[kenlove]

Could wheat allergy play a role in diabetes development?
By Stephen Daniells, 28-Aug-2009

An abnormal response to wheat proteins may tip a person’s delicately poised immune system into developing type-1 diabetes, suggests a study from Canada.
Writing in the journal Diabetes, researchers from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa report that almost half of the 42 type-1 diabetics tested in their study had an abnormal immune response to wheat proteins.

“The presence of an [immune response] to [wheat proteins] in a subset of patients indicates a diabetes-related inflammatory state in the gut immune tissues associated with defective oral tolerance and possibly gut barrier dysfunction,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr. Fraser Scott.

Type-1 diabetes occurs when people are not able to produce any insulin after the cells in the pancreas have been damaged, thought to be an autoimmune response. The immune system is thought to mistakenly attack the pancreas, the organ that regulates blood sugar. The disease is most common among people of European descent, with around two million Europeans and North Americans affected.

In addition, the incidence of the disease is on the rise at about three per cent per year, according to a study published last year in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. The number of new cases is estimated to rise 40 per cent between 2000 and 2010.

“The immune system has to find the perfect balance to defend the body against foreign invaders without hurting itself or over-reacting to the environment and this can be particularly challenging in the gut, where there is an abundance of food and bacteria,” said Dr Scott.

“Our research suggests that people with certain genes may be more likely to develop an over-reaction to wheat and possibly other foods in the gut and this may tip the balance with the immune system and make the body more likely to develop other immune problems, such as type-1 diabetes.”

With a growing number of people suffering from coeliac disease, the food industry is already producing more wheat-free foods, adding to the burgeoning ‘free-from’ market, which has been enjoying sales growth of over 300 per cent in the UK since 2000, according to market analyst Mintel.

Dr Scott and his team recruited 42 people with type 1 diabetes and found that immune cells called T cells from people with type-1 diabetes are also more likely to over-react to wheat. The research also reports that this over-reaction is linked to genes associated with type-1 diabetes.

In an accompanying editorial in the same journal, Dr Mikael Knip from the University of Helsinki, Finland said: “These observations add to the accumulating concept that the gut is an active player in the diabetes disease process.”

Benefits of wheat-free

Earlier results from animal studies by Dr Scott indicated that a wheat-free diet can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. However, the researcher stated that more research will be required to confirm the link and determine possible effects of diet changes in humans. Research is also needed to investigate links with coeliac disease, another autoimmune disease that has been linked to wheat.

Source: Diabetes
August 2009, Volume 58, Pages 1789-1796, doi:10.2337/db08-1579
"Diabetes-Specific HLA-DR–Restricted Proinflammatory T-Cell Response to Wheat Polypeptides in Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody–Negative Patients With Type 1 Diabetes"
Authors: M. Mojibian, H. Chakir, D.E. Lefebvre, J.A. Crookshank, B. Sonier, E. Keely, F.W. Scott
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Publica...sletter%2BDaily

[missy'smom]

Word seems to be spreading lately! There is a slow progressing later onset form of T1 called T1.5 or L.A.D.A. and I wonder if it has some connection. I think it's interesting that the destruction of the beta cells in T1 is so similar to the destruction of the villi in celiac disease, or so it seems to me. Too bad the beta cells can't grow back like the villi can! They can heal a bit if they are just a little damaged, from what I understand.

Take Care Ken.

[kenlove]

Thanks, Honestly i'm just getting so bummed about all of this. July 18th I had a mini heart attack and didnt know it for 2 days. Next week I get some 8 hour test to find out whats going on since I'm only 27% blockage. Pretty good for a guy over 50. Still I dont know why I have all of this. I've been less than 30 grams of carbs a day and still wake up with sugars well over 100. Depending on what these tests show I"ll have to make some decisions. They already said I should not travel as I'm im supposed to be in Morocco, India and Tokyo before the end of the year. I really think to stop all the damn pills and just do things as naturally as I can. -- Guess I get to rant sometimes <G>

missy'smom, on Aug 28 2009, 06:49 AM, said:

Word seems to be spreading lately! There is a slow progressing later onset form of T1 called T1.5 or L.A.D.A. and I wonder if it has some connection. I think it's interesting that the destruction of the beta cells in T1 is so similar to the destruction of the villi in celiac disease, or so it seems to me. Too bad the beta cells can't grow back like the villi can! They can heal a bit if they are just a little damaged, from what I understand.

Take Care Ken.

[missy'smom]

kenlove, on Aug 28 2009, 12:50 PM, said:

-- Guess I get to rant sometimes <G>

Yup, you're entiltled to! It's constant darn, hard work and we're all human. I'm debating about getting some further testing done. I reached a point of frustration and lost my patience a while back and did some homework towards having a consult with an endo. I have it all lined up, just have to make the decision and appointment should I go through with it. I've made some progress it seems since and calmed down so I'm still on the fence but it's there for me, ready to go.

I'm sorry to hear about your heart troubles. I had an incident just before Dx that landed me in the hospital overnight. I've found communication with the cardiologists frustrating. They seem to like to keep tight lipped. One finally let it slip that there may have been connection with high blood sugar at the time but he didn't want to explain. I seem to get tightness in my chest if BG goes above a certain number but don't know if that's just the stress of knowing it's up there The longer I'm at this, the more I see how stress, even the seemingly innocent stress of the morning rush or reading the English translation of the message at church, raise my BG. Gotta learn how to relax more-my cats seem pretty good at it!

Hang in there and keep fighting the good fight!

[kenlove]

Thanks much, good to know i'm not the only one dealing with all this junk!
Your so right about the cardiologist now. The one I had before was pretty good but retired.
My wife says the new one is a quack-- trying to get results is impossible -- they all seem to forget who the customer is and that there are choices. I do know that the bitter melon really works well to keep the sugars down. I still take the glipizide which i think caused the heart trouble. The atenolol beta blocker i was taken off of since I got DH pretty badly from it even though it says no gluten.
anyway -- we got to get past all this too

enjoy the weekend!

missy'smom, on Aug 28 2009, 09:25 AM, said:

Yup, you're entiltled to! It's constant darn, hard work and we're all human. I'm debating about getting some further testing done. I reached a point of frustration and lost my patience a while back and did some homework towards having a consult with an endo. I have it all lined up, just have to make the decision and appointment should I go through with it. I've made some progress it seems since and calmed down so I'm still on the fence but it's there for me, ready to go.

I'm sorry to hear about your heart troubles. I had an incident just before Dx that landed me in the hospital overnight. I've found communication with the cardiologists frustrating. They seem to like to keep tight lipped. One finally let it slip that there may have been connection with high blood sugar at the time but he didn't want to explain. I seem to get tightness in my chest if BG goes above a certain number but don't know if that's just the stress of knowing it's up there The longer I'm at this, the more I see how stress, even the seemingly innocent stress of the morning rush or reading the English translation of the message at church, raise my BG. Gotta learn how to relax more-my cats seem pretty good at it!

Hang in there and keep fighting the good fight!

[ranger]

What kind of meds are you guys on? I am prescribed 5 mg. glyburide 2 times a day. Before going gluten free, my A1C was 13 1/2 and my doc was going to put me on insulin. I've been gluten-free for 8 months, and this morning, my fbs was 62. I'll only take 1/2 pill today. The only time I take a whole pill (divided) in a day is if my fbs goes over 120. That's not often. I keep a complete food journal, actually an every thing journal, and, yes, stress plays a definite role in my blood sugar levels. Strangely enough, not all stress, but very specific kinds. The numbers don't lie. I don't know what the mechanisms of this reduction in my blood sugar are, others have not experienced this, but I don't argue with it. Part of it may be my switch from basically 2 meals a day to 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. And, I do eat more protien and veges than I used to, but not drastically more. What are your normal fbs levels?

[GeishaGirl]

I started developing syptoms that I now recognize as wheat-related at the same time I started developing the symptoms that would eventually become my type 1 diabetes. So this doesn't strike me as off at all.

[kenlove]

have a feeling that ll of my routines will change after todays tests. Nuclear stress, dopler EKG,
a few other ones I cant remember. I really thing for me the glipizide for diabetes triggered heart trouble and the warfrin and atenolol trigger circulatory trouble,
I stopped the atenolol beta blocker since I broke out with DH each time. No problem when it stopped. All the lists say its ok but not what I took. Really want to stop the warfrin
too, just depends on what happens with the tests. Blood sugar with the glipize stays around 90 but I also drink bitter melon juice which helps alot and is used in a number of countries
I was on insulin twice and must have had some reaction since I cant remember what happen but was out for 2 days so it was not an option -- at least the type they gave me.
A lot of what Ive been going through has renewed my lack of faith in western medicine
take care
ken

ranger, on Sep 3 2009, 07:32 AM, said:

What kind of meds are you guys on? I am prescribed 5 mg. glyburide 2 times a day. Before going gluten free, my A1C was 13 1/2 and my doc was going to put me on insulin. I've been gluten-free for 8 months, and this morning, my fbs was 62. I'll only take 1/2 pill today. The only time I take a whole pill (divided) in a day is if my fbs goes over 120. That's not often. I keep a complete food journal, actually an every thing journal, and, yes, stress plays a definite role in my blood sugar levels. Strangely enough, not all stress, but very specific kinds. The numbers don't lie. I don't know what the mechanisms of this reduction in my blood sugar are, others have not experienced this, but I don't argue with it. Part of it may be my switch from basically 2 meals a day to 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. And, I do eat more protien and veges than I used to, but not drastically more. What are your normal fbs levels?

[ang1e0251]

I read this book another poster mentioned and it was a real eye opener about diabetes and heart problems. I know so many people with these problems. It turned what I had learned about nutrition and these two problems on it's head. Here's a link to the book's introduction. I borrowed it from my library.( By the way, this diet is working for me. Lost wieght and so did my husband. Also lowered his cholesterol 10 points)

http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com/pgs/dr...sp_I_intro.html

[jerseyangel]

Ken,

Somehow I missed this thread until now but I wanted to let you know I'm so sorry you're having all of this trouble. I hope you get to the bottom of it all soon.

[missy'smom]

Ken,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been through all that. You really have had a rough time of it! I wish you the best.

I have heard reports of people having allergic reactions to insulins-rashes/itching with the animal derived insulins. I also wonder if the dose was too high and caused too low blood sugar.

Take care.

[kenlove]

Thanks much Patty,
Had a bunch of tests yesterday and should have results next week. At least thy didnt send me right to the ER.
Prior to 2004 when I first got sick with what I later learned was celiac, I had never even caught a cold.
Must be making up for all that now.
thanks again

jerseyangel, on Sep 4 2009, 12:22 PM, said:

Ken,

Somehow I missed this thread until now but I wanted to let you know I'm so sorry you're having all of this trouble. I hope you get to the bottom of it all soon.

[kenlove]

Thanks 'missy'smom'

I have to wonder what the reactions come from but as long as I dont take the atenolol I dont have them. The warfrin is causing my legs to swell and get spotted which is a fairly common reaction I guess. then they gave m celebrex for the pain which I wont take.

I"m just waiting to make sure there is no mechanical defect. They think the blockage is very small and much less than someone my age would normally have. so I have to decide after I get these results what to do -- I may just stop all the meds since it seems to me one after another just creates more problems.
just gonna take some time
thanks again


Thanks ang1e0251
I'll look into http://www.schwarzbe...sp_I_intro.html soon

missy'smom, on Sep 4 2009, 04:00 PM, said:

Ken,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been through all that. You really have had a rough time of it! I wish you the best.

I have heard reports of people having allergic reactions to insulins-rashes/itching with the animal derived insulins. I also wonder if the dose was too high and caused too low blood sugar.

Take care.