Study Finds Stevia Kills Lyme Disease Pathogen Better Than Antibiotics

Photo 1 © Daniele Depascale – fotolia.com Photo 2 © Flyingbikie – Wikipedia – lic. under CC0 1.0

Lyme disease is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which may be transmitted through the bite of ticks. Once infected, a person begins to manifest with high fever, headache, malaise, and the characteristic bull’s eye rash. Complicated/chronic cases can blow up and spread to joints, the brain, and the heart. ^[1]

Most cases of Lyme disease are successfully treated with a course of antibiotics, but there are instances where the antibiotics fail to produce the desired outcome. This is mainly due to the infectious agent’s ability to morph into different forms capable of evading the action of the drugs. This can result in a condition called Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome or in some health circles, it’s called Chronic Lyme Disease. ^[2] This is a painful and persistent condition that does not benefit from antibiotic treatment. In fact, research has shown that this form of Lyme disease does not respond well to prolonged and continued antibiotic use ^[3] and continued use may even lead to death. ^[4]

Given its grim reputation, there is a sense of urgency in the search for an effective treatment for Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. Fortunately, we are making progress and as always, Mother Nature keeps on providing: In a study published in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology, there is now strong evidence that suggests that Stevia, the natural sweetener, and sugar substitute, can be a potential treatment to Chronic Lyme Disease. In the study, researchers compared the effectiveness of Stevia with the conventional antibiotics used to treat the disease. Surprisingly, Stevia performed with flying colors. ^[5] More studies are needed before we’ll have a Stevia-based treatment for Lyme disease but researchers are optimistic.

Stevia has slowly gained popularity over the years since it appealed to those looking for a non-caloric substitute to artificial sweeteners. However, although touted as a safer alternative to the usual aspartame and acesulfame, it is not without faults: A recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that Stevia had minimal effect on total caloric intake of a person ^[6] and can even enhance the uptake of glucose when taken with meals. ^[7] This, in turn, could possibly lead to unintentional hypoglycemia, which could be dangerous for diabetics.

Further reading:

These 11 Artificial Sweeteners Are The Ones To Avoid (And What You Should Use Instead).