A report in Science Daily entitled “Autism symptoms improve after fecal transplant, small study finds” caught my eye immediately.
You see, in one of the episodes of my recent PBS special, Natural Health Breakthroughs with Brenda Watson, I interviewed a woman who had undergone fecal transplant with great success. She had been extremely ill with recurrent C. difficile bacterial infections when this innovative treatment was suggested. She felt she regained her life through this process. Now I see it’s being used to help young people with autism!
For those of you unaware of this procedure, fecal transplantation is done by processing donor feces and screening it for disease-causing viruses and bacteria. Then the “healthy” microbes are inserted into the participant’s digestive tract to rebalance the gut, known as the microbiome.
The boys and girls diagnosed with autism, ages 7 to 16, initially were administered a two week course of antibiotics to essentially wipe out existing bacteria, with hopes to start with a “clean slate”. Then doctors then gave the participants a high-dose fecal transplant of healthy donors’ bacteria and viruses in liquid form. Over the 7-8 weeks that followed the youngsters drank smoothies blended with a lower dose powder.
Although it was a small study (18 children), the results appeared to be extremely positive. Diarrhea and stomach pains decreased markedly – up to 82%, and parents also reported that behavioral autism symptoms significantly changed for the better. The study followed the participants for 8 weeks after the implantation, and positive results appeared to continue.
Researchers were also able to use laboratory testing to compare the autistic children’s bacterial diversity with their healthy peers following treatment. The participants’ bacterial diversity had improved to the point that the test results were indistinguishable from healthy children. This is such an important finding since previous research has shown that children with autism typically have less diversity of bacteria in their guts, and are also missing some important bacteria that are regarded as markers of a healthy microbiome, as I discussed in this blog.
The relationship between mental health and gut microbes has been researched often as well. So it seems logical that attempts to restore balance to the autistic child’s gut, as so many parents have worked to do over the years with great results through diet and probiotics, would and does result in better health.
It’s exciting to see that research may offer a more direct tool in the future with the potential to improve so many lives. As larger studies are done, it is hoped that researchers will uncover the precise bacteria and viruses that impact very specific diseases. What an interesting future we have to look forward to!
Ripoti katika gazeti la Science Daily yenye kichwa "Ugonjwa wa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja kwa Ugonjwa wa Kuvuja". "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kipindi cha PBS cha ""Natural Health Breakthroughs with Brenda Watson,"" mwanamke mmoja wa Marekani amekuwa akifanya upasuaji wa kuhamisha tumbo la uzazi kwa mafanikio makubwa." Alikuwa mgonjwa sana na maambukizo ya bakteria ya C. difficile yaliyorudiwa-rudiwa wakati matibabu haya ya ubunifu yalipopendekezwa. Alihisi kwamba alikuwa amepata tena maisha yake kupitia mchakato huo. Sasa naona kwamba inatumiwa kuwasaidia vijana wenye ugonjwa wa akili! Kwa wale ambao hawajui utaratibu huu, upandikizaji wa matumbo hufanywa kwa kusindika matumbo ya wafadhili na kuichunguza kwa virusi na bakteria zinazosababisha ugonjwa. Kisha vimelea "vilivyo na afya" huingizwa katika mfumo wa kumeng'enya chakula wa mshiriki ili kurekebisha usawa wa matumbo, yanayojulikana kama microbiome. Wanaume na wasichana waliogunduliwa na ugonjwa wa akili, wenye umri wa miaka 7 hadi 16, walipewa dawa za kuua viini kwa wiki mbili ili kuondoa bakteria zilizopo, na matumaini ya kuanza na "sufuri safi". Baada ya hapo, daktari aliwapa wagonjwa hao dozi kubwa ya bakteria na virusi kutoka kwa wafadhili wenye afya. Katika kipindi cha wiki 7-8 zilizopita, vijana hao walikunywa smoothies zilizochanganywa na poda ya chini. Ingawa ilikuwa ni utafiti mdogo (18 watoto), matokeo yalionekana kuwa mazuri sana. Ugonjwa wa kuhara na maumivu ya tumbo yalipungua kwa kiasi kikubwa - hadi 82%, na wazazi pia waliripoti kwamba dalili za tabia za autism zilibadilika kwa kiasi kikubwa kwa bora. Uchunguzi huo ulifuatilia washiriki kwa wiki nane baada ya kupandikizwa, na matokeo mazuri yalionekana kuendelea. Watafiti pia waliweza kutumia vipimo vya maabara kulinganisha utofauti wa bakteria wa watoto wenye ugonjwa wa akili na wenzao wenye afya baada ya matibabu. Tofauti ya bakteria ya washiriki ilikuwa imeboresha hadi hatua ambayo matokeo ya mtihani hayakuweza kutofautishwa na watoto wenye afya. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni unaonyesha kuwa watoto wenye ugonjwa wa akili wana bakteria chache katika matumbo yao na pia wanakosa bakteria muhimu ambazo zinaonekana kuwa alama za microbiome yenye afya. Uhusiano kati ya afya ya akili na vijidudu vya matumbo umechunguzwa mara nyingi pia. Kwa hivyo inaonekana kuwa ni mantiki kwamba majaribio ya kurudisha usawa kwa tumbo la mtoto mwenye autism, kama wazazi wengi wamefanya kazi kwa miaka mingi na matokeo mazuri kupitia lishe na probiotics, ingekuwa na inasababisha afya bora. Ni ya kusisimua kuona kwamba utafiti unaweza kutoa chombo moja kwa moja zaidi katika siku zijazo na uwezo wa kuboresha maisha mengi sana. Kwa kuwa utafiti huo umefanywa kwa muda mrefu, watafiti wamepata uwezekano wa kugundua bakteria na virusi vinavyoweza kusababisha magonjwa fulani. Ni wakati ujao wenye kupendeza kama nini tunaoweza kutazamia!