Help for leaky gut and interstitial cystitis
By Sue Cummings
We love it when we learn from our customers. Not long ago, Linda asked if we carried N-Acetyl Glucosamine (NAG). She’d read that it helped heal a leaky, inflamed gut. We did not; it had never come to our attention. We’re well informed about using glucosamine sulfate for joint problems, but NAG is not at all the same. We had to learn more.
As luck would have it, soon after Linda’s visit I was watching a podcast with Dr. Eric Yarnell, a well-known naturopath and professor at Bastyr University who specializes in men’s health. He was talking on chronic prostatitis and how he treats it by lowering inflammation in the gut as well as in the urinary tract. His go-to remedies are l-glutamine (an excellent gut healer) and n-acetyl glucosamine!
That meant a lot to me as I studied with Dr. Yarnell when I got my degree in botanical medicine. I know him to be one very smart man. So I contacted him and asked for more information. He said NAG (like l-glutamine) is an essential building block of the gut and urinary tract linings, and mucus membranes in general. He admitted that studies on n-acetyl glucosamine were still small and few, but that he was getting good results.
With more research I found NAG is also used for interstitial cystitis, a condition that causes chronic pain and inflammation in the bladder and urinary tract. It is especially difficult to treat. But I found several naturopaths recommending NAG for this condition. Dr. Romm. National Nutrition. Naturopathic Doctor News and Review.
Still more doctors recommend NAG for intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and inflammatory bowel disease. Natural Medicine Journal. Dr. Axe. Natural Medicine Journal. Dr. Christianson.
Given how difficult it is to treat both leaky gut and interstitial cystitis, NAG seems like a smart choice for us to offer our customers with these conditions. We now carry Wellesley Therapeutics Ultimate Glucosamine powder. And to think we weren’t even aware of it until one of our smart customers brought it to our attention. Thank you, Linda, and to all our customers who keep us on our toes. Keep those suggestions coming!
