giardia - natural and functional approaches to treatment
Slide-based review by Dr Jason A. Hawrelak (2003) summarising giardiasis (Giardia lamblia) epidemiology, symptoms, pathophysiology and a range of natural/functional treatment options. Covers dietary measures (high-fibre, low-fat, low-simple-sugars, specific foods like wheat germ and blueberries), probiotic strains (e.g., S. cerevisiae var. boulardii CNCM I-745, B. lactis Bb12, L. rhamnosus GG), numerous anti-giardial herbs (garlic, berberine-containing plants, pomegranate, oregano, dill, Mentha crispa) and practical dosing regimens, plus post-infection enterocyte healing strategies and a therapeutic-spectrum framework.
Questions this document answers
20–60% (source slide)
2–7% (source slide)
1 teaspoon three times daily for 7 days; reduced Giardia numbers by 60% vs placebo
250 mg twice daily for 10 days (flagyl + S. boulardii vs flagyl + placebo); 0% cysts in adjunct group at day 14 and 28
Approx. 10 mg berberine/kg/day (e.g., 1 mL of 1:2 Coptis tincture per 10 kg bodyweight/day)