Giardia intestinalis
Giardia lamblia
Symptoms reported
- •Mucus diarrhea
- •Fat malabsorption (steatorrhea)
- •Flatulence
- •Dull epigastric pain
- •Crampy abdominal pain
- •Anorexia
Life cycle
Trophozoites inhabit the upper small intestine and biliary tract, while cysts are passed in the feces to facilitate spread.
Transmission
Ingestion of cysts via contaminated water, food, house flies, or person-to-person contact in nurseries or schools.
Conventional medical treatment
Metronidazole (Flagyl) or Tinidazole (Fasigen) for diagnosed patients.
For information only. Discuss with a licensed healthcare provider before starting any pharmaceutical.
Treatment Options — Natural First, Pharmaceutical When Needed
Natural First
- •Berberine
- •Wormwood
- •Garlic
- •Activated charcoal (binder)
- •Hydration + electrolytes
- •Rest + bone broth nutrition
Pharmaceutical (if natural-first insufficient)
- •Metronidazole (Flagyl) or Tinidazole (Fasigen) for diagnosed patients.
When to escalate to pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical first if: > 14 days of diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss > 5%, immunocompromised host, hepatic abscess (Entamoeba), CNS involvement, or pregnancy.
Traditional herbal alternatives
In stock at our apothecary
In our database (educational reference)
Each herb above carries a tradition. See the 2,000-year lineage of Western herbal medicine →
“It is considered the main cause of diarrheal out breaks from contaminated water supplies.”
— Applied Medical Parasitology
This page is for educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before acting on anything you read here.