Years of urinary tract infections finally resolved: (long version of the article)

Judith was born 59 years ago via vaginal delivery; she was not breastfed.
From birth until the age of 10, she was a sad little girl, undergoing long-term antibiotic treatment for chronic ENT problems and asthma-like bronchitis.
At age 22, she suffered from recurrent bronchitis, which was also treated with antibiotics. From then on, she experienced increasingly severe bouts of cystitis, very often accompanied by urinary tract infections.
She also complained of digestive problems, pain in her intestines and stomach, and bloating after meals.
After her second pregnancy, her digestive system “went haywire”; she could no longer eat anything, she had constant diarrhea, and this lasted for over a year.
When Judith came to see me a few months ago, she was extremely tired and feeling completely down; in fact, she was sleeping very poorly; her sleep was not restful at all; she had diffuse and very intense pain that moved throughout her body; her digestive problems had returned almost daily; and she suffered very regularly from bouts of cystitis, very often accompanied by urinary tract infections that required antibiotics to treat them.

Given her symptoms, I suggest that Judith look into her digestive system and gut microbiota.
To be thorough and precise, I explain to her the benefits of undergoing a test to identify any imbalance in her gut microbiota, in order to detect bacterial dysbiosis, if present. She therefore has her first morning urine sample tested for organic metabolites at the Barbier Laboratory.

The test results are positive in many areas, revealing a proliferation of proteolytic bacterial flora dependent on phenylalanine and tyrosine, as well as a very severe case of digestive candidiasis that is disrupting her carbohydrate metabolism.
At the same time, her iron status clearly indicates that she is iron-deficient.
Following a personalized dietary rebalancing and micronutritional management to treat her candidiasis and dysbiosis.
A 3-month treatment regimen involving the alternating use of dietary supplements containing: berberine (which acts on the gut flora while helping to control blood glucose), caprylic acid (particularly effective against Candida albicans), wild marjoram, grapefruit seed extract, garlic (for its antibacterial properties), and a course of heme iron (which is highly bioavailable) throughout these 3 months.
 

After one month of this treatment, I began addressing his compromised intestinal barrier at the same time:

By regulating the microbiome, it is not a component of the barrier itself, but it works in symbiosis with it as well as with the cells of the immune system. For this reason, Judith takes daily probiotics containing specific strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 of human origin (because what adapts best to humans is human-derived), and since she has “stomach” pain, a high bacterial count is essential for effectively relieving this pain.

By supporting the mucosa. The mucosa is composed of rapidly dividing cells called enterocytes. Judith takes 2 grams of glutamine daily to strengthen them directly; specifically, L-alanyl-L-glutamine, which increases glutamine availability (since glutamine has a relatively short half-life of 2–3 hours, the goal is to double that half-life with L-alanyl-L-glutamine);zinc to support the maturation of enterocytes, and finally quercetin, which helps strengthen binding proteins, along with (activated) B-complex vitamins. By optimizing her immune system—since 70% of human immune cells are produced in the intestines and also contribute to this barrier function. Paneth cells produce cells of the innate immune system, antimicrobial peptides, macrophages, dendritic cells, cells of the adaptive immune system, IgA-producing cells, and T cells. To this end, she will take vitamin D and zinc.

Judith is noticeably less tired because she’s sleeping much better; she tells me about new projects; her general aches and pains are less intense; and as for her digestive problems, she’s only had two episodes in three months.
BUT
she still suffers very regularly from bouts of cystitis that end up requiring antibiotics. Even with some changes to her treatment and Judith’s active and committed involvement—and although all her symptoms are improving more and more, to the point of becoming extremely rare—the cystitis flare-ups are still there, unchanged and just as debilitating as ever, requiring her to take antibiotics.

One of the primary functions of mucus is to lubricate and hydrate all mucous membranes.
In the intestinal mucosa, it plays a protective role by preventing microbes from entering. Here in the urogenital tract, it provides protection against microorganisms.
This mucus also serves as an anchoring site, a habitat for diversification, and a nutritional source for the bacteria that make up the microbiota.
This means: Mucus is essential and indispensable for maintaining the functional integrity of the intestinal barrier, BUT some people cannot produce it!
The fucosyltransferase 2 gene (the enzyme that attaches fucose to glycans) exhibits significant polymorphism in the human population (each individual is unique from a biochemical, metabolic, and physiological standpoint), resulting in variable levels of secretion and, in 20% of individuals, a complete lack of secretion.
Individuals who lack these fucosylated glycans are at greater risk of suffering from dysbiotic cystitis and candidiasis, as well as of developing, among other conditions, type 1 diabetes, autoimmune bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), chronic pancreatitis, and cancers of the oral mucosa…
 

So, I’m recommending FucoDyn® (2′-fucosyllactose and L-threonine) from Bionutrics Laboratories, starting with 1 capsule per day for 4 days and then increasing to 2 capsules per day—1 in the morning and 1 in the evening—for 1 month.
This dietary supplement will provide a good colonization site for the probiotic bacteria. Plus, it will help optimize the bifidogenic flora and restore immunity.

All her symptoms, which had already improved significantly, have disappeared, and most importantly, Judith no longer has bladder infections—not a single episode all month!
I suggested that Judith stop taking FucoDyn®. Unfortunately, her bladder infections returned very quickly.

So I encouraged her to undergo the relevant genetic testing to determine whether or not she is a secretor of the fucosyltransferase 2 enzyme.
To date, in France, only Laboratoire Barbier performs this test (in Belgium, Laboratoire Lims and Laboratoire Synlab; in Luxembourg, Les Laboratoires Réunis).
About a month later, we received the results. Judith is homozygous and has a non-secretor status for the enzyme gene.
 

Now, as part of her daily routine, Judith takes one FucoDyn® capsule in the morning and one in the evening. She eats a healthy, balanced diet, works out, takes dance classes, goes out to restaurants, and sometimes treats herself to ice cream with her children when she goes to the movies.
She hasn’t had another episode since then.