused a bacteria imbalance in your gut then maybe it's the type of bacteria that leads to slow transit/slow peristalsis.

That was very helpful and makes a lot of sense, thank you. I had no idea chia seeds have a prebiotic effect.
 
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Judee

Psalm 46:1-3
Messages
4,461
Location
Great Lakes
Seeds are my absolute worst IBS trigger. I think they act like sand paper on my insides irritating the lining of my intestines.

My new PCP said to make a flax tea instead where I would just be consuming the strained liquid from the seeds. Maybe you could try something like that--I mean straining the chia. However, I think they form a mass, don't they? So the liquid would probably not drain off that well.

This is the recipe she gave me:
Flax Water:
1-2 Tablespoon flaxseed steeped in 2 Cup boiling water 5-10 minutes (no longer), strain, drink throughout the day. Store up to 3 days in fridge. Can be mixed with juice for flavor.

Once I have a seed causing flair though it takes a while for everything to heal back up. I usually go to a very bland diet for a while like rice (white, of course, to avoid the scratchy fiber), plain yogurt, and water. You have to find what works for you though. Hope you get relief soon.
 
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outdamnspot

Senior Member
Messages
924
Been feeling kinda worried because my gut hasn't gone back to normal post-chia incident; maybe it was just the trigger for some kind of further deterioration, but there has, as I've said, been this persistent and weird sensation of 'mucus' in my gut and sinuses (which is something I would only previously experience when directly consuming the seeds); I do have some motility returning, but my gut still never feels empty either. I also can't seem to tolerate beef liver at all, which is not good, because it was my one safe-ish carb source; eating it just induces profound weakness now.

I did see my doctor, stressing the flu-like symptoms more, thinking it could be some kind of acute infection, but she ran some tests and everything was normal.

All I'm eating is fresh ground beef, water/salt and lemon juice.

A few things I wonder:

1. I've been doing 2-3 water enemas a day, on top of my regular coffee enema. Is there anyway water enemas can make things worse (outside of eventually causing dependence issues)? Everytime I do one, I eliminate quite a lot of old fecal matter and also feel temporarily better, but was just wondering. I do use tap water, but supposedly Australian tap water is clean.

2. Is it possible the carbs/sugar in lemon juice can feed SIBO? Everything I read on lemon juice and gut health says it's helpful and I'd be remiss to cut it out, because then I would be eating zero carbs.

Not sure what to do otherwise. As I say, might be a good time to try an antibiotic (which I've been debating for like 4 months now, but kept putting off out of fear of triggering a crash).

Also please remind me not to post on reddit for health advice anymore -- everyone here is always kind and supportive, even when I feel like I'm being neurotic and I always feel 'heard'; but I tried asking for advice on /r/SIBO and the responses were just terrible.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
Is there anyway water enemas can make things worse

This article claims that colonics (and maybe water enemas?) can reduce bowel flora. I've read elsewhere that this is disputed.

Here is a note about SIBO:
Low bile production, methylation problems, from: http://www.beyondmthfr.com/mthfr-digestion-methylation-connection-gallbladder-function/

Bile is basically soap. It performs nearly the exact same functions as your dish soap. [Some other functions, such as detoxification are also listed in the article.] Just like dish soap helps cut the grease and fats off your dishes, your bile helps break up the fats in your diet into small pieces. This process is often referred to as the emulsification function of bile – it literally acts like detergent on the fats we eat. Soap also rinses bacteria off your hands and bile rinses bacteria off the lining of your small intestine. This is one big reason why people with bile problems, which come from MTHFR and methylation problems, often develop SIBO. Lack of bile means too many bugs stuck to the walls of your upper small intestine, and this is a big issue for people who are struggling to overcome SIBO and get their gut back on track.

Do you have light colored stool which might indicate a lack of bile? I had light colored stool for many years and thought I had gallbladder or liver problems. After trying a taurine supplement recently (NOW brand taurine powder) I started producing bile right away. Taurine has been awesome for getting my bile flowing again. It also reduces some of my sound sensitivities and helps reduce irritability.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
What are the more obvious benefits you notice from increased bile?

So far it seems to be reducing constipation (bile induces peristalsis) and is probably helping with fat digestion. Otherwise, I'm not sure how else it's helping since I made a few other changes around the same time and am seeing some other benefits in my health, so it's hard to know what each element is contributing.

Proper bile production is extremely important for removing wastes from the body, digesting fats, and contributes to bodily health in other ways.
 
Messages
47
A nutritionist I saw recently urged me to be careful with chia seeds and limit my intake as they're known to cause gastrointestinal upset, particularly if you already have inflammatory issues. A lot of these issues sound exactly like what you are experiencing; if you google 'chia seed overdose' or similar you may find examples of similar cases.

Chia seeds are very high in fibre which can upset the balance of your digestive system, they will absorb water from your digestional tract if you haven't had enough liquid with them, the high omega-3 levels can thin your blood and mess with your blood pressure, they can also negatively affect blood sugar regulation. There are cases of people developing allergies to chia seeds which can cause histamine reactions and internal issues, and they are also known to cross-react with other foods, particularly plants and herbs in the Labiatae family.

These are not common side effects when taken in moderation but it sounds like you were having a large amount very regularly which could have caused an acute sensitisation, which was then triggered after you took a break and then tried them again. It is possible you may be having an ongoing gastrointestinal flare up rather than an infection.
 

Remi

Senior Member
Messages
169
I'm really sorry this happened! I do think SIBO makes one extremely sensitive to trigger foods. I can have weeks of nausea if I try veg.

Would collagen coat the stomach like the gut? Because it is said to be good for the gut.

Wanted to add to this that I got rid of my stomach ache and part of the constipation with thyroid tx. This in turn reduced SIBO considerably. Still have trouble when too much fibre and gassy foods.