Part III: Solutions to Overcome Stealth Infections for Performance Enhancement
Read time: 9-10 minutes
At a glance:
● Stealth infections are prevalent all around us, especially in elite sports. Armed with the right tools and knowledge to prevent and combat stealth pathogens, you can feel confident being out in the world
● Almost no one is looking at this as a method for “legal” performance enhancement
● Conventional and alternative testing methods exist to assess the presence of stealth infections
● Testing may show up negative across the board, but if the symptoms are there and nothing else is working, stealth infections may still be at play
● Oftentimes, treating the body with safe and natural antimicrobials will relieve symptoms for individuals who test negative, proving how you feel is even more important than the results of tests
● Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome can occur even after Lyme has been eradicated. Individuals experience continued symptoms due to triggering an autoimmune reaction in the body that can go on long after the organism has been treated
● The above is possible for other stealth infections too, such as Group A Strep
● Prevention is the best medicine, check out our suggestions to stay safe below
Understanding How to Address Stealth Infections
Now that we have set the stage with all of the essential background information regarding stealth infections, we can move on to how to fix it. Don’t feel hopeless, thousands of people have healed from stealth infections–even the most debilitating ones like Late-Stage Lyme–and moved forward with their lives. And you can too!
While it is important to address the pathogens and control their numbers, it is equally if not more important to place focus on the immune system–strengthening it if it is weak and regulating it if it is overactive–getting required nutrition, and reducing whatever stressors led to your body allowing stealth pathogens to become stealth infections.
To complicate the picture further, stealth infections are commonly found alongside other factors such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, or physical/mental trauma. Some stealth infections are also capable of causing autoimmunity long after the organisms have been treated and presumed to be eradicated. This mixture of factors can make solving stealth infections more complex, but still very possible with trained practitioners who knows how to handle all of the above.
Let’s review the available methods for testing and assessment of stealth pathogens, as well as my favorite supplements, tools, and therapies to overcome these unwelcome organisms.
Testing Options for Stealth Infections
Conventional and alternative testing methods can help identify stealth pathogens as a cause of health symptoms and loss of athletic performance. While testing is not perfect–a semi-healthy body is required to even produce an antibody response against a pathogen–it can potentially provide the missing link in your health mystery.
Conventional Testing
The Western Blot test is the only way to formally diagnose Lyme, according to the CDC. This test can be performed on blood, synovial fluid (joints), and cerebrospinal fluid. It is an antibody test that has very strict interpretation requirements in terms of testing positive for Lyme. It is considered, by conventional terms, to be more accurate and specific than other prior testing techniques.
Most Lyme disease and co-infection tests are designed to detect antibodies made by the body in response to infection. Unfortunately, antibodies can take several weeks to months to develop, so patients may test negative if infected only recently. If you recognize you have been bitten by insects, especially ticks, lice, or fleas, this may be a good reason to treat preventatively with holistic means.
Generally, conventional testing does not opt to look for co-infections in addition to Lyme. Antibody blood tests or throat swabs exist for other stealth infections like Strep and Epstein-Barr Virus and may be easier to make a diagnosis from than Lyme testing. Many practitioners in the functional medicine field have realized that relying on testing alone can cause an individual to not receive care that may need.
Functional and Alternative Testing with Vagus Clinic
At Vagus Clinic, we use a number of testing options to identify stealth infections as the root cause of your symptoms. In addition to the conventional tests listed above, other tests to consider include:
● Detailed health history, current symptoms, and known exposure to insect bites or other sources of transmission
● Standard Blood labs
○ CBC (complete blood cell count) – tests for red blood cell numbers and characteristics, white (immune) blood cell activity, and more
○ ANA (antinuclear antibodies) – positive ANA tests indicate the presence of autoimmunity, see Post Lyme Disease Syndrome below
○ Epstein-Barr Virus – Viral Capsid Antigen IgM antibody, IgG, and Early antigen antibody
○ Blood antibody tests for organisms like H. pylori, Mycoplasma, and others
○ Inflammatory markers like MMP-9 and C4A
● Vibrant America Tickborne 2.0 Panel - The “Gold Standard” for stealth infection testing at Vagus Clinic. This test is by far the most accurate, sensitive, and comprehensive in my experience. It tests for many more variants of Borrelia and co- infections–as well as stealth infections like Epstein Barr Virus, Mycoplasma, Group A Strep–compared to conventional testing. The Western Blot is an indirect indicator of Lyme or other infections, while PCR DNA detection is much more accurate and specific for directly identifying pathogens. Vibrant Labs uses a combination of IgG, IgM, and PCR data for ultra-accurate results [1]
● Blood pressure, heart rate, VO2 max, and oxygen saturation monitoring – several types of stealth infections negatively impact the cardiovascular system, cause anemia, infect red blood cells, steal iron, and reduce blood oxygen capacity
● STD Panels – make sure to run these tests regularly if needed. Remember, better safe than sorry
● Hair Mineral Analysis – Toxic elements often set the stage for stealth pathogens to become infections by damaging the body. This test may help reveal hidden mineral and heavy metal imbalances
● Muscle testing – We like to use this in addition to laboratory testing as a method to get biofeedback directly from your body. Utilizing the nervous system and your reflexes, we can help identify if certain pathogens are causing problems in the body First, we must identify the factors and pathogens at play through testing and health history.
Next, it is time to work toward reducing the pathogen load that is placing stress on your body and change any lifestyle factors that allowed these infections to take hold in the first place.
Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome
Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome” (PLDS) is a term used to describe the persistence of Lyme disease symptoms despite antibiotic therapies. A person may temporarily feel better, but have relapsing of symptoms. PLDS is autoimmune in nature; the body continues to attack and destroy its own tissues, even long after antibiotic therapy, thinking there are pathogens inside. This autoimmune dysregulation can lead to widespread inflammation, immune hyperreactivity,
and mid- to late-stage Lyme disease symptoms over time. [2]
Lyme can be hard to test for, as Borrelia can “shape-shift”, altering its cell membrane characteristics to evade detection by the immune system. The body knows something is not right but often cannot identify the invader. Thus, non-specific tissue damage will occur as immune white blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages infiltrate the tissues looking for pathogens to destroy.
Another consideration is the fact that broad-spectrum antibiotics like doxycycline destroy both good and bad bacteria. The goal is that hopefully, the good bacteria rebound faster than the bad ones and health is restored. Unfortunately, broad-spectrum antibiotics with not kill every single organism of a given species. If the immune system tanks again in the future, these low, asymptomatic levels may reactivate into infections.
Again, this proves the importance of regaining and maintaining balance in the body as opposed to participating in overtraining, poor lifestyle choices, and antibiotic overuse to feel temporarily better.
Interestingly, many people experience resolution of health symptoms with treatment even in cases where testing shows up negative. This is why approaching the situation with holistic methods, like herbs and nutrition, to see if symptoms improve can be safer than haphazardly throwing an atom bomb of antibiotics at your body.
Treatment Options and Holistic Solutions
Prevention of Stealth Infections
While it is not always possible to prevent transmission of stealth infections–and that is why it’s a good idea to be ready with remedies and a functional medicine practitioner in mind–there are specific steps you can take to limit your exposure to stealth infections:
● Perform thorough tick checks after hiking through grassy or forested areas, check your body, clothing, bags, other gear, and especially your pets
● Wear long sleeves to help prevent biting insects like mosquitos, fleas, or ticks
● Wear light-colored clothes to make it easier to see tiny ticks, check using a magnifying glass or smartphone magnifier
● Spray shoes, socks, and any other fabric materials that will be out in the field with permethrin insect repellent
● Use tick repellent such as lemon cinnamon, oregano, and/or tea tree essential oils on clothing and diluted on skin, or Ranger Ready Picaridin Spray make from black pepper extract
● Avoid sitting in high grasses or on fallen logs without long sleeves, especially in spring and summer
● Be aware of areas infested with mosquitos or animals with fleas
● After being out in nature put clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes to kill bugs
● Shower to wash away hard to spot ticks that have not yet latched on
● Keep your grass mowed short, discourage animals with infected fleas like raccoons from your property, and promptly remove any standing water to prevent mosquitos
● Perform tick checks 3 days after each outing to see if you missed anything
● Promptly remove any ticks you find gently with tweezer–do not squeeze or pinch, just gently pull to prevent increased liklihood of transmission
Conventional Treatments for Stealth Infections
In general, potent antibitocs like doxycycline or amoxicillin are given orally for 2 to 4 weeks. Some doctors prescribe them preventatively directly after a tick bite, while other prescribe them after a positive lab test confirms diagnosis.
In many cases, these drugs work well to decrease the symptom severity and prevent the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, there is a high level of reactivation and PLDS experienced after antibiotic treatment. This may be due in part to disruption of the healthy gut microbes who are killed by antibiotics.
Giving antibiotics for pathogens like Babesia–a protozoan parasite–and Epstein-Barr–a virus–can be very harmful to the immune system and microbiome, as antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Different treatments, natural or conventional, are required for different types of organisms. Additionally, using medication is only effective when lifestyle changes happen that prevent the same circumstances that allowed the stealth infection to occur. In severe cases, intravenous drugs may have to be administered to resolve the symptoms. Unfortunately, most doctors only prescribe medication to kill microbes and do not recommend nutrition, antibiotic-resistant probiotics, or immune-supportive supplements to aid in the process.
Holistic Tools to Help Combat Stealth Infections
At the Vagus Clinic, we prefer to start with a targeted, holistic approach to resolving stealth infections whenever possible. The following tools can be extremely helping in regaining your health–as well as preventing stealth infections in the first place.
My personal favourite “tool” is utilizing deep nutrition and digestion support during the season, and targeted detoxification with anti-microbial protocols during the off-season, so you can play at your peak.
My other favorite tools:
● Infrared Sauna – increases circulation, nutrient flow, detoxification, and may help kill pathogens (VAGUSCLINIC for 15% off)
● Red Light + Near-Infrared Light Therapy – relaxes the nervous system, increases circulation, is anti-inflammatory, and promotes tissue healing (VAGUSCLINIC for 5% off). You can also try ReCharge FLEXBEAM (discount automatically applies - no code needed)
● Yoga and stretching – has noticeable benefits when added to a training plan instead of intese training every day. Yoga helps restore balance in the autonomic nervous system, leading to immune increased resistance in the presence of a stressor. [3] More resistance to stress = better capacity to handle stealth infections.
● Gentle, low-impact exercises – such as water exercises, tai chi, and light to moderate resistance training are also good for rehabilitation of injuries and joint problems like arthritis
● Vagus nerve exercises – humming, gargling, swallowing, singing, breath work like breath holds, cold showers or plunges activate the vagus nerve which can improve digestion, immunity, mental health, sleep, and more
● Neural retraining programs – programs like DNRS, Gupta, and Primal Trust or professional neurofeedback units help with the mental and emotional stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and inner tension, which are often the root causes of illness. Do not overlook this essential part of the of the healing process!
● Meditation – can be profoundly healing on many levels and help a person cope with illness and symptoms like anxiety or poor sleep caused by stealth infections. There are many options for guided meditation on youtube
● Massage therapy, functional chiropractic, and/or physical therapy – helps with circulation, tissue repair, and musculoskeletal pain caused by stealth infections. These therapies may even help lead to the initial diagnosis of Lyme or other stealth infections
● Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) – evidence suggests HBOT has profound benefits including increased tissue oxygenation, improved white blood cell function, and can disable certain bacterial toxins. [4] One study even showed HBOT reduced autoimmune brain inflammation by decreasing levels of inflammatory IL-17a while increasing levels of IL-10 to help suppress immune hyperreactivity that can damage the body [5]
● EMF Protection – may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress from EMFs that contributes to the overall toxic burden of the body. That means one less stressor for your immune system (VAGUSCLINIC for 10% off)
Supplements to Help Combat Stealth Infections
Here are some of my favorite supplements for addressing stealth infections and fortifying the body against their return. Check out the links to my e-store, or work with my clinic for an individually tailored plan!
Herbal Anti-microbial Support:
MegaSporeBiotic My favourite probiotic for overhauling and fortifying the gut microbiome
MegaMycoBalance Keeps opportunistic yeast and fungi in balance
IS-Borr Herbal tincture formula for Borrelia
IS-Bart Herbal tincture formula for Barteonalla
IS-Bab Herbal tincture formula for Babesia
Viracide Powerful combination of key nutrients and botanical extracts to combat viruses
Biocidin Herbal tincture all-star for all classes of microbes
Many of these formulas can also be effective for other stealth pathogens, so working with a skilled practitioner who can figure out the combination you need is essential.
Binders:
Biotoxin Binder Systemically binds biological toxins like byproducts of inflammation or irritating bacterial toxin
ZeoBind Binds toxins in the gut, good addition to systemic binders
MegaMucosa Immunoglobulin (antibody) technology captures biological toxins in the gut, highly reseached
Organ Support:
LymphActiv Supports lymphatic flow which may be impaired by stealth infections
KL Support Supports the kidneys and liver in processing and removing toxins from the body
TUDCA Supports liver detoxification
Castor Oil Pack Increases circulation to the liver, closed injuries, strains, aches, and tears to promote detoxification and healing
BC-ATP Mitchondrial support to nourish weary mitchondria
Essential Nutrients:
Electrolytes – Coconut water and sea salt are essential for replenishing sodium and potassium
SynerMag Magnesium – Easily depleted by stress and overtraining, needed for muscle relaxation and energy production
pH Balancer by Mother Earth Labs – Liquid multivitamin formula for supplemental nutrients
CT-Minerals – Great source of essential minerals in a bioavailable liquid form]
Bringing down inflammation, regulating the immune system, and preventing the conditions that started the infection in the first place are all key parts of sustainably healing from stealth pathogens.
Inflammation and Immune Supports:
Brazillian Green Propolis – Immune-boosting bee byproduct with tons of research on efficacy
IFC (InflammaControl) – Herbal blend of inflammation-taming herbs with bioactive carbon
MegaViron – Potent anti-inflammatory, best used in cases of acute illness or viral infection
MegaMune – Herbal and essential mineral support supplement for every day immune health
IS-Boost – Herbal tincture to fortify the immune system, anti-inflammatory effects
DesBio Homepathic Remedies – helps to reset the body on a cellular level after treatment and make sure infections do not return
If your primary care physician and physical therapist can’t figure out why their protocols aren’t working, make sure to consider stealth infections. I highly encourage you to find and work with a functional medicine practitioner who is literate with the different stealth infections and how they can present–especially in athletes. A skilled practitioner can help determine the correct approach to treatment, even if standard testing doesn’t reveal anything useful.
At Vagus Clinic, we go the extra mile for you and aim to provide the best, most comprehensive care so you can focus on your fitness or athletic career–while also addressing health and performance-related concerns.
Takeaways from Part III: Solutions to Combat Stealth Infections
After working on hundreds of patients, including anyone from NHL and NFL players from all across Canada and the United States, to everyday people who care about their health and fitness longevity, I have found a secret in improving performance: address symptoms from all angles, and even if it seems unrelated, always check for stealth infections! Ridding your body of a heavy pathogen load could be the key in taking your performance to the next level.
Addressing underlying toxins and infections is essential. What I find most commonly is Lyme and co-infections–and sometimes other microbes–causing inflammation, immune dysregulation, mental health problems, and damaging muscles, joints, and nervous system, which obviously leads to lowered performance.
It is striking how few pro athletes or practitioners are focused on removing interference and addressing habits that may invite imbalance into the body, in order to enhance performance. If you care about your athletic longevity, find a functional medicine practitioner who keeps this concept in mind.
If there is one thing to take away from this series, remember, even healthy people can have these organisms in their body–lying dormant until the terrain shifts and immune system can no longer keep them in check. The most important factor is keeping your immune system and body healthy, well-nourish, and not overtrained or overstressed for any reason.
I really hope you enjoyed this series on how stealth infections can affect your athletic performance–and how to overcome them! If you are ready to investigate stealth infections and regain peak performance, call or text the Vagus clinic at (416) 649-6489 or schedule your free 20-minute discovery call here!
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