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This just an abstract, so it's a little light on details and evidence, but the authors have an appealing hypothesis...


Fungal Toxins and Multiple Sclerosis: A Compelling Connection.

Brain Res Bull. 2010 Mar 6. [Epub ahead of print]
Purzycki CB, Shain DH.
Department of Biology, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 600 South 43rd. Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Multiple Sclerosis occurs as a consequence of central nervous system neuronal demyelination. Decades of research suggest that the primary suspects (e.g., viruses, genes, immune system) are associative rather than causative agents, but a surprisingly coherent relationship can be made between multiple sclerosis and fungal toxins. Specifically, certain pathogenic fungi sequester in non-neuronal tissue and release toxins that target and destroy CNS astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Without these glial support cells, myelin degrades triggering the onset of multiple sclerosis and its associated symptoms. We propose here that fungal toxins are the underlying cause of multiple sclerosis and thus may offer an avenue towards an effective cure.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20214953

What sort of treatments are available for fungal issues?

CURCUMIN does wonders for my toes(cures fungal infections), it rasises my HDL levels to the 70s (now 76) and it looks like it can cure my MS.

Taking it RAW will do you NO GOOD!!

Need to take it with something to enhance absorption.

jackD

Dignan,

I just read that abstract and the researchers sound so confident that they have come across something.

We propose here that fungal toxins are the underlying cause of multiple sclerosis

Does anyone have the whole study?...because they don't go into detail or state which fungus they feel is responsible.

Before getting too excited we should remember that fungus and fungal toxins are often present when the body is diseased, e.g. where there is cancer. It's another chicken and egg thing. Doctors almost universally say that disease comes first and fungus follows - but I wonder.

Candida is the best known fungus, often getting out of control when the immune system is weak. It releases many toxins, particularly acetaldehyde which is known to disrupt liver function and hormone T3 absorption. Nerves hate toxins - which is why diseases like Lymes cause damage to nerves. If microbes can do it, why not fungi?


I found this article from 2003 entitled Multiple Sclerosis: A Chronic Mycotoxicosis:

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/news/Jul2 ... otoxicosis


Jack- can you tell us what you take to enhance curcumin absorption?


gainsbourg

bio-perine (from SourceNaturals) is made from a black pepper extract (piperine) and is used to enhance absorption.

The addition of the Tumeric root extract BCM-95™ gives it enhanced bioavailability and sustained retention time in the body thus it can have a true therapeutic effect.

one source..
.
http://www.epic4health.com/cuul500mgena.html
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(this is a rather large softgel)
.
jackD

Nystatin is an antifungal that is not too potent.
Apparantly (according to the book I am reading) to rid your body of antifungals treatment with nystatin is about 3 years. (also doing candida diet and certain herbal teas)

Oregano oil is a potent natural anti-fungal. Also, avoiding all grains greatly diminishes fungus.
--when you are going thru it, you don't see the cause and effect--but years after, when read these articles, and I apply them to my history, makes perfect sense that mycotoxins could be underlying cause of MS, and other nerve derangement diseases.
I unfortunately used Diflucan (had used Nystatin, but not powerful enough) and ended up with severely damaged liver.

In this book it says that diflucan can damage the liver and nyastatin long term is a better/safer option. Its a shame it wasn't strong enough for you Shye. Has your liver recovered from the diflucan? My liver got a hammering from the combine antibiotics protocol but seems to have gone back to normal.

My understanding is that nystatin only stays in the GI tract-doesn't work for systemic fungal issues. Interesting since I had an amish medical intuitive tell me all my issues stemmed from fungal. I did test positive for yeast in my urine organic acid test (great plains labs)even after the amish' guy's diet and his herbs many times, nystatin/intense candida low carb diet etc.

Nystatin is safe and worth at try with candida diet. to see if it helps

You are right Selmahope--nystatin is NOT systemic--but oregano oil is--the combo would be super powerful.

This book I keep quoting : Ann Boroch reckons Red Clover Tea is a good blood cleanser

I was on Nystatin powder for years, it tasted pretty awful, but did the trick to some degree, but i don't think it got to the core problem and was always simmering in thr background. What really got me over the candida was coming off the contraceptive pill. Candida loves iron too I read recently. I think I had both iron and hormone overloads (Dr put me on double dose of contraceptive pill) at the time, plus a lot of personal stress. I never get Candida at all now.

Abstract
The effect of iron overload on susceptibility of mice to Candida albicans infection and on the type of T helper (Th) immunity elicited was investigated. Iron overload greatly increased susceptibility to disseminated infection with low-virulence C. albicans cells of exogenous origin. The candidacidal activity and the ability to release nitric oxide and bioactive interleukin (IL)-12 were greatly impaired in neutrophils and macrophages from infected mice. CD4 T cells from spleens of iron-overloaded mice were found to produce high levels of IL-4 and IL-10 and low levels of interferon-γ. Treatment of iron-overloaded mice with the iron chelator, deferoxamine, resulted in the cure of mice from infection, restored the antifungal effector and immunomodulatory functions of the phagocytic cells, and allowed the occurrence of CD4 Th1 protective antifungal responses. These data indicate that iron overload may negatively affect CD4 Thl development in mice with candidiasis, a function efficiently restored by therapy with deferoxamine.

LR1234, I have that book by Ann Boroch too. It's good. She gets into a little bit more of the Eastern meditation stuff than I like as I am a born again Christian, but the majority of the book "Healing Multiple Sclerosis" is great. She is friends with Doug Kaufmann from the "Know the Cause" TV show on cable (I love his show) as well as David Perlmutter, MD the self proclaimed "renegade neurologist" in Naples, FL and he wrote me the prescription for 7 days of Diflucan followed by several months worth of Nystatin. I didn't feel that much better (and it didn't even completely get rid of my toenail fungus). Dr. Perlmutter is a very personable doctor and he even does telephone consultations after the first consultation which needs to be in person at his office in Naples, FL. I do continue to drink the red clover tea which I found at Whole Foods initially and is made by Alvita but then I found that it is about half the price at vitacost.com. It is a good blood cleanser which I like to think helps get the iron out of the ol' noggin.

WeWillBeatMS

Wewill: My other favourite books are by George Jelinek, The MS recovery Diet and Judy Graham's book (also Terry Whals book).

I know what you mean about Anne's book thats the down point for me too. I really don't believe any emotional trauma has caused my disease in any way and I don't go in for the spiritual stuff either:)

Fingers crossed that the nystatin and red clover does something for both of us.

I am currently reading books on juicing as well, bu I am a bit too lazy to reguarly make them!