Monolaurin: Quite the Superhero

If you’re looking for a supplement with superhero capabilities, Monolaurin might just be it. Read on to discover it’s “powers”.

Monolaurin can be found in human breast milk and certain vegetable oils, including coconut oil. Coconut water is also another great way to get monolaurin and reap incredible superhero benefits. Monolaruin is like an antibiotic only without the side effects. “Antibiotics kill unwanted micro-organisms, but they also kill many friendly micro-organisms. Monolaurin, on the other hand, does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable digestive bacteria, but rather only on unwanted microorganisms.“-heranswer.com Beyond working like an antibiotic, Monolaurin can do so much more…..

Digestive Health: “Monolaurin promotes good digestive health. A good balance of foreign cells living in the digestive tract has a big effect on whether a person has good digestive health and also whether he has a properly functioning immune system. Monolaurin helps greatly to encourage good digestive health by making sure the contents of the digestive tract are in good balance at all times.”-www.ehow.com

Viruses, (Including Herpes and H1N1), Fungi (Including Yeast) and Bacteria ( Including E.coli): “There are many diverse benefits commonly associated with taking monolaurin, such as the fact that it is capable of balancing the body in a biochemical manner (encouraging self healing and prime health) and is capable of inactivating viruses, fungi and bacteria. It is non-toxic and does not create resistant organisms. It can be taken alongside the majority of medications.”-www.ehow.com

Monolaurin stops viruses, bacteria and fungi from replication: “This monoglyceride is remarkable in its ability to dissolve the outer envelope of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and certain protozoa. Monolaurin is made up of lipids (fats) and phospholipids. Most familiar is the triglyceride tested in cardiovascular risk assessments. …… the first obstacle in attacking pathogenic bacteria and viruses is getting through their outer protective membrane. Monolaurin does this. By destroying the outer membrane, the bacteria and virus is now rendered vulnerable to further destruction. Antibiotics do not dissolve the outer membrane. Their goal is to get through pores (porins), which can shift position. Monolaurin has also been reported to interfere with bacteria and viral ability to reproduce. This is accomplished by interfering with signal transduction, causing failure for the bacteria or virus cell to replicate (reproduce).”-healthkingenterprise.com

Immune System: “Monolaurin is a type of anti-microbial agent that helps the immune system. It is extracted from lauric acid, a fatty acid that also functions as a germicide. Lauric acid is a component of human breast milk, and microbiologists have found that it functions to strengthen the immune systems of babies (whose systems have not fully developed yet).”-www.ehow.com

AIDS: “Monolaurin is known to be effective against several lipid-coated viruses (a class which includes the AIDS virus), and against certain bacteria as well.”-www.aids.org

Safety of use: “One advantage to taking monolaurin is that it is known for being safe. It contains a major ingredient of breast milk, which is lauric acid. Newborn babies rely on their mothers’ breast milk to build up their immune systems. Breast milk contains an abundance of lauric acid monoglycerides.”-www.ehow.com

FDA Approved when buying Lauricidin: “Approved by the FDA, Lauricidin® is the only monolaurin supplement that has undergone clinical trials and laboratory testing. Its antiviral effect is due to monolaurin’s ability to disintegrate the lipid membrane of the virus and interfere with viral maturation. Some of the viruses inactivated by Lauricidin® are oral and genital herpes, Epstein Barr (chronic fatigue and mononucleosis), shingles, HIV, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus, visna virus, measles, influenza, leukemia, viral pneumonia, vesicular-stomatitis, rubella, respiratory synctial virus, dengue virus, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Current research in Kenya with villagers suffering from HIV and other severe illnesses has shown dramatic improvements in the health of those given Lauricidin®.”-lauricidin.com

Inflammation:“In the viral study researchers were doing research in an animal model that parallels early HIV infection and transmission. They found that monolaurin had a powerful influence on signaling dendritic cells, reducing excessive inflammation, and thereby blunting the process that leads to viral infection. The researchers concluded that their study ‘opens a promising new avenue for the development of effective interventions to block HIV-1 mucosal transmission.’ While the flu was not part of this study, the mechanism involved suggests that monolaurin could be useful in helping to prevent excessive inflammation during flu infection by supporting the vital needs of dendritic cells.”-wellnessresources.com

I originally came across the topic of Monolaurin in Daily Strength, a website I frequent for support and as well as giving support. Someone suggested that Monolaurin, when taken on a regular basis, gave her more energy and kept her from getting sick. As I read further, I found more and more people who took monolaurin and found it to be a very powerful supplement. I did decide to take it for around two months. I believe I chose to take five a day, which is less than the therapeutic dose. Although Monolaurin isn’t a cheap supplement, I have discovered just now that lauricidin is pretty affordable. It’s also suppose to be more potent than taking a monolaurin supplement on its own. It comes in scoops of powder vs pills, which is a relief for me because sometimes I’m a little overwhelmed with pills. For a 4-6 week supply, the cost is $30. From everything I have read, it seems like monolaurin or lauricidin could be an essential supplement for people who have troubled immune systems and are on the alternative path. Many of us who suffer from autoimmune diseases also suffer from Epstein Bar Virus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Candida, among many other things that may benefit by taking Monolaurin or Laurididin. Perhaps if those other issues were taken care of, our autoimmune diseases could have a chance at true healing over time.

Tired? Anemia might be the blame.

Anemia

Unfortunately, if you have an autoimmune disease, it’s likely that you also have Anemia which can make you feel extremely tired, one of many symptoms.  In case you’re not familiar, Anemia is a blood disorder where oxygen is inefficiently carried to lungs, tissues and other organs.  The process starts with our bone marrow.

“Conditions such as infections, inflammation, and cancer particularly suppress production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.”-Merck Manuals

“Anemia is the most common extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), estimated to occur in 30-60% of patents.  Two primary types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic diseases (ACD) are seen in RA patients.  The retrospective study of 225 patients with RA showed that 64% of patients were anemic, and 77% were found to have ACD and 23% to have iron deficiency anemia.

ACD is an inflammatory anemia and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNFa are thought to play important roles in anemia in RA.  However, it is still unclear how anemia is induced and which cytokine is most important.”-Springer-Verlag 2008

If your anemia is from inflammatory cytokines, your best bet is to get your disease under control and talk with your doctor about other options including B-12 injections.

“Erythropoiesis is often suppressed in chronic inflammatory diseases due to expression of hepcidin, a regulatory hormone that limits the availability of iron for erythropoiesis even when dietary iron intake is sufficient.” –FibroGen

Taking B-12 and iron supplements can be helpful for some people.

“Low hemoglobin may be a temporary problem remedied by eating more iron-rich foods or taking a multivitamin containing iron.”-MayoClinic

And I know personally, that taking B-complex vitamins along with iron does help with my energy level.

“In addition to iron, your body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to produce sufficient numbers of healthy red blood cells. A diet lacking in these and other key nutrients can cause decreased red blood cell production. Additionally, some people are unable to effectively absorb B-12.”-MayoClinic

Another worry is pregnancy.

“If you’re pregnant, you’re at an increased risk of iron deficiency anemia because your iron stores have to serve your increased blood volume as well as be a source of hemoglobin for your growing fetus.”-MayoClinic

Even more worrisome than your anemia during pregnancy is how it will affect the unborn child.  According to Health&Wealth, “Anemia during pregnancy can cause growth retardation of fetus.”

So what are your options?

1.  Get your disease under control (easier said than done of course)

2.  Avoid alcohol

3.  Avoid antibiotics if your anemia is severe, “Certain medications, such as some antibiotics used to treat infections, also can break down red blood cells.”-MayoClinic

4.  Get blood-work done before conceiving so you can take necessary precautions.

5.  If you do have anemia, find out what kind you have.

Sometimes there’s not much you can do.  Even chemotherapy drugs can contribute to anemia.

Update: The Master Cleanse, Is it all Hype?

watercolor painting

Day 4:

You guessed it guys, I got through day four and gave up.  My Husband called me in the evening.  He had the symptoms of the beginning of a urinary tract infection.  He was also suffering from possibly the onset of a cold.  I had him immediately take some cranberry pills and one airborn.  I on the other hand, was also suffering.  I knew to expect the revisit of aches and pains.  My tongue had been coated for days with a horrible taste in my mouth that wouldn’t go away, along with a smell that was EVERYWHERE.  My terrible hunger were finally becoming more bearable.   What I feared most however was the flare that was happening, along with brand new pains I had never felt before.  My left leg was hurting in an unusual way, feeling as if it might be swollen.  I chose to wear a loose skirt that day because my pants were too uncomfortable.  I also skipped my high heels and opted for sandals because my feet and ankles hurt.  All day it hurt to sit.  Not only was my leg hurting, but my hips were killing me.  I found myself pulling my left leg up, sort of sitting on my left foot if you could imagine, just to take the pressure off of my left hip.  Of course I was tired of drinking the lemonade concoction and I wasn’t experiencing the weight loss that was described on the Internet.  I had lost 1 1/2 pounds.  Weight loss wasn’t the reason I decided to stop.  I decided to stop because I started to really think about healing and how it works.  I know I don’t know everything, but I do know that healing takes time.  Rheumatoid Arthritis is a very serious disease.  If it’s severe, which mine is, it can damage a lot of joints, including organs very quickly.  And if you think about how long it takes to heal even a sprained ankle, another 6 days of the Master Cleanse isn’t going to heal everything that I have wrong with me.  I have hypothyroidism too, which means my thyroid doesn’t produce as much hormone as it’s suppose to.  Was the Master Cleanse going to heal that too?

I was in pain and getting worse quickly.  Not only did I have unusual pains, but I also had the typical pains from a flare, including very swollen fingers.  My doubts about the Master Cleanses ability to “heal all ailments” were growing.  I also looked up how the Master Cleanses inventor, Stanley Burroughs died.  I found conflicting evidence.  Wikipedia claims he “died of a massive hemorrhage of the mesentery in the abdomen.”   Other information on the internet claims, “Stanley Burroughs passed away in Newcastle, California, on June 16, 1991, at the age of 87, after a two-week battle against acute pneumonia. His death certificate also mentions leg fractures, apparently from a fall, and a urinary infection, as contributing conditions to his death.”

I wasn’t crazy about this diet to begin with, but several people whom I know closely were encouraging me.  They too were hoping my RA would magically disappear.  On the fourth day however, I realized knowing my body and what flares are like, that if this cleanse were really healing my body, there’s just no telling how long it could take.  Not only that, flares aren’t good for you.  Inflammation is bad.  You could, theoretically give yourself a heart attack or ruin an organ if inflammation gets too out of control.  I decided the risk wasn’t worth it, so I quit.

Since then, I’ve been exhausted, dealing with a sore throat every morning and recently, a partially swollen eyelid.  I have been suffering from an ongoing flare ever since I tried the Master Cleanse.  I just don’t believe, had I kept going that I’d be better off.  I don’t believe that it would have cured my hypothyroidism.  And I certainly don’t believe it would have cured, an even more complicated disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis.  There is just too much healing that would have needed to take place if it were even possible.

Bottom line is, I think the Master Cleanse is too drastic for people who have illnesses.  For instance, someone who suffers from Anemia, should not do a diet like this, in my opinion.  I am no doctor, but neither was Stanley.  I also think that because every person’s body is different, there’s just no telling what kind of effect, good or bad, a fast like this can have.