Serum endotoxin level is a reliable biomarker of liver disease

haidut

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It looks like the interest in gut-derived pathogenic substances is steadily increasing in the medical field. After claiming for decades (and still doing so) that liver disease is either genetic in origin or driven mostly by sugar (especially fructose) consumption, now studies like the one below are wisening up to the real culprit - endotoxin (LPS), generated by our own microbiome. This endotoxin, produced every time undigested food reaches the colon, causes a chronic low-grade inflammatory reaction in the intestinal wall, which over time compromises the so-called "gut barrier" and causes a condition known as "leaky gut". Once leaky gut is established, a lot of the endotoxin released (potentially after every meal) gets into the portal vein, which drains into the liver. Endotoxin itself is a highly inflammatory molecule and is known to cause tissue degeneration, including fibrosis and even cancer. Most of these effects of endotoxin are driven by activation of the TLR4 receptor, which triggers a downstream cascade of nitric oxide (NO, serotonin, histamine, IL-1/6, NF-kB, etc. However, up until recently, mainstream medicine claimed that little to no endotoxin gets into the blood stream, and as such is not a factor in chronic diseases, including liver disease. The study below found the exact opposite - i.e. not only is endotoxin a likely cause of all forms of liver disease (e.g. NAFLD, NASH, hepatitis, fibrosis/cirrhosis, etc), but its levels in the blood directly correlate with the severity/stage of liver disease. The solution to all this? It looks like humble vitamin E (first study below) may be a viable tool for both prevention and treatment of the damage that endotoxin causes.

Blood Endotoxin Levels as Biomarker of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - PubMed
Blood endotoxins may aid disease detection, staging in NAFLD

"...“NAFLD is asymptomatic during early development, thus hindering early disease detection. Moreover, even during progression of the disease, noninvasive diagnostic tools for a reliable diagnosis and disease staging are lacking,” Josefin Soppert, MS, and colleagues wrote. Source: Adobe Stock In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Soppert and colleagues evaluated 43 studies to determine endotoxin values and potential relationships to disease stage, age, sex, parameters of systemic inflammation, metabolic syndrome, liver function and histology. They reported higher blood endotoxin levels among patients with simple steatohepatitis compared with healthy controls (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.62-1.11) as well as among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis compared with nonalcoholic fatty liver and non-NASH patients (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.27-1.35). Further, patients with more advanced histopathological gradings of liver steatosis and fibrosis had “consistently higher” endotoxin levels. A rise in BMI among patients with NAFLD also correlated with increased blood endotoxin levels ( = 0.2217; 95% CI, 0.0391-0.4043), and meta-analysis revealed a “significant increase” in biochemical parameters of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein), metabolic syndrome and liver dysfunction. “Our meta-analysis revealed that blood endotoxin levels are increased in NAFLD patients compared to liver-healthy controls, also after compensation for differences in BMI,” Soppert and colleagues concluded. “Increased blood endotoxin levels were already detected in simple steatosis patients vs. liver-healthy controls as well as in NASH vs. NAFL/non-NASH patients, overall suggesting blood endotoxin levels as potential biomarker for NAFLD."
 

EvanHinkle

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As someone who dealt with dermatitis for about ten years before figuring out it was endotoxin related, (activated charcoal “cured” it) I’ve always suspected that my liver was in need of help. None of the typical things, (vitamin K or caffeine) seemed to have any curative effect though.

I’ve played with vitamin E here and there but never really committed to it. Thanks for this @haidut . Your tireless efforts in research have given me several legs up on experimentation inspiration.
 

LadyRae

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How much vitamin E?

I read through the link / study above and I could not see dosages anywhere? Anyone else?
 

Peachy

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How much vitamin E?

I read through the link / study above and I could not see dosages anywhere? Anyone else?
From what I’ve read, a good plan is 400iu daily for several months. Then a break. Have you ever used vitamin e? It can cause stomach upset. If it does, you can take it transdermally. I’ve done that with Unique e. LifeBlud is one that doesn’t cause nausea for me.
 

LadyRae

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From what I’ve read, a good plan is 400iu daily for several months. Then a break. Have you ever used vitamin e? It can cause stomach upset. If it does, you can take it transdermally. I’ve done that with Unique e. LifeBlud is one that doesn’t cause nausea for me.
I have Tocovit, from Idealabs... It doesn't make me feel nauseous though... But I wonder if it's the kind of thing that needs to be taken with food or without, or maybe it doesn't matter? I usually just drop a few drops under my tongue when I think of it...
 

Peachy

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I have Tocovit, from Idealabs... It doesn't make me feel nauseous though... But I wonder if it's the kind of thing that needs to be taken with food or without, or maybe it doesn't matter? I usually just drop a few drops under my tongue when I think of it...
I have a friend who likes that one. I think quality really matters for the nausea.
 

J.R.K

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It looks like the interest in gut-derived pathogenic substances is steadily increasing in the medical field. After claiming for decades (and still doing so) that liver disease is either genetic in origin or driven mostly by sugar (especially fructose) consumption, now studies like the one below are wisening up to the real culprit - endotoxin (LPS), generated by our own microbiome. This endotoxin, produced every time undigested food reaches the colon, causes a chronic low-grade inflammatory reaction in the intestinal wall, which over time compromises the so-called "gut barrier" and causes a condition known as "leaky gut". Once leaky gut is established, a lot of the endotoxin released (potentially after every meal) gets into the portal vein, which drains into the liver. Endotoxin itself is a highly inflammatory molecule and is known to cause tissue degeneration, including fibrosis and even cancer. Most of these effects of endotoxin are driven by activation of the TLR4 receptor, which triggers a downstream cascade of nitric oxide (NO, serotonin, histamine, IL-1/6, NF-kB, etc. However, up until recently, mainstream medicine claimed that little to no endotoxin gets into the blood stream, and as such is not a factor in chronic diseases, including liver disease. The study below found the exact opposite - i.e. not only is endotoxin a likely cause of all forms of liver disease (e.g. NAFLD, NASH, hepatitis, fibrosis/cirrhosis, etc), but its levels in the blood directly correlate with the severity/stage of liver disease. The solution to all this? It looks like humble vitamin E (first study below) may be a viable tool for both prevention and treatment of the damage that endotoxin causes.

Blood Endotoxin Levels as Biomarker of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - PubMed
Blood endotoxins may aid disease detection, staging in NAFLD

"...“NAFLD is asymptomatic during early development, thus hindering early disease detection. Moreover, even during progression of the disease, noninvasive diagnostic tools for a reliable diagnosis and disease staging are lacking,” Josefin Soppert, MS, and colleagues wrote. Source: Adobe Stock In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Soppert and colleagues evaluated 43 studies to determine endotoxin values and potential relationships to disease stage, age, sex, parameters of systemic inflammation, metabolic syndrome, liver function and histology. They reported higher blood endotoxin levels among patients with simple steatohepatitis compared with healthy controls (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.62-1.11) as well as among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis compared with nonalcoholic fatty liver and non-NASH patients (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.27-1.35). Further, patients with more advanced histopathological gradings of liver steatosis and fibrosis had “consistently higher” endotoxin levels. A rise in BMI among patients with NAFLD also correlated with increased blood endotoxin levels ( = 0.2217; 95% CI, 0.0391-0.4043), and meta-analysis revealed a “significant increase” in biochemical parameters of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein), metabolic syndrome and liver dysfunction. “Our meta-analysis revealed that blood endotoxin levels are increased in NAFLD patients compared to liver-healthy controls, also after compensation for differences in BMI,” Soppert and colleagues concluded. “Increased blood endotoxin levels were already detected in simple steatosis patients vs. liver-healthy controls as well as in NASH vs. NAFL/non-NASH patients, overall suggesting blood endotoxin levels as potential biomarker for NAFLD."
I think that it is interesting that Doctors warn of vitamin E being carcinogenic. To be really careful using it.
 

bloooeh

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From what I’ve read, a good plan is 400iu daily for several months. Then a break. Have you ever used vitamin e? It can cause stomach upset. If it does, you can take it transdermally. I’ve done that with Unique e. LifeBlud is one that doesn’t cause nausea for me.
Unique-E have caused nausea for me from the last 2 bottles I’ve used in the past, even taken with food. Now I’ve been using Andrew Lessman’s Gamma-e with no issues. Good to know about the other brand. Thanks!
 

Overton

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As someone who dealt with dermatitis for about ten years before figuring out it was endotoxin related, (activated charcoal “cured” it) I’ve always suspected that my liver was in need of help. None of the typical things, (vitamin K or caffeine) seemed to have any curative effect though.

I’ve played with vitamin E here and there but never really committed to it. Thanks for this @haidut . Your tireless efforts in research have given me several legs up on experimentation inspiration.
Interesting, how were you using the charcoal for dermatitis... Taking it orally after meals? Or during/ before?

Have been dealing with dermatitis for 10+ years too, what a pain!
 

EvanHinkle

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Interesting, how were you using the charcoal for dermatitis... Taking it orally after meals? Or during/ before?

Have been dealing with dermatitis for 10+ years too, what a pain!
I took 2 tablespoons in 8oz of water three times a day for a week. Then took two tablespoons in 8oz of water once a day, (before bed) for another week. It was then gone.

I now run experiments to bring it back on purpose because I believe that it’s related to some type of bacterial infection, (charcoal being an endotoxin blocker). Taking antibiotics for example will tend to bring it back, (I assume because killing bacteria generates endotoxin). When I “bring it back” I hop on charcoal and it’s gonna again. My goal is to find a place where when I do things to “induce” dermatitis, it doesn’t come back.

Having control of it, (considering the ten year struggle) is really incredible. I’m never more than a day of charcoal away from clear skin again.
 

Overton

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I took 2 tablespoons in 8oz of water three times a day for a week. Then took two tablespoons in 8oz of water once a day, (before bed) for another week. It was then gone.

I now run experiments to bring it back on purpose because I believe that it’s related to some type of bacterial infection, (charcoal being an endotoxin blocker). Taking antibiotics for example will tend to bring it back, (I assume because killing bacteria generates endotoxin). When I “bring it back” I hop on charcoal and it’s gonna again. My goal is to find a place where when I do things to “induce” dermatitis, it doesn’t come back.

Having control of it, (considering the ten year struggle) is really incredible. I’m never more than a day of charcoal away from clear skin again.
Appreciate the details @EvanHinkle sounds amazingly effective. Is there a particular brand of AC you use?
 

EvanHinkle

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Appreciate the details @EvanHinkle sounds amazingly effective. Is there a particular brand of AC you use?
I’ve used several brands and several different grinds, (coarse vs powder) all seem equally effective for me. Some people have mentioned the powder is more effective for them, but Ray did caution about the small particle size being problematic.
 

Overton

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I’ve used several brands and several different grinds, (coarse vs powder) all seem equally effective for me. Some people have mentioned the powder is more effective for them, but Ray did caution about the small particle size being problematic.
Thank you! I will be trying this.
 

EvanHinkle

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@Overton @EvanHinkle - what kind of dermatitis are you dealing with? Skin, scalp?
For whatever reason it’s only on my face. I discovered another tool in my kit though that I should mention, Vitamin D. In a relatively high dose to start, and then a continuous lower dose, Vitamin D also eliminates a “break-out.”

I’m effectively “cured” as I only get a “break-out” when I experiment with something anti-bacterial. I’m beginning to suspect that ground zero of “infestation” is my gums, so I’m beginning to work on gum health, (antibacterials, anti-endotoxin, anti-fibrotics, anti-inflammatories).

So just to sum: when something triggers a dermatitis outbreak, I can either take 50 grams of charcoal, once in 16oz of water, (with perhaps a follow-up dose a day later of 2tblspns in 8oz of water, OR, 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D, once, with a follow-up of 5000 IUs.

For charcoal I make a slurry with granules and water and drink it, (for me personally, I find it needs to touch all of the alimentary canal-I don’t find capsules effective) for the Vitamin D I use drops in a non PUFA oil base, (ethanol type bases seem to further annoy the dermatitis).

I’m grateful for the personal discovery on Vitamin D because of the adsorption issues with nutrients that are potentially associated with charcoal, (I say potentially because some people think the studies showing this are poor, and have not been replicated). I have long known that Vitamin D was a TLR4 antagonist, but until recently I wasn’t able to get it to “work” for me.

This is just what I do, and not a recommendation or advice of course.
 

sunny

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For whatever reason it’s only on my face. I discovered another tool in my kit though that I should mention, Vitamin D. In a relatively high dose to start, and then a continuous lower dose, Vitamin D also eliminates a “break-out.”

I’m effectively “cured” as I only get a “break-out” when I experiment with something anti-bacterial. I’m beginning to suspect that ground zero of “infestation” is my gums, so I’m beginning to work on gum health, (antibacterials, anti-endotoxin, anti-fibrotics, anti-inflammatories).

So just to sum: when something triggers a dermatitis outbreak, I can either take 50 grams of charcoal, once in 16oz of water, (with perhaps a follow-up dose a day later of 2tblspns in 8oz of water, OR, 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D, once, with a follow-up of 5000 IUs.

For charcoal I make a slurry with granules and water and drink it, (for me personally, I find it needs to touch all of the alimentary canal-I don’t find capsules effective) for the Vitamin D I use drops in a non PUFA oil base, (ethanol type bases seem to further annoy the dermatitis).

I’m grateful for the personal discovery on Vitamin D because of the adsorption issues with nutrients that are potentially associated with charcoal, (I say potentially because some people think the studies showing this are poor, and have not been replicated). I have long known that Vitamin D was a TLR4 antagonist, but until recently I wasn’t able to get it to “work” for me.

This is just what I do, and not a recommendation or advice of course.
Thank you for the information. My teenage daughter has scalp dermatitis. I have calcirol. I will get her to use it. I'm sure it is not the whole problem, but it couldn't hurt. She is very regular, has a pretty decent diet, sick only a handful of times in her life, no health complaints, not overweight. Scalp dermatitis, seborrheic I think, showed up one day, and I have been at at a loss to figure out why.
 

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