Immune Support for Lyme Disease
By Jaquel Patterson, ND T
he world has changed signifi cantly over the past couple of months. We are in an unprecedented time
and now more than ever many of our patients are asking what is best to sup- port their physical and overall well-being during this time. Individuals with chronic disease conditions and weakened immune systems should be even more vigilant on maintaining their overall health. Many of our patients with chronic Lyme disease have to be mindful of the spread of the infection throughout the body and its potential impact.
Lyme Disease Symptoms You may be wondering several ques-
tions. What is chronic Lyme disease or can Lyme disease affect immune function? Most individuals who are fi rst diagnosed with Lyme disease have seen over 5 doctors before being diagnosed, meaning they are suffering in pain for many months to years. Some of the common symptoms include joint pain, neurological symptoms, low- grade fever, headaches, rashes, neck stiff- ness, brain fog, enlarged lymph nodes and more. Classic signs are a circular rash (i.e. bull’s eye), though the majority of patients’ do not present with this symptom. Com- mon locations for them to attach to are warmer parts of the body like groin area, armpits and scalp of hair.
Lyme Disease Transmission
Lyme disease numbers increase annu- ally with about 3000 cases in CT alone; with estimates by CDC that indicate the numbers are close to 10 times more than reported. With the current pandemic, a lot of us are being more active in nature which is a positive thing. However, now, more than other times in the year, is a common time for individuals to obtain a tick-borne infection. The most common peak times are between June through August, though cases are found throughout the year.
Lyme disease is transmitted by mem- bers of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato com- plex; most ticks transmit other tick-borne infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma. It is common in practice for me to treat patients with more than one tick-borne infection type. The presentation of symptoms vary based on the tick that you were infected by. For this reason, diagnosis is tricky, and per CDC is a clinical decision based on labwork and clinical symptoms.
Supporting Immune Function
Due to the fact that it may take time to get proper care for Lyme disease, many suf- fer from the symptoms of it for some time without relief. It can cause an effect on the overall immune system due to the balance of immune mediators in your system. For this reason, there are some key areas you need to look at to support immune function while having a diagnosis of Lyme.
1. Vitamin D: helps to modulate immune responses. Defi ciencies in Vitamin D have been connected to increasing risk of autoimmunity and susceptibility to infection and is why I often recommend to my patients with Lyme disease.
2. Zinc: Defi ciencies in zinc provides greater susceptibility to a variety of pathogens. It helps mediate white blood cells and natural killer cells. It supports DNA replication, cell division, RNA transcription and cell activation. It also supports membranes and functions as an antioxidant.
3. Andrographis: has a particular support for the lungs, immune function and is a key herb used for Lyme disease. Andrographis has shown to be effective against a range of parasitical organ- isms. It has an anti-spirochetal effect, helps with autoimmunity, and protects the body from damage that is caused by spirochetes. It provides some symp- tomatic relief of symptoms of Lyme disease and contains anti-infl ammatory properties. It has the ability to cross the blood brain barrier which may directly support those whose Lyme disease has caused neurological issues.
4. Vitamin A: increases the integrity of the mucus barrier of the body, e.g. skin and gut. It is known as the “anti- infl ammation” vitamin. It helps with immune tolerance and maintains homeostasis in the system.
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