South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Probiotics such as yogurt could prevent gout attacks
Q: After 1 0 years and three doctors trying to control my gout, I seem to have found a cure that they could not. It started with your column when a man stated that eating celery seeds helped with his gout. I began adding ¼ teaspoon of celery seeds to my breakfast every day. I found online resources suggesting that eating probiotic foods could help with gout. Although my diet was very good overall, it did not contain many probiotics. I started taking a live probiotic supplement and eating a bowl of yogurt with strawberries daily.
Within two months, I was off all the meds that the various doctors had prescribed (including colchicine, prednisone, allopurinol and ibuprofen). Nine months later, I am still gout-free. This has totally changed my life. Do you know any studies that would confirm the success of probiotics?
A: To our surprise we discovered that there is indeed research linking the bacteria in our digestive tracts to gout (NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes, Aug. 9, 2021). This inflammatory condition is caused by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. Fermented foods high in lactic acid bacteria can lower uric acid levels (Gut Microbes, March 25, 2021). A small randomized clinical trial showed that a diet containing yogurt with a live Lactobacillus culture could reduce high uric acid levels in patients with gout (Modern Rheumatology, January 2019).
We will need larger clinical trials to confirm this
observation. That said, probiotics and fermented foods can be beneficial for our digestive tracts. If your regimen continues to control uric acid levels, it could be a safe way to prevent another painful gout attack.
Q: I was glad to read your article that some toenail infections may be more bacterial than fungal. I have been treating my left big toe for more than 1 0 years with every antifungal treatment imaginable (multiple laser, over-thecounter meds, Listerine and apple cider vinegar, to name a few). It always came back. Once I read about bacteria-infected toenails, I treated mine topically with liquid colloidal silver daily for two weeks. My toenail is growing in healthy, and I finally can see improvement as the old nail grows out. What causes a bacterial growth in a toenail? A:
There is growing recognition that both bacteria and fungi can infect the nail bed (Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, March 1, 2021). Why this happens remains somewhat myste-*
rious. Colloidal silver can be helpful as a “topical treatment for bio-film related infections” (ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, July 5, 2017).
Q: Last summer, I read that my favorite sprayon sunscreen contained benzene. Is that still a problem? A:
You are right that last July the Food and Drug Administration announced a “voluntary recall” of some Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen products because of the presence of benzene. On June 9, the FDA answered questions about benzene contamination in drugs and other consumer products but failed to provide a current list of products to avoid. One source of unintentional benzene comes from propellants such as isobutane. Although aerosol sprays may be convenient, you might want to switch to a cream or lotion this summer while the FDA continues to monitor for benzene.