# High omega-6 diet causes SIBO in mice



## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

SIBO, Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth means there is too much bacteria in the small intestine. It is a common condition that causes diarrhea and/or constipation. They have now shown that in mice, this condition can be induced by feeding them lots of omega-6 oils. (Common oils that are high in omega-6 are corn, safflower and cottonseed oil.)

This study found that a diet rich in omega-6 fatty acids disrupted the flora, caused inflammation, and caused bacterial overgrowth in the last part of the small intestine. Adding fish oil (omega-3) to the high omega-6 oil diet increased inflammation, and added to the oxidative stress. Fish oil added to the high omega-6 oil diet also interfered with the ability of tissues in the gastrointestinal system to repair itself.

"Our hypothesis is that levels of omega 6 are so high in our bodies that any more unsaturated fatty acid - even omega 3, despite its health benefits - will actually contribute to the negative effects omega 6 PUFA have on the heart and gut," said Ghosh. "When there is too much [polyunsaturated fatty acid], the body doesn't know what to do with it."

http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/01/23/excessive-omega-fatty-acids-may-make-heart-health-worse-not-better-b-c-researchers/

I've read several facts about polyunsaturated oils in Raymond Peat's newsletters that make it rather obvious that excessive polyunsaturated oils would contribute to a case of SIBO. These facts are:

1) Polyunsaturated oils inhibit the enzymes that you need to break down and absorb sugars and starch.

2) Polyunsaturated oils increase the growth of yeast in low oxygen environments like the intestines.

3) Excessive amounts of polyunsaturated oils will contribute to leaky gut.

4) Polyunsaturated oils interfere with the release, transport and use of the thyroid hormone.

Please note that these researchers have also shown that the omega 6 polyunsaturated oils are also very bad for the heart. So, I would suggest that you go back to eating organic butter, fat from grass fed animals, olive oil and some coconut oil. They are a lot healthier oils and fats than the omega-6 oils that were erroneously sold to the American people as "heart healthy."

My own personal story was that switching the oils in my diet eventually got rid of my diarrhea. I avoided all polyunsaturated oils, except for the occasional fish, and instead I ate lots of raw butter.


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## Brownish72 (Aug 26, 2012)

fish oils are high in omega 3's , and studies consistently show its anti inflammatory effect.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

> fish oils are high in omega 3's , and studies consistently show its anti inflammatory effect

Yes. That is why this study seems so anti-intuitive to a lot of people.

The dichotomy occurs because fish oil has more than one property to its credit or discredit. This is what I'm familiar with:

*To its discredit:* Fish oil is polyunsaturated and therefore a source of oxidative stress. Just like any other polyunsaturated oil, it also can increase the leakiness of cells, which means the body will be subjected to more free* serotonin, which causes inflammation.

*To its credit:* Fish oil makes platelets less sticky. (This property is most likely due to other components in the fish oil besides the fatty acids.) When platelets are less sticky, the body is exposed to less free* serotonin, and hence experiences less inflammation.

*In practical terms:* My experience was thus. When I was sick with IBS and food sensitivities, I noticed that eating fish seemed to make me feel better. So, I went overboard. I ate fish every day for a month. Then I noticed that the fish was making me worse. So, I changed my strategy. I ate high saturated fat all week except one day per week I would eat fish. I believe you need to have the right balance between saturated fat and fish oil in order to glean the best use of the fish oil's anti-inflammatory component.

The people on the South Sea Islands eat a lot of fish as part of their traditional diet, but they also eat a lot of coconuts, which is high in saturated fatty acids. I value traditional diets because these have sustained mankind for thousands of years. Anytime you stray from one of these diets, you have to be very careful. So, I think if you are going to include fish oil in your diet, you also have to use more saturated fats, and avoid the new seed oils on the market. (By the way, people have noticed better health from eating the whole fish rather than just the fish oil. Just be sure to employ the fish that are lower in mercury in your diet.)

**free serotonin* means the serotonin is outside of cells. It is not bound. In that state, it can cause a lot of problems. It increases fibrin formation, it damages the mitochondria, it constricts blood vessels and bronchi, and it increases the body's production of prostaglandin E2. Prostaglandin E2 inhibits the phase three migrating motor complex, which is needed to keep the small intestine clear of bacteria.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

I wonder if eating fish would have the same downside.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I think the point is if you are eating way too many omega 6 oils dumping a bit of fish oil on top of that isn't going to be helpful and may even make things a bit worse.

If you are a mouse. You always have to watch it when you decide you need to eat exactly like a mouse in a lab. However there are some studies in humans that were evaluated and eating almost all your fat as omega 6's doesn't seem good for humans, either.

So if you are going to use fish oil as part of your program, or eat fatty fish, you might want to reduce the amount of polyunsaturated vegetable oils you eat. Diets very high in Omega 6 are not good and going from a 20:1 ratio to a 18:1 ratio while upping the total amount of polyunsaturated oils may not do much to get you to the 3:1 ratio that our ancestors ate or give you the same benefits of a more balanced fat pattern.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Agreed, Kathleen. However, I'd like to emphasize that it isn't just the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 that has to change in the average American diet. The ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat has to change. We have to go back to the more traditional diets where much more of our fat was saturated.


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