HCI Hypothesis

HCI – a treatment to manage ‘self’ auto-immune induced Sinusitis

OK, I’m on a mission.

Occasionally some random, wild-hair theory will inspire me to blog about Science.  I’m not selling anything and not looking for followers…

My wild-hair Science Blog’s keep me occupied and sane.  Hope you enjoy this one - The HCl Hypothesis.

Abstract: 

I have a theory about Gut Health and Sinusitis: 

Sinus pain/pressure/stuffy nose - I believe;  these common symptoms are often caused by an auto-immune inflammation and are induced by the incomplete Digestion of food.  A simple treatment is offered here.

I call this theory -  ‘The HCI hypothesis.’

HCl – Hydrochloric Acid.  Widely known as a bleach added to swimming pools to control pH.  Many variations in the HCl molecule exist,  including the natural human stomach version  … HCl is a critical compound required by our digestive system for its optimal function.

This blog will ONLY be of interest to someone suffering from re-occurring and prolonged Sinus congestion.  Warning, this Blog is boring

I believe that as we age,  our Gut-biome can change in a manor that causes ‘self’ initiated auto-immune Sinusitis.  Specifically;  our stomach pH becomes too ‘basic’ in older ages due to the lack of HCl production and the related digestive enzymes.  Raising stomach pH with HCl treatment mediates Sinusitis symptoms, by improved digestion.

(To clarify a point:  The roll of age is not exclusive within the HCI Hypothesis.   For example;  High stress, poor eating habits, medications can make the Gut of a 20yo, the disaster of a 60-70yo,,,,

Hypothesis:

Taking a powdered pill form of HCl;  purchased OTC;  one pill per meal – will raise the pH of your Gut Biome.

Example HCl product:  Nutricost manufacturer, bought on  Amazon, Betaine HCl+Pepsin 790mg.   – cost about $14/240ct.  17c/pill.

Experiment/Results:

Sinusitis treatment.

Week one,  consistently swallow one HCl pill with each meal.

Within a week, you should feel an improvement in your Sinusitis.  In most cases, I would look for improvement by day 3.

As better results are observed – diminished dosage of HCl is needed.   Going to 1/day, or 1/week.  (or just using on-demand)

People individually produce different levels of stomach acids (HCl/enzymes), eat different foods, have different genetic characteristics.   So,  final Dosage Adjustments and on-going maintenance dosages are personal circumstances.

In some people,  just the initial first-week of treatment may be sufficient to make a long-term change in their Sinus inflammation. It’s like hitting a reset button.  Once the ‘bad’ inflammation cycle is broken.. more normal immune cycle can dominate…   ending re-occurring sinusitis.

This HCl treatment is very mild and has a large margin of error.  The stomach pH tends to self moderate.  It’s difficult for me to guess how extreme a ‘high’ dosage would be.  I believe the risk related to the treatment are almost non-existent.

Theory:

In some people,  extreme Sinusitis inflammation is created by active pathogen infections, or by active genetic allergic reactions to ‘foreign’ antigens. ….  These examples are not solved by HCl Hypothesis.

Mucus membranes of the Sinus can undergo attack and disease thru multiple pathogenic pathways, as mentioned above.  …   So, for example:  if fighting a Strep infection, your Sinus inflammation is not solved by this HCl Hypothesis.  Use antibiotics for a Strep infection !! use the correct tool.

But, as stated in the Abstract above:   In my opinion:  ‘most’ common Sinus auto-immune symptoms are NOT pathogen infection scenarios like Strep .…. And can often be treated with the HCl Hypothesis.  … with amazing positive results.

My HCl hypothesis has not properly been tested, or accepted in the medical world … I suspect will never be..

And, I can’t say it's completely my hypothesis.  Hundreds of products to adjust the Stomach Biome are available OTC.  Most address the balance of Bacteria and Yeast…. Fine…  but if my HCl Hypothesis is correct, these products are only ancillary to the core problem. Dropping levels of HCl that your stomach produces, as you age is (maybe) the problem.

HCl is too cheap for profitable widespread business model.  So, all companies that make allergy medications, histamines, Gut Bio-enhancer product. …. None of these business entities are interested in a 17c/pill solution.

I’ve seen one-two small research studies to support my HCl Hypothesis, and I offer my personal testimony here – this works for me.

Mechanics:

For the Microbiology and Immunology Geek in my head.. This next bit is the interesting part of the Hypothesis.

How does this work?

I offer the Hypothesis;   that with ‘basic’ stomach acid levels – digestion of normal protein and carbohydrates is incomplete,  resulting in unusually large ‘pieces’ of food being absorbed into the Blood-stream and carried to the tissue.

Adjusting stomach pH levels,  results in smaller ‘pieces’ of food being in the Blood-stream.

In all cases here,  I am talking of food – not a pathogen.

Strings of Amino Acids,  Food:  ready to be phagocytized by hungry cells…used to build and drive life. 100% normal.

I continue to theorize;  that large ‘pieces’ are mis-identified as foreign antigens by the human innate defenses… resulting in a ‘self’ auto immune reaction.

In the case I describe here:  The undigested food is mis-identified as a foreign Antigen by the innate mucosal immune sub-system.  The Mucosal immune system is found from the Gut to the Sinuses, is connected to the Lymph system and Adaptive immune sub-system…but unique in its cellular pathways and cascades.

The cascade between B-Cells, with helper T-Cells, pushing up cytokines levels…causing the inflammation…  resulting in Sinusitis. 

My semi-educated guess: Epithelial mucus cells in the gut or sinus are triggered by the abundance of undigested foods/proteins..  as part of the innate immune system – they secrete mucus and cytokines (et.el). which increase surrounding tissue inflammation… the cytokines trigger a call out for addition help to ‘clear’ the food (antigen).   In this case, the food looks like a foreign anti-gen to the Epithelial cell. 

The long-chain food piece looks a little like a pathogen.. it shouldn’t be here in volume… time to raise the defenses.  This cycle continues a cascade, and triggers CD4 T cells – which in turn produce even more cytokines/chems and continued the inflammation and clear the antigen (food) by phagocytosis and also by the attachment of Mucus to the food particle,,,(and is dispelled from the body as snot or a fluid – runny nose symptom).

*** at this point the person has Sinusitis, life in a loop.  Typically taking anti-histamines and anti-allergy medications to temporarily suppress the systems.

Given time (day, week, month?) -  T-reg cells step in to better control the chaos ...  and start producing ID-10, another ‘regulatory’ cytokine what will mediate the inflammation..and shut it down Sinus inflammation.

This is a Auto-regulation feedback loop.  But it is sometimes slow, and if it fails.. you are in a loop.  More food, more inflammation, more Sinusitis.  Hard to reset.

This auto-immune response is you fighting your own digestion system.

Their may be a dozen pathways/cascades leading to the inflammation cycle. I’ll try to loop back here and fill in some additional examples. For example:  Mast cells in the sinus could also be triggered by the un-digested food particles, to dump/produce histamines in the Sinus, adding to inflammation signals – like the cytokine’s in my description above. …  And wide ranging Eosinophile cells will begin to engage, adding to the chaos.  ….  All this is great and needed if you actually have a pathogenic infection… but if the HCl Hypothesis is correct… you likely only have a digestion problem.  You are in an auto-immune cycle and need to re-set.

Use HCl, to raise the stomach pH;  there-by digesting the larger Amino-Acid strings into smaller pieces… which will mediate the self auto-immune response described above…  the Sinus inflammation will decrease.

Testing:

Standard blood tests may be useful in this analysis,  but they must be interpreted in the accurate methodology.

For example;  Total Protein levels of Albumin and the A/Globulins ratios,  or Glucose levels. 

The intent of these tests is not to identify dietary proteins and sugars that are not properly digested  ….  They are trying to identify different disorders – such as cancer or diabetes.

So,, they are useful, and I would preform them all.  But pay attention to what your testing….

A proper experiment on HCl Hypothesis,   would definitely include them.

Back story:

As a Microbiologist,  I have always geeked out on immunology.

As a Scuba Diver,  I have battled Sinusitis inflammation.  Clear sinuses are extremely important to safe and comfortable scuba diving.

I once found myself in Cape Town, South Africa.

…just after a week of diving Tofo, Mozambique .– where I had suffered from Sinusitis during my dive holiday.

While in Cape Town, I had a minor intestinal diarrhea case – and took a double dosage of my normal anti-diarrhea travel med.

I use Imodium, or its generic for this symptom when traveling.  Generic of this product is perfect.   By the next morning,  intestinal problem is solved.

But, I woke the next morning to clear Sinuses. An nn-intended consequence.

.…. For the first time in weeks. WTF ??   My head is clear.  That was a surprising and unexpected outcome from the use of HCl.  I had reset my immune system. 

Reaching that a reset point is the goal of the HCl Hypothesis.  I did it by accident while in Cape Town.  HCl Dosage,  personal food patterns, exercise levels - all can play a roll. 

If you feel you are close to the reset,,,, but still fighting to the complete reset point – a short use of the OTC product like Afrin (once/day) for a full reset can be added..

but Afrin definitely is not a long-term solution.  Its just another tool to temporarily decrease inflammation.  … it is not helping with stomach pH.

Break your inflammation cycle.  For 17c/pill.

After waking to a clear head in Cape Town..    I began a deeper analysis of what had occurred to me.

Some web searching can track down a few studies – not well done with small sample size.  Disappointing,  but did push me in the right direction.

I then repeated several self experiments with Imodium .…

Imodium is HCl,  just a different version – sold for diarrhea management. I believe - Imodium worked on my case of Sinusitis in the same pathway I described above.  But,  Imodium is overkill for the pH change needed for daily use…

Imodium is more effective and needed against an actual pathogen.  The HCl product I recommend from Nutricost above is sold specifically as a digestive acid and dietary supplement.  … I have seen 10+ other versions like Nutricost.. I don’t have an opinion on the manufacture.

I discovered the open market supplement option online - an incredible cheap solution.

My Dosage:  I have mostly used the Nutricost 790mg, but have tried the 500mg.  I don’t think it matters.

This version:  Betaine HCl + Pepsin …. Adds some pepsin to the pill.  Also an important digestive enzyme.  Not-sure if it matters… My goal is a pH change.  The Pepsin is just s little short-term solution.. but shouldn’t hurt the over goal of the HCl Hypothesis.

I’m not a Dr. – just a geek ..… and if your Dr. has a better plan, then outstanding – stick with it.

But,  if you tried all their med’s, and they don’t work -   then maybe trying the HCl Hypothesis for 17c/pill could be the trick.

Don’t forget to exercise!  Absolutely required in all cases.