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Do you suffer from unpredictable digestive symptoms, and you’ve never been able to pinpoint a cause? Perhaps you’ve been told it’s IBS, or stress related, or you’re probably suffering from food intolerances. Are you left searching for more informed answers as to why your gut is unhappy?
If this sounds like you, have you ever considered you might have a parasite? Before you dismiss this notion, parasites are more common than you might think – even in the UK. You don’t need to have travelled to exotic places to have picked one up.
Read on to discover how parasites can impact your health and how to find out whether they are causing your health issues.
What are Parasites?
A parasite is an organism that feeds off another, using its host’s nutrients to survive. They’re generally associated with negative health implications. Not all parasites cause health issues. In fact, we can coexist quite happily with some of them. However, others cause an array of unpleasant symptoms, and they often go unsuspected.
Although parasites can exist anywhere in the body, they’re most commonly found in the gut. Many parasites are extremely tiny.
There are thousands of parasites known to colonise the human gut. They fall into two main groups, helminths and protozoa.
Helminths are relatively large multi-celled organisms and are visible to the naked eye. They include roundworms, which encompass pinworms, hookworms, and flukes; and tapeworms, possibly the most well-known intestinal parasite.
Protozoa, on the other hand, are single-celled organisms causing infections like giardia, dysentery, cryptosporidiosis, and trichomoniasis. Because they’re so small they can sometimes migrate into the blood and tissues, and they are capable of reproducing within the host’s body. One example of a protozoa is the common gut parasite Blastocystis hominis.
Where do Parasites Come From?
It’s really easy to pick up a parasite. They might enter your body through undercooked food, untreated water, especially on holiday, or from your pets. They’re often passed from person to person.
A healthy gut has its own protection against parasites in the form of the friendly bacteria in your microbiome. As they live their life, these bacteria create certain natural acids to help to maintain an environment they prefer. This environment is also unconducive to parasites. So, ideally, parasites and other harmful organisms should never have a chance to gain a foothold.
However, if the ecosystem within your gut becomes unbalanced, leading to dysbiosis, then you’ll lack your natural protection against parasites, and they’ll have more chance to establish themselves. Dysbiosis is something that can easily happen following antibiotics or an infection, or due to poor diet or excess stress.
Another way a parasite can gain access to your body is if your stomach isn’t as acidic as it should be. Your stomach acid should neutralise any food or water-borne parasites. However, if the acid is depleted by factors like antacid medications, stress or ageing, this natural protection can decrease.
If a parasite manages to establish itself, it will then go on to compete with your friendly bacteria, disturbing the balance of your inner ecosystem.
What are the Symptoms of a Parasitic Infection?
Symptoms will vary according to which parasite you’re dealing with. Symptoms are therefore often widespread, but can range from diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal pain, to nausea and poor appetite. Parasites can cause weight loss, fatigue, general aches and pains or flu-like symptoms. If you have a parasite, you may not absorb nutrients efficiently, leading to deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, including anaemia.
Parasites can sometimes lead to more widespread health issues like autoimmune conditions and widespread inflammation, as the immune system reacts to the parasite.
Testing for Parasites
The symptoms of parasites can mimic those of other gut-related conditions. Furthermore, parasitic infections may initially remain dormant, meaning symptoms can sometimes appear some while after you’re initially infected. This means they may often be mistaken for other conditions.
Therefore, it can be hugely beneficial to test to determine if a parasitic infection is at the root of your symptoms. It can be particularly useful if you’ve been searching for answer to your gut issues and don’t seem to be getting anywhere.
The GI Map test includes microscopic examination of a small sample of your stool to reveal the presence of parasites, and which types are present. This means a specific protocol can be recommended to help not only eradicate the parasite, but to restore your microbiome and gut health, therefore preventing their recurrence.
The test is simple to do in the privacy of your own home. In addition to detecting parasites, it will evaluate your gut microbiome health, how effectively you’re digesting your food, any inflammation in your gut, and whether your gut lining has become overly permeable. This test is supported by expert interpretation from one of our experienced practitioners.
Personalised Support for a Healthy Gut
If you suspect parasites may be part of your picture, or if you’ve been struggling to get to the root of your symptoms, we can help. A great first step is the comprehensive GI Map with practitioner interpretation, or you may prefer to start your journey with an Integrative Health Assessment. This is an in-depth look at your symptoms and health history to help signpost you to the most appropriate therapeutic support. The choice is yours, and whichever path you choose, we’ll support you all the way.
