Naturopathic Gastroentrology

Naturopathic doctors who focus on gastroenterology treat or co-manage digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, C diff colitis, reflux, peptic ulcers, and more. Naturopathic gastroenterologists also work with people who have autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that might have a gut connection, from multiple sclerosis to psoriasis to thyroiditis and beyond.

What treatments do Naturopathic Gastroenterologists use?

Gastroenterology NDs use familiar assessment tools like blood tests, stool tests, and breath tests. Treatment options include diet suggestions, supplements, herbal medicines, and biotherapeutics like probiotics, helminthic therapy and FMT.

What are biotherapeutics?

A biotherapeutic is a therapy that involves another living organism. Probiotics are live, healthful bacteria, and phage therapy uses live, healthful viruses. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) uses bacteria derived from the stool of healthy, screened donors, and helminthic therapy is the use of tiny worm-like organisms called helminths to promote health.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation FAQs:

Q. What is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)?
A. FMT, more commonly known as fecal transplant, is the process of concentrating bacteria from the stool of carefully screened donors, and administering that bacterial concentrate to people with bacterial disturbances.

Q. Can Dr. Davis provide FMT to me?
A. FDA guidelines specify that Dr. Davis and other clinicians in the United States can prepare FMT for, and administer FMT to patients with C diff infections not responding to standard therapies. If you are considering home FMT for another health condition, Dr. Davis can counsel you on home FMT and international FMT options.

Q. How long can I expect to work with Dr. Davis?
A. If you have C diff, you'll see him for an initial visit, a second visit to administer FMT, and a follow-up visit if desired. If you have IBS, IBD or another gastro condition, you'll typically have visits every 4-6 weeks for 6-12 months, depending on the severity of your condition, and how long you've had it.

Q. Can Dr. Davis prescribe pharmaceutical medicines like vancomycin, prednisone, rifaximin or naltrexone?
A. No, not in Maryland. Dr. Davis is also licensed in the District of Columbia, California, and Oregon, all states which do have prescriptive scopes for NDs, and Dr. Davis has prescribed and is familiar with all the medicines named in the question. He's very happy to be working at Capital Integrative Health, with functional medicine practitioners who do have prescriptive scopes of practice.

Q. Could FMT or helminthic therapy benefit me?
A. Please schedule an appointment to discuss individual cases.

Q. How are FMT donors screened?
A. Dr. Davis suggests donor lab testing at least to the 2013 standards determined by the joint IDSA/AGA recommendations.

Initial Consultation (virtual) - 60 min | $550

Follow-up Consultation (virtual) - 45 min | $400

Learn more about Dr. Mark Davis, ND