The Hidden Cause Behind Gastric Ulcers

Health News

By VRP Staff

Gone are the days when doctors looked to spicy food and stress as the main causes of the growing epidemic of gastric ulcers. Today, modern medicine knows that most stomach ulcers and associated digestive disorders are caused by an equally common bacterial infection. And that bacterium is Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)—now recognized as a major smoking gun, not only triggering ulcers and acid reflux, but behind the growing rates of stomach cancer, too.
The threat is everywhere: H. pylori—which burrows into your stomach’s lining and directly contributes to a number of digestive problems by way of chronic low grade inflammation—is readily found in everyday hiding places, like milk and other dairy products, grocery store meat and seafood.¹ And once it latches on to your stomach lining, its unique shape and constitution make it resistant to attacks from both your stomach acid and your immune cells.
What’s worse, H. pylori is also thought to be easily transmitted between family members²… which means that if you’re going to avoid infection, keeping your stomach’s guard up is absolutely essential.
Unfortunately, however, this bacterium can be a tough enemy to fend off. Current conventional treatment protocols often call for aggressive combinations of a number of side-effect laden drugs—including H2 blockers (medicines that reduce the amount of acid the stomach produces by blocking histamine2, a chemical in the body that stimulates the production of acid), proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics. And in the event that you’re up against one of the growing antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori, your risk of treatment failure and re-infection remains even higher than most.
So what can you do to get the edge in this fight?
Research suggests that an ancient compound called mastic gum may actually be your most effective first line of defense. With a long history of traditional use against upset stomach and heartburn, this plant-based resin has emerged as a safe, natural and effective solution for both gastric and duodenal ulcers—not least of all due to its potent antibacterial qualities.
In-vitro tests against seven different strains of H. pylori have shown that mastic can effectively kill up to 99.9 percent of this bacterium—including three strains known to be resistant to the anti-infective drug metronidazole. In fact, mastic’s bacteria-fighting ability was equally strong against these drug-resistant strains, even at very low concentrations.³
Mastic gum is available as a daily supplement from Vitamin Research Products. Look for it as part of a cutting-edge combination called CeaseFire® where it is paired with deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) for strong, natural ulcer protection in a chewable, pleasant-tasting, cinnamon-flavored wafer.
References:
1. Reported at Digestive Disease Week, San Francisco, CA, May 19 - 22, 2002.
2. Rothenbacher D, Winkler M, Gonser T, Adler G, Brenner H. Role of infected parents in transmission of Helicobacter pylori to their children. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2002 Jul;21(7):674-9.
3. Huwez FU, Thirlwell D. Mastic Gum Kills Helicobacter pylori. N Engl J Med. December 24,1998; 339:1946.