Glutamine continues to shine as a stellar nutrient for GI tract health, both in terms of assisting GI tract immunity and helping the health of the GI tract lining.  The latest animal study shows that when pigs are supplemented with glutamine and exposed to several different strains of infectious E.coli the GI tract is highly protected against the infectious attack.  Americans should be aware of this fact, and Germans should be acting on it in the face of their nasty outbreak.

Of particular interest is that glutamine significantly reduced the inflammatory signals that E. Coli generates so as to induce tissue damage. Furthermore, the tight junction proteins that are the foundation for a healthy gut barrier maintained full functionality with glutamine supplementation. If these tight junction proteins become inflamed and lose their “tightness” then the gut becomes leaky and toxins and even germs can enter the general circulation.

This study clearly shows the value of glutamine to help deal with infectious E. Coli exposure. The mechanisms of help are likely to apply to many “germ gangs” that would otherwise have an easier time of wreaking havoc with digestive, immune, and metabolic health.

Olive leaf as a herbal supplement:

Stimulates the immune system:

• Stimulates an immune system response
• Activate ‘natural killer cells’ to stimulate phagocytosis – ‘ pac man’
• Assist the clean-up operation after the battle has been won

Kills viruses:

• Interferes with amino acid production needed to keep viruses alive
• Inactivate viruses by interfering with virus shedding, budding or as the cell membrane
• Penetrates infected host cells and inhibits viral replication

Assists the immune cells:

• Immobilizes germs (viruses, bacteria and most disease causing pathogens) thereby decreasing the spread of the infection
• Acts like an antibody that flags down the ‘killer cells’

Kills other germs:

• Olive Leaf extract has been shown to be effective against the following microorganisms: E. Coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , S. Aureus , K.Neumonia , Trivhophyton mentagrophytes , Microsporum canis , T. Rubrum and Candida albicans (3)
• Many other organisms: bacteria, viruses and other microbes

Other health benefits:

• Reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and blood sugar, improving chronic fatigue syndrome, powerful antioxidant

Article by Byron Richards, CCN