What Does Blood Type Have to Do with Gastritis? (ABO)

A Note on Blood Group Diets

Some people believe that certain diets are better for different blood types. The so-called “blood type diet” or “blood group diet” was popularized by P. J. D’Adamo in his 1996 book Eat Right For Your Type. However, while these specialized diets have been associated with positive health outcomes, their benefits were not specific to any single blood type, and none has been found to decrease the incidence of gastritis [R].

Eliminate Proinflammatory Foods

Certain dietary components may trigger an inflammatory response in people who are predisposed to chronic inflammation [R, R].

Doctors may recommend avoiding certain foods that may increase the intensity of the immune response and aggravate gastric inflammation. It is important to follow any dietary restrictions your doctor recommends; if you do not receive dietary guidance, you may want to ask them about the foods on this list:

• Soft drinks: soft drinks and other carbonated beverages are also believed to stimulate acid secretion and are therefore often on the list of things to avoid if you have gastritis [R, R].
• Sweets & simple sugars: some evidence suggests that simple carbohydrates may stimulate the production of stomach acid and worsen outcomes in gastric inflammation [R].
• Very fatty food: some doctors may advise against fatty meats and cheeses, and you may be advised to cut deep fried foods entirely [R].

Certain foods may trigger inflammation in people who are predisposed to gastritis; cutting these out, or at least reducing intake, may improve outcomes.

Fermented Foods

Certain fermented beverages – especially wine, beer, and fermented milk – have produced promising clinical results in supporting H. pylori and gastritis treatment, likely because they are a natural source of probiotic bacteria [R, R].

In a cross-sectional study of over 10,000 people in England, moderate consumption of wine and beer was found to be somewhat protective against H. pylori infection. The authors suggested that moderate wine and beer consumption could produce an environment in the stomach that is hostile to H. pylori, thereby making it easier to eradicate the bacteria [R].

However, another study found that alcohol consumption was positively associated with H. pylori infection, suggesting that a component of wine and beer other than alcohol could be responsible for their apparent benefit [R].

Fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir were also found to be protective against H. pylori infection. Furthermore, the addition of yogurt to conventional therapy improved eradication rates in one trial of 347 patients [R, R, R].

Some authors have suggested that other fermented foods could protect against H. pylori, but that our poor understanding of specific ethnic fermented foods around the world is a major obstacle to using them in a clinical setting [R].

Fermented foods and drinks are a natural source of probiotic bacteria that may help outcompete H. pylori and prevent gastritis.

Broccoli Sprouts & Brassica Vegetables

Sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts, may inhibit the growth of H. pylori and thereby prevent H. pylori-associated gastritis [R].

Researchers have suggested that sulforaphane may protect the mucosal membranes of the stomach, which may lead to reduced inflammation [R]. Improved mucosal membrane health may also make it more difficult for H. pylori to colonize the stomach effectively, explaining the reduced rate of colonization found in some studies [R].

In asymptomatic patients with confirmed H. pylori infection, eating 70 g/day of broccoli sprouts resulted in a significant decrease of colonization intensity [R].

Another study also reported a loss of H. pylori colonization following broccoli sprout treatment in four out of nine test subjects [R].

In type 2 diabetic patients infected with H. pylori, broccoli sprouts powder in addition to standard triple therapy showed a considerable improvement in H. pylori eradication, and also showed improved heart health in subjects [R].

In mice, H. pylori infections were effectively eliminated by sulforaphane injections [R].

However, a small study with H. pylori-colonized humans in Japan was unable to demonstrate an improvement when supplementing broccoli sprouts [R].

Other brassica vegetables (cauliflower, swede, headed cabbage, turnip, radish) also contain compounds in the same family as sulforaphane, collectively called isothiocyanates [R].

Sulforaphane is a compound found in broccoli sprouts and other brassica vegetables which help eradicate H. pylori and prevent gastritis.

Probiotics

A healthy gut flora is in constant communication with our immune systems, suppressing inflammation and sending signals that it is not a threat. Certain probiotic supplements (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species) may help soothe the immune response and reduce the excess information associated with some blood groups [R].

Probiotic supplements are a popular way to support conventional therapies for digestive ailments. In gastritis, they may only be helpful in cases where H. pylori infection is a concern [R, R].

According to some researchers, probiotic bacteria compete with H. pylori in the digestive tract, possibly making this harmful infection more susceptible to antibiotics and other drugs [R, R, R].

Some probiotic bacteria may help soothe the immune response and help manage gastritis.

CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an important compound found in every cell in the body. It is a type of coenzyme, which means that it helps other enzymes work more effectively. CoQ10 is mainly located in the membrane of mitochondria, where it is used to make energy [R].

The combination of standard antibiotic triple therapy with CoQ10 had a positive effect on the stomach lining inflammation and decreased oxidative stress in patients with H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis [R].