iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll citlhscguys instead. This is why I do not recommend prebiotics in the case of
dysbiosis. Additionally, while fiber is a healthy component of a balanced
diet, in some cases, fiber may need to be restricted altogether for a period
of time to heal dysbiosis. Fiber-limiting diets such as the FODMAPS and
low-residue diet are further discussed in the Diet chapter.
Saccharomyces Boulardii
IgA levels can be increased by taking the beneficial yeast Saccharomyces boular-
dii, which helps clean up the intestines. S. boulardii does not take up residence
in the intestines, but it does a lot of great work while passing through. S. bou-
lardii can also help with clearing out yeasts, pathogenic bacteria, and parasites.
Digestive Enzymes
Pathogenic bacteria feed on foods we do not digest properly. This be-
comes especially problematic with sulfate-reducing bacteria, which fer-
ment protein to form a toxic gas that damages our intestinal lining. Since
most people with Hashimoto’s are low in hydrochloric acid and subse-
quently have poor protein metabolism, adding a digestive enzyme will
help us break down foods properly. This way, we get the nutrients from
the foods we eat while starving the pathogenic bacteria.
Medications
Antibiotics. According to Dr. Allison Siebecker—who has created a
website (siboinfo.com) dedicated to sharing information about small-
intestinal bacterial overgrowth—the antibiotics metronidazole, rifaximin
(Xifaxan™), and neomycin have been used to treat small-intestinal bacte-
rial overgrowth because of their ability to stay in the intestines, which
prevents them from causing systemic adverse events.
Larazotide. While alternative medicine practitioners have been sug-
gesting a link between leaky gut and autoimmune conditions for years,
traditional medicine finally started to take notice after the discovery of
zonulin, a potential drug target.
Autoimmune processes can be arrested by modifying the interaction
between gene expression and environmental triggers through re-estab-
lishing the intestinal barrier function. This is supported in both animal
models and recent clinical trials, providing a new approach to treating
and preventing autoimmune diseases.
The zonulin blocker AT-1001 (larazotide) has shown promise in prevent-
ing reactions to gluten in patients with celiac disease. This type of drug has