Remedies For Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome

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Lyme Disease usually occurs when someone is infected with a spirochete bacteria.  The most well-known mode of transmission is through a tick bite.  The mainstay treatment for Lyme disease is a course of anti-biotics. Although most people feel “normal” and have no more symptoms after treatment, for some the symptoms do not go away.

 This article is for those who have already undergone under treatment for Lyme disease and are still having symptoms.  It is for those people in whom the spirochete infection has been cleared, but they just don’t feel the same anymore.  Prolonged symptoms of Lyme disease is often called Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).  They have lingering symptoms, both emotional and physical. 

Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms may include
Fatigue
Anxiety
Depression
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Insomnia
Headache
Memory loss
Cognitive dysfunction
Brain fog
Neuralgia
Neuropathy
Myalgia (muscle aches)
Joint pain

Some Reasons Why Lyme May Still Be Affecting You:
The body reacts to spirochete infection, by producing inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.  Cytokines influence inflammation.  This can result in symptoms such as, swelling, pain, or mental fog.  In people who have persistent Lyme disease the immune system may be overproducing cytokines, which can lead to chronic symptoms

Post Tick-Bite Immune Activation Can Affect Neurological Function By:

• Reducing serotonin levels- serotonin helps to relax your mind.
• Increasing oxidative stress- oxidation damages brain cells (and all other tissues of the body)
• increasing glutamate levels- Glutamate is an amino acid that contribute to anxiety by causing excitement of the brain.  It can also reduce your ability to focus.
• Increasing inflammation
• Inhibiting Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)- Inflammation from persistent Lyme disease inhibits Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4).  BH4 enhances neurotransmitter synthesis. 

BH4 Enhances the Production Of the Following Neurotransmitters:

• Serotonin- BH4 increases production of 5-HTP- an amino acid which is ultimately converted into serotonin and melatonin.
• Melatonin- see above. 
• L-Dopa- It converts tyrosine into L-Dopa, which is converted into dopamine- (makes your feel good and elated).
• Epinephrine and norepinephrine- Dopamine is converted into norepinephrine and epinephrine.  They help us deal with stress.  Less of these body chemicals = a decreased ability of the body to deal with stress.

 How can we influence these neurotransmitters, which have been affected by Lyme Disease?

Five Supplements That Can Help Attenuate the After Effects of Lymes Disease

1. 5-HTP- an amino acid supplement that comes in capsule form
2. Velvet Bean- contains L-Dopa, which the body converts to dopamine and epinephrine and norepinephrine.  This can be purchased in capsule form.
3. N-acetyl Cysteine- an amino acid inhibits inflammatory cytokines.  It also reduces glutamate levels, thereby decreasing anxiety and improving focus.    
4. L-theanine- and amino acid that reduces the effects of glutamate.  Ir comes in a capsule form
5.  Anti-inflammatory such as: Boswellia, Skullcap, Ginger, or Turmeric.  They come in capsule form.

Lyme Disease Can Cause Sleep Disturbances
Lyme Disease can cause sleep disturbances though chronic inflammation.  Chronic inflammation increases sympathetic activity (fight or flight response) of the body.  It also affects sleep by depleting the relaxing neurotransmitters as we already discussed above.

 The Following Substances May Help with Sleep Disturbances:

• 5-HTP- your body uses this to make serotonin
• Phenibut- attaches to GABA receptors for a calming effect.  GABA helps to calm your brain.
• Taurine- enhances GABA effects
• Vitamin B6- the body uses this to make GABA
• L-Theanine- inhibits glutamate

There are many supplements that can help with Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.   You may have question like;  Which ones do I need to take?  Do I need to take all of them or can I take one or two?  The answer is:  I don’t know.  Everyone is different and responds to Lyme disease differently.  That is why I do a simple Applied Kinesiology muscle test to determine which of these supplements will be beneficial to you and which ones may not be or be detrimental to your health.    

If you do not have access to a Applied Kinesiologist who does nutritional testing, then you will have to figure it out by trial and error.

 

Feel free to contact me at 212-286-2012