Buhner's Core Lyme Protocol
another Source
Buhner's Q&A Discussion website on healing Lyme
LYME FORMULA INFORMATION SHEETS
Rather than making it a priority to kill the Lyme spirochetes in any form, Stephen's approach is as follows:
1. Support collagen structures so that damage to the body systems ceases (glucosamine sulfate, biosil, vitamin c, pregnenolone...lastly, Teasel can help too);
2. Enhance immune function so that the body can deal with the organism itself;
3. Shut down the inflammatory pathways the spirochetes initiate, especially in the CNS;
4. Treat symptoms;
5. And only then, try and kill the spirochete.
Buhner on taking Astragalus:
If you are not currently sick, you can certainly take astragalus. The reason for not recommending it is that astragalus raises the parts of the immune system that are overactivated in chronic lyme. Those parts of the immune system are highly effective against lyme early on and help prevent or reduce the disease but if they are low to begin with and you are infected the infection can spread more easily. After awhile the immune system does ratchet up those parts to attack the lyme bacteria but by then the spirochete has altered itself and is no longer very affected by them, those parts of the immune system then begin to cause some of the lyme symptoms people have making the disease a kind of autoimmune problem. My book Healing Lyme goes into this in a great amount of detail.
On page 74 in his update he says that “the single most important herb is Japanese knotweed, secondarily cat’s claw …followed by eleuthero followed by andrographis then stephania. ... andrographis is problematic … may produce side effects, but its fine if you tolerate it. Andrographis helps break the encysted forms. If there's digestive upset taking these, take with food, otherwise it doesn't matter if taken on empty stomach or with food.
Red root tincture for lymphatics.
For insomnia: melatonin liquid drops just before bed, ashwagandha (1 tsp day of tincture, just before bed), and Chinese skullcap root tincture ¼-1/2 tsp 3x daily.
Don't use resveratrol if you have hepatitis C, Stephania could be used alternatively.
The following is a simplified core protocol (2013 version), updates since then include additional options, for example, Salvia miltiorrhiza,cryptolepsis & sarsaparilla, there are many useful herbs but you could start with these:
CORE PROTOCOL
- Japanese Knotweed (Source Naturals Resveratrol with 500mg Polygonum cuspidatum per tablet) - 1-4 tablets 3-4x daily for 8-12 months (Resveratrol)
2. Cat's Claw - 1-4 tablets 3-4x daily for 2-3 months, then 2-3 capsules 3x daily (Uncaria tomentosa)
3. Eleutherococcus - 1/2 to 1 tsp upon rising and at lunch
4. Astragalus - 1,000mg daily (not to be used in chronic lyme)
Stephen is now also recommending Ashwagandha (withania) to help remedy sleep problems at night and brain fog - 1000 mg at night just before bed.
Additional herbs can be added based on your symptoms. Read **this article** for more on the latest updates to the Healing Lyme protocol.
Other recommended herbs:
Stephen Buhner's supplement guide also includes:
Artemisinin capsuls (100 mg) 3x daily for 30-40 daysRedroot
(ceanothus spp) tincture: one-half to one and one-half teaspoons (30-90 drops) to 4x dayBonesettea
(eupatorium perfoliatum) 2-4 cups daily for shaking chills, sweats and fevers
MAXIMUM DOSAGE DETAILS
Japanese Knotweed capsules (Source Naturals Resveratrol with 500mg Polygonum cuspidatum per tablet)
150 lb adult: 1-4 tablets 3-4x daily
100 lb adult: 10 tablets total daily split into three doses
60 lb child: 5 tablets daily split into three doses, tincture is probably better here
30 lb child: 3 tablets daily split into three doses, but would prefer tincture for child this small
Japanese Knotweed tincture
150 lb adult: 1 teaspoon 3x daily
100 lb adult: 2/3 teaspoon 3x daily
60 lb child: 1/3 teaspoon 3x daily
30 lb child: 1/5 teaspoon 3x daily
Cat's Claw capsule (Raintree brand)
150 lb adult: 1-4 tablets 3-4x daily
100 lb adult: 10 tablets total daily split into three doses
60 lb child: 5 tablets daily split into three doses, tincture is probably better here
30 lb child: 3 tablets daily split into three doses, but would prefer tincture for child this small
Cat's Claw tincture
150 lb adult: 1 teaspoon 3x daily
100 lb adult: 2/3 teaspoon 3x daily
60 lb child: 1/3 teaspoon 3x daily
30 lb child: 1/5 teaspoon 3x daily
Eleutherococcus tincture
150 lb adult: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon upon rising and at lunch
100 lb adult: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon upon rising and at lunch
60 lb child: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon upon rising and at lunch
30 lb child: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon upon rising and at lunch
Astragalus capsule not to be used in chronic lyme - for new tick bites
150 lb adult: 1,000 mg daily
100 lb adult: 1,000 mg daily
60 lb child: 1,000 mg daily
30 lb child: 1,000 mg daily
Astragalus tincture not to be used in chronic lyme - for new tick bites
150 lb adult: 1 teaspoon 3x daily
100 lb adult: 1 teaspoon 3x daily
60 lb child: 1/2 teaspoon 3x daily
30 lb child: 1/3 teaspoon 3x daily