Autoimmune Disease in Lyme and Related Infections
In Lyme and related infections like Babesia and Bartonella, many people have autoimmune illnesses like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Psoriasis, and others. There are two reasons people with tick-borne infections may have autoimmune illnesses.
- A Separate Illness. A person may have an autoimmune illness that is not related to the tick-borne infections. It is a separate illness.
- Infection Triggered Autoimmune Illness. Through a process called molecular mimicry, Lyme and tick-borne illnesses cause the autoimmune illness.
Marty Ross, MD on Autoimmune Diseases in Lyme
Molecular Mimicry
Through a process known as molecular mimicry, the immune system may attack tissues with protein and molecular parts that look just like parts of Lyme or related infections. Currently, no Lyme-specific way to address molecular mimicry exists. For some individuals, however, using Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and/or the peptide BPC-157 can regulate or reverse the autoimmune attack.
Lower Your Infection Germ Load
If you have Lyme or related infections and autoimmune illness, the first treatment is to lower your infection germ load. See the various antimicrobial treatment plans I recommend for each of your infections in the Infection Treatment Plans section of Treat Lyme by Marty Ross MD.
Regulate and Repair
Regardless of the cause of your autoimmune illness, the following approaches can help improve your autoimmune illness.
Regulate the Immune System
LDN and BPC-157 can regulate the immune system so it is less reactive.
Repair Tissue Injury
BPC-157 can also repair tissue injury and regulate inflammation.
Block the Production of Inflammatory Chemicals
Curcumin is very useful at decreasing the production of inflammation chemicals.
Marty Ross, MD Treatment Recommendations
Step One—Treat Your Infections
Step Two—Try LDN for Six Months
- LDN 1.5 mg – 4.5 mg 1 time a day. Start this at 1.5 mg 1 time a day in the morning. Every 2 weeks increase the dose by 1.5 mg. Work up to 4.5 mg a day. To avoid insomnia, take this in the morning. This requires a prescription.
Step Three—Add BPC-157
- BPC-157 500 ug 1 pill 2 times a day. After 1 month if you have no benefit try to increase to 2 pills 2 times a day. You can take this supplement while you are also taking LDN.
Step Four—Through Treatment, Use Liposomal Curcumin
- Liposomal Curcumin 500 mg 1 pill 3 times a day. In addition to lowering arthritis inflammatory chemicals, curcumin also lowers infection inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. I recommend curcumin throughout a Lyme treatment. I prefer liposomal products like Curcumin Phytosome by Thorne because the curcumin is better absorbed in these preparations.
Resources
For more information about these various suggestions see the following articles here at Treat Lyme by Marty Ross MD.
- Key Oral Peptide Strategies to Repair and Restore in Lyme & Mold Toxicity
- Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) & Lyme
- Control Cytokines: A Guide to Fix Lyme Symptoms & The Immune System (for information about curcumin)
Disclaimer
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