TidBits - Stomach Ulcers and Juicing

Vitamin U, and well…. You.  Peptic Ulcers are no small pain.

Peptic ulceration is a term that we use to describe a breakdown in the wall of the either the stomach (gastric ulcer) or the duodenum (duodenal ulcer), which is immediately past the lowest part of the stomach.  It’s basically what the stomach drains into. 

There are a few reasons why we might get one of these peptic ulcers. One is simply a breakdown in mucosal lining of the stomach, which leads to regions within the stomach where the wall can be contacted by gastric juices.  The problem here is that gastric juices, contain both strong acids, and pepsin. Pepsin, a proteolytic enzyme (proteo – meaning protein, lytic –meaning lysis or breakdown) is part of how we begin to breakdown food in the stomach.  This is why we don’t want it touching the unprotected areas of our stomach! These unprotected areas are actually muscles that contract and relax while we eat to keep our food moving as well as helping in digestive mixing. 

Stress ulcers are a little bit different.  They have more to do with an over-activity of proton-pumps in the stomach causing excessive production of stomach acids.  This is why proton-pump inhibitors are sometimes prescribed for these issues. However it still must be noted that the mucosal lining must be thin enough for the erosive material to get to and destroy stomach muscle tissue. 

When this happens repeatedly and over prolonged periods of time there is decreased motility (decreased movement, due to injured stomach muscle) as well as hemorrhaging (bleeding) and/or pain.

Consider this: We have found a link between Vitamin U deficiency and gastric ulcer healing.  (yet most of us don’t know about it) Vitamin U is a nutrient that when we are lacking it, the mucosal membrane protecting the stomach weakens and thus allows occurrence of ulcer formation.  A fantastic source of vitamin U supplementation can be found in cabbage juice (I drink this somewhat regularly and it is not nearly as bad as it sounds). 

One study showed that 92.3% of ulcers even if over 1cm in size will be healed within three weeks¹; A second showed that ulcer crater healing times were considerably shorter with cabbage juice treatment than with standard drug therapy and diet therapy²; and a third showed that average crater healing time was 7.3 days in cabbage juice treatment as compared to 42 days with standard therapy³. 

Here is the kicker… We have known about this since the 1940’s.  Each study that I have cited is from over 60 years ago, and yet this information is not used today regularly.  This disheartens me greatly.  Why are we on chronic medications that don’t solve the problem, when a simple and very healthy dietary supplement of cabbage juice can solve the underlying issue.  Vitamin U deficiency is curable.  So let’s cure it. 

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Sincerely, 

Dr. Rich

   Calif Med. Jan 1956; 84(1): 39–43 
   Calif Med. Oct 1952; 77(4): 248–252

   Calif Med. 1949 Jan;70(1):10-5.