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Showing results for tags 'leaky gut'.
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Celiac.com 06/03/2024 - Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting around 1% of the global population. It is triggered by the ingestion of gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats. When individuals with celiac disease consume gluten, their immune system responds abnormally, causing inflammation and damage to the small intestine. This condition requires a strict gluten-free diet to prevent severe intestinal damage and other associated health issues. Recent research has provided new insights into how specific gluten-derived molecules contribute to the disease process in celiac disease, particularly focusing on a molecule known as the 33-mer deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP). This study explores the formation of DGP oligomers and their effect on gut permeability, shedding light on potential mechanisms behind the development of celiac disease. Formation and Characteristics of the 33-mer Deamidated Gliadin Peptide When gluten is consumed, it is not entirely broken down by the digestive system. This incomplete digestion results in the formation of large gluten fragments, or peptides, in the gut. One such peptide is the 33-mer gliadin peptide, which is particularly resistant to further enzymatic breakdown. In individuals with celiac disease, this peptide undergoes a modification by an enzyme called tissue transglutaminase 2 (tTG2), resulting in the formation of the 33-mer deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP). The 33-mer DGP has a high affinity for specific proteins called human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), particularly HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. This interaction is crucial because it triggers an immune response, leading to inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining. This strong interaction classifies the 33-mer DGP as a superantigen, which means it can elicit a significant immune response even at low concentrations. Oligomerization of 33-mer DGP and Its Structural Properties The study discovered that the 33-mer DGP spontaneously forms nanosized structures known as oligomers. Using advanced microscopy and biophysical techniques, researchers observed that these oligomers have a diameter of approximately 24 nanometers. The peptide displays two main structural motifs: a major polyproline II (PPII) helix and a minor beta-sheet structure. These structural elements are critical because they influence how the peptide interacts with other molecules and cells. The PPII helix is a unique structural motif characterized by its stability and lack of hydrogen bonds. It is common in peptides rich in proline, glutamine, and glutamic acid, which are all abundant in the 33-mer DGP. The beta-sheet structure, although less prominent, also plays a role in the peptide's overall behavior and its ability to form oligomers. Effects of 33-mer DGP Oligomers on Gut Permeability One of the key findings of the study is that the presence of 33-mer DGP oligomers significantly increases gut permeability. This effect was observed using a gut epithelial cell model known as Caco-2 cells. When these cells were exposed to the 33-mer DGP oligomers, researchers noted a decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), a measure of cell layer permeability. Lower TEER values indicate a compromised barrier function of the gut lining. Further investigation revealed that the increased permeability was associated with the redistribution of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), a critical protein involved in maintaining tight junctions between gut epithelial cells. Tight junctions are essential for preserving the integrity of the gut barrier, preventing harmful substances from leaking into the bloodstream. The mislocalization of ZO-1 in the presence of 33-mer DGP oligomers suggests that these structures can disrupt the tight junctions, leading to a "leaky gut." Implications for Celiac Disease Pathogenesis The findings of this study have significant implications for our understanding of celiac disease. Traditionally, it was believed that chronic inflammation in celiac disease led to increased gut permeability. However, this study supports an alternative hypothesis: that the primary cause of gut permeability issues in celiac disease may be the direct effect of gluten-derived peptides, such as the 33-mer DGP oligomers, on the gut lining. This discovery suggests that the formation of 33-mer DGP oligomers and their ability to compromise the gut barrier could be an early trigger in the development of celiac disease. By allowing other gluten peptides, bacteria, and toxins to enter the bloodstream more easily, these oligomers might initiate the inflammatory response and subsequent autoimmune reactions characteristic of celiac disease. Potential for Therapeutic Interventions Understanding the role of 33-mer DGP oligomers in celiac disease opens up new avenues for therapeutic interventions. If these oligomers are indeed a critical factor in increasing gut permeability and triggering the disease, then targeting them could be a promising strategy for preventing or treating celiac disease. One potential approach could be developing therapies that inhibit the formation of 33-mer DGP oligomers or block their interaction with the gut lining. This could help maintain the integrity of the gut barrier and prevent the cascade of immune responses that lead to celiac disease. Additionally, focusing on the specific amino acids that promote beta-sheet formation within the peptide might offer another strategy to modulate its oligomerization and reduce its harmful effects. Conclusion The study provides crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying celiac disease, particularly the role of the 33-mer deamidated gliadin peptide and its oligomers. By demonstrating how these structures can increase gut permeability and disrupt tight junctions, the research highlights a potential early trigger for the disease. For individuals with celiac disease, these findings are meaningful because they suggest new possibilities for therapeutic interventions that go beyond simply avoiding gluten. By targeting the specific molecules and mechanisms involved in the disease process, future treatments might offer more effective ways to manage or even prevent celiac disease, improving the quality of life for those affected. Read more: onlinelibrary.wiley.com- 1 comment
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To All, I came across this Old Live Journal blog a few years ago doing research on Zonulin and/or Niacin to see if I could find a "Metabolic link" to Pellagra in Celiac disease and I never had a good opportunity or chance to use it......but thought it was research worth discussing so I thought I would start a thread about it to see what others thought about it? https://alobar.livejournal.com/2930798.html#%2F2930798.html Could Zonulin be the body's way to tell the body it needs more Niacin? This researcher seems to think so and the research seems to indicate.....and I tend to agree with it/them what do others think about this? quoting from the blog post... "For a number of years I have mentioned some articles talking about gluten and corn protein having the effect of opening up the permeability of the intestines WHEN (and only when) the animals were niacin deficient at the time of exposure." And also a little lower in the blog post see this quote... "Jon Pangborn and I have had conversations about a shift that may have occurred since he began looking at plasma amino acid profiles years ago and saw many with elevated tryptophan. I don't see elevated tryptophan that much, but I do see a lot of reports (20%) that don't have a figure for tryptophan. I think this is because it was not detected, although I WISH the labs were clearer about SAYING that instead of just leaving it blank. One reason for my suspicion that the blank field means "not detected" is that I've seen repeat tests from some children, and on other tests, they had measurable tryptophan but it was very, very low. Regardless, tryptophan was above the mean in only about 15% of my database, and below the mean in 81% of the ones where there was a number there. That is nothing like a normal distribution! So, maybe there is something about having low niacin that suddenly makes peptides from gluten (and to some extent corn zein) become signalling molecules, and the raised level of zonulin may just be a "reasonable" response to that signal. In other words, this (Zonulin) might be a "Plan B for niacin" signal. You will see, in the first article below, they did find low plasma tryptophan in people with celiac disease and an altered low neutral amino acid to tryptophan ratio." He was remarking about this study in Celiac children... Entitled "Plasma precursor amino acids of central nervous system monoamines in children with coeliac disease.....American spelling Celiac disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1773952/#:~:text=A significantly lower ratio of plasma tryptophan to,children and was more pronounced in untreated children. Here is the full abstract for anyone who wants to read it. Abstract "Some children with coeliac disease show behavioural disorders such as depression and other signs which have been correlated with reduced central monoamine metabolism. We have therefore investigated the brain availability of the monoamine precursors tryptophan and tyrosine in 15 untreated children with coeliac disease and 12 treated children with coeliac disease as well as in 12 control children. Significantly decreased plasma concentrations of tryptophan were found in untreated children (mean (SD) 13 (4) mumols/l, p less than 0.001) compared with treated children (31 (13) mumols/l), and in both groups of coeliac children when compared with control children (81 (22) mumols/l). A significantly lower ratio of plasma tryptophan to large neutral amino acids (tyrosine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine) was also observed, which could indicate impaired brain availability of tryptophan in coeliac children and was more pronounced in untreated children. The impaired availability of tryptophan could produce decreased central serotonin synthesis and in turn behaviour disorders in children with coeliac disease." I would be interested what people think.....is impaired tryptophan metabolism in children with celiac disease proof enough for you to convenience you that at least at a "Metabolic" level Pellagra is occurring in Celiac disease going undiagnosed? This same metabolic maker of impaired tryptophan metabolism has also been found in adult Celiac's as well! I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice. Posterboy,- 2 replies
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To All, I came across this research recently on COVID-19 and the gut-long axis and how COVID-19 might start as a Leaky Gut problem and wanted to share and see what other's thought. The previous article I read on this topic.....indicated COVID-19 might start in the GUT and why many patients don't have respiratory problems until the 2nd week. Here is the early article I read on it in early 2020 Entitled "Coronavirus can infect intestine as well as lungs, says study" https://finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-infect-intestine-well-lungs-093000721.html IF the first week it finds into to the body through the ACE2 receptor then it makes sense that the GI tract would be infected first. Here is the research entitled "Severe COVID-19 Is Fueled by Disrupted Gut Barrier Integrity" https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.13.20231209v1.full And this recent research that bears out the Saliva in the mouth might harbor the Corona Virus and be a means for transmission. See this research entitled "Scientists reveal salivary gland cells as sites of COVID-19 infection" https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210325/Scientists-reveal-salivary-gland-cells-as-sites-of-COVID-19-infection.aspx quoting from the News Medical article. "They looked for individual cells that expressed two key entry proteins - ACE2 and the TMPRSS2 protease - which SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect human cells, and discovered that salivary gland ductal cells and some gingival, or gum, cells expressed both proteins. This showed that these cells were vulnerable to infection." They also noted quoting again. "Of the 27 people who experienced symptoms, those with virus in their saliva were more likely to report loss of taste and smell, suggesting that oral infection might underlie oral symptoms of COVID-19." I quoted them together because they are related research. I don't know what all it means....but it is interesting research anyway. Here are the other recent articles on Celiac.com for others to read about Celiac disease and COVID-19 if you have not read them already. Just so you won't have to go look them up.....I am including them here for those who have not read them yet.... Maybe you can make more sense of it than me.....but I think COVID-19 might just start as a "Leaky Gut" issue first then spread to the lungs??? What do others think? I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advise. Posterboy,
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Hello all, I’m afraid I have a long tale, so please bear with me. I am female, 39 and I live in France. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in July 2017. My symptoms were iron-deficiency anemia (ferritin constantly at 7), chronic diarrhea with undigested food, bad abdominal pain. I had a very high anti-Ttg antibodies value, 2185.7 U/ml, positive anti-endomysium antibodies and my duodenal biopsies showed Marsh 3 villous atrophy. I immediately went gluten free (very strictly, my partner did too, we replaced dishes, colander etc., cosmetics, you name it). As a result, the diarrhea was gone in 48 hours. However, this lasted for about one month, after which it came back with a vengeance. I soon realized I had other intolerances. I did an elimination diet and after about 3 months I came to the conclusion that the only foods I could eat were: most fish and 8 vegetables. For the past 2 years, I have tried and tried to introduce other foods, with no success whatsoever. On the contrary, I seem to react more and more violently to smaller and smaller quantities of any type of food (meats, other vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, dairy, legumes, gluten-free grains etc.). Notably, I cannot tolerate oils at all, I react to 1-2 drops. It’s not an issue of fat, as I can eat large quantities of fatty fish with no problem. My reactions (horrible burning abdominal pain, diarrhea, undigested food in stool) occur 12 to 24 hours after ingestion. Intensity depends on quantity and type of food. I don’t have any other symptoms, no skin issues, no joint pains, nothing. Meanwhile, 6 months after going gluten free, my antibodies had become negative (and have stayed this way ever since) and my ferritin was at 40. But my anemia was back after another 6 months. At the endoscopy I did then, after 1 year gluten-free, my villous atrophy had healed (and has not come back). However, they found ulcerations in my duodenum and a weird infiltrate of PAS+ macrophages. I was suspected of Whipple’s disease (and never having had celiac in the first place), but all PCR tests came back negative. I was referred to the national center for rare diseases, where I consult with the most important immunologist in the country and another professor specialized in refractory celiac and IBDs. They’ve done a zillion tests on me, repeat endoscopies etc. My blood tests are usually all OK, except for iron-deficiency anemia. They have ruled out: - Whipple’s disease and any other infection - they did PCR tests for thousands of pathogens at a university hospital’s research center; I tried to take antibiotics anyway, but do not tolerate them at all; - refractory celiac type 1 or 2; they did, however, do a genetic test and I do have gene HLA DQ 2.5, one copy; - any type of cancer; - any type of IBD; - autoimmune enteropathy, CVID, mast-cell disorders, many weird and rare genetic diseases. As a result, they have declared themselves “at the limits of knowledge”. They will continue to look, but they are not hopeful they will figure out what I have. Meanwhile, I have been bringing my ferritin levels back up with IV iron (Venofer, then Ferinject). It works, but the problem is I react very violently to it, as if it were chemo (throwing up all night, then liquid diarrhea all day, then horrible burning pain for a week). These symptoms occur with a delay, just like with foods, after about 12 hours. I only do it when my hemoglobin goes below 10 and I feel like the living dead, about once a year. I have consulted some naturopaths with no result, mainly because I cannot tolerate any of the supplements they propose, like glutamine, probiotics, digestive enzymes, herbal stuff, CBD, the usual. I have always made certain that all supplements I have tried are certified gluten-free. It is not an issue of fillers, as I have tried many supplements in pure form. Also, I actually seem to tolerate things like magnesium stearate, silicium dioxide - as well as vitamins and minerals (except for iron). A few months ago, I started developing intolerances to the 8 vegetables I was still eating. As of September, the only thing I can eat is fish. Literally. Fish, unrefined sea salt and water. I have no idea how much longer I will tolerate fish for, nor if one can survive by eating only fish. Seeing this, my doctors have suggested we try the treatment for refractory celiac type 1, to see what happens. We’re talking Entocort, a corticosteroid that acts locally in the gut. It’s normally for IBDs in the colon, so the capsules are gastro-resistant, which is why I open them and crunch them to get the effect in my duodenum. Unfortunately, there is no effect whatsoever so far, and they should have kicked in by now. Thanks a lot for reading this - sorry it turned out such a novel. Any thoughts and replies you may have would be greatly appreciated. Especially - has anybody had or heard of a similar experience or of PAS+ macrophages detected in their duodenum?
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Celiac.com 01/23/2020 - Researchers at the University of Maryland, under Alessio Fasano, have, once more, expanded the boundaries of human knowledge. The implications of their most recent discovery may soon unlock the mysteries of several autoimmune conditions including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and some types of cancers. Their discovery and subsequent report of zonulin, in 2000, was an enormous step forward. It provided insight into one, perhaps the only, common mechanism that causes leaky gut. Until then, many theories about leaky gut were proffered but none could be substantiated. We only knew that some autoimmune diseases, bowel diseases, and food allergies (or delayed sensitivities as some call them) seemed to trigger a leaky gut. Many of those with food allergies seemed to get some relief from eliminating foods to which their immune systems reacted, but we really did not understand the process by which these allergenic substances and various diseases induced a leaky gut. However, with the discovery and subsequent characterization of zonulin, it quickly became clear that a leaky gut was an important precursor to the development of at least some forms of autoimmunity. Although many medical practitioners continue to express skepticism about the importance of a leaky gut, emerging research findings should soon quell their concerns. Subsequent pharmacological research by Alba Therapeutics suggests that we may soon be able to abolish the permeable intestine that underlies so many autoimmune and other debilitating conditions. Currently in clinical trials, Alba Therapeutics is finding that Larazotide Acetate (formerly AT 1001) is abolishing the inflammatory sequelae when individuals with celiac disease consume gluten. Healthy digestion involves absorption of tiny, digested particles into the epithelial cells that line the intestine. These particles are then passed out the other side of the cell and into the bloodstream. These cells line the gut and maintain tight junctions to provide a protective barrier, except when zonulin attaches at cellular receptors. That is when the cells move further apart, allowing larger, undigested molecules to bypass the epithelial cells. Larazotide is designed to capture excess zonulin, which is over-produced by genetically susceptible individuals in response to ingested gluten. This drug is designed to capture the excess zonulin proteins and waste them in fecal matter, rather than allowing them to attach at receptors on epithelial cells. It is by this means that Larazodide is designed to prevent the development of a leaky gut, regardless of the cause of excessive zonulin production. Readers familiar with my work will not be surprised to learn that I’m not planning on eating gluten anytime soon. But I’d sure like to be able to take a pill containing an otherwise harmless substance, when dining out, whether at restaurants or at friends’ homes. I’d also like a tool that will help me to identify any other foods against which I may be mounting an inflammatory immune response. I imagine getting up in the morning and eating a couple of pancakes made from bean flours that I’m currently not able to tolerate. If I take some Larazotide first, and I get through the morning without my typical reactions–bloated stomach and heartburn–then I’ll know both what the culprit is and what I can do if I really want to have a couple of bean flour pancakes one morning. Similarly (and much more importantly) it will provide people with a tool for helping them to determine whether they are experiencing symptoms of food allergies or if their discomfort is caused by something else. For instance, if someone is unsure whether their foggy thinking really is the result of eating gluten, they can try Larazotide for a couple of meals. If their foggy brain clears up, but returns when they stop Larazotide and eat a meal containing gluten, then they will know that food (probably gluten) is likely the culprit. They may wish to pursue further self-testing or laboratory testing to identify specific problematic foods. This drug may also provide a tool for investigating children with attention deficit disorders (ADHD). If food sensitivities are the underlying culprit, these children should behave and pay attention fairly normally after a period of taking Larazotide before they consume any foods. We currently have no idea just how long such an intervention might take, but I’m hoping that researchers will soon answer such questions. I recently attended a conference on Crohn’s and colitis. When talking about treatments, the primary issues under discussion were the impact of various drugs on individuals present. The patients present shared a wealth of pharmaceutical knowledge. There was also considerable discussion of research aimed at a cure. In fact, the hosting organization seems quite fixated on finding a cure in the very near future. What a boon it would be, for everyone concerned, if Larazotide turns out to be that cure! But we knew all of this before. In fact, I’ve detailed most of this information in previous issues. What is new, and intensely exciting, is that the research group at U. Maryland has now determined that zonulin not only functions to increase intestinal permeability and inflammation, it is also a precursor to haptoglobin 2, a marker of inflammation that is exclusive to human beings. No other primates produce this protein, and only 80% of humans produce it. Considerable research has connected sub-groups of this marker to a variety of cardiovascular diseases, a range of autoimmune conditions, and many cancers. Thus, the production of zonulin, which will ultimately mature into haptoglobin 2, is a feature of many more ailments than was previously imagined. Since Larazotide is designed to capture and waste zonulin in fecal matter, we will soon be able to see what impact this drug can have on a variety of autoimmune diseases–and it promises to offer a tremendous benefit by halting the leakage of undigested proteins into the bloodstream that may be triggering autoimmune reactions by a process known as molecular mimicry. But that isn’t all Larazotide might offer. It could also offer insight into what has been characterized as the plague of the Twentieth Century, cancer. These inflammatory markers, haptaglobin 2, are elevated in association with many cancers. If the inflammation proves to be a significant factor in the survival of tumors, we will be able to block its production and deny this substance to the cancerous tissues. If, on the other hand, these inflammatory markers help the immune system to destroy tumors, we know how to trigger its production (in 80% of humans) and autoimmunity can be deterred by intravenous feeding during treatment. Either way, there is genuine cause for hope. My money is on the former possibility. I suspect removal of excess zonulin will reduce malignancies, but that is because diet can play an enormous role in cancer. There is already considerable anecdotal evidence suggesting a ketogenic diet is a viable therapy for insulin sensitive cancers. Time magazine ran a feature article titled “Can a High Fat Diet Beat Cancer?” in their September 17, 2007 issue. (The greatest difficulty these researchers are encountering with these trials is dietary compliance. Another serious problem is that their ethical approval required that all conventional treatments be exhausted before beginning the dietary trial. Thus, many of their research subjects are very sick before they begin the diet. For these reasons, one of the universities has stopped running these trials despite some promising preliminary results.) Whichever way it goes, Larazotide may well lead to some dramatic advances in cancer research in the very near future. Larazotide may also help some type 1 diabetics turn back the clock. Those who undergo islet cell transplants can usually only expect a year or two of reduced insulin requirements before they return to their former status. Larazotide may be able to halt the autoimmune destruction of the islet cells which produce insulin, allowing individuals who undergo transplants to experience relatively normal lives, without worrying about balancing the size of their insulin injections with their carbohydrate intake. They may well be able to forego injections entirely for the rest of their lives. Individuals with various autoimmune diseases may be able to halt the progression of their illness and return to more normal lives. Those with multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, some forms of arthritis, lupus, and a host of other ailments may be stopped in their tracks. There may even be hope that people like me, with chronic lung disease, will be able to begin rebuilding healthy lung tissues. Reduced haptoglobin 2 may result in reductions in inflammatory reactions to airborne allergens. This, in turn, may permit us to breathe well enough that we can exercise and build healthy lung tissues without scar tissues. I’m not suggesting that we will be able to return to our 25 year-old activities, but I believe we may be able to live more normal, more productive lives for whatever time we have left. Finally, Larazotide may even bring about reductions in the excess mortality found in the celiac disease and gluten sensitive community. We have a lot to be grateful for. The research group directed by Alessio Fasano is making enormous contributions to broadening medical understanding of celiac disease, expanding medical knowledge of autoimmunity and cancer, and increasing celiac awareness (see: Scientific American, August 2008, “Surprises from Celiac Disease” by Alessio Fasano). As I said at the beginning, “They’ve done it again!” -
Celiac.com 01/25/2020 - Depending on what source you read, there may be as many as 6.5 million celiac patients in the U.S. With these numbers, I have long believed that we really need to either find a cure or an effective way to manage this disease. I, like many others, have been wondering if a "magic pill" would ever be produced so I could escape from the dry, terrible tasting, overpriced gluten-free food. Thus, when I read an article about some research being done on celiac disease, I contacted the company conducting the clinical trials so I could be placed on their mailing list and hear about the results as soon as possible. At the time, I was not eligible to participate. To my surprise, a few months later, I was contacted by the agency conducting these trials. They asked if I would like to participate in the next testing phase of a medication called Larazotide which was being produced by Alba Pharmaceuticals. Prior to this opportunity, my only contribution to the celiac community was my list of foods that were actually palatable, and which I sent to newly diagnosed celiac sufferers on request. I also talked to my local specialty stores to ask them to order certain brands of foods and discontinue a certain brand of baked good that tastes like sand. With the invitation to be involved in this research, I now felt that I had an opportunity to really weigh in on a potential cure for this disease and really make a difference. At the appointed time, I went in for my physical and briefing. After learning about the drug, the study, and what would be expected, I signed on. I took my meds as instructed and kept my bowel movement data on what was affectionately named my "Brown Berry". This device was supplied by the agency as well as follow up visits and what I considered the most important benefit, both a pre and post-study duodenal biopsy. I entered the program with some apprehension, but to my surprise, it went quite smoothly. Appointments were made at my convenience and the contract allowed participants to leave the study at any time. The physical examination and subsequent follow ups were thorough and I was made to feel like a valuable part of the study. This article is not a promotional piece for Alba Pharmaceuticals. I had not even heard of them until I got involved in the study. It is however, a promotional piece is for all of you reading this is to become or stay active in the celiac community. I know from experience that involvement in such activities encourages you to take an active interest in your health. Whether it’s speaking to store managers about carrying quality products to make your life a little easier or getting involved in a study, it is time to be proactive. Don’t wait for someone else to step up. When this study is published sometime around the first of the year, I will be very proud of my small contribution. Let’s hope Larazotide is our "magic pill" and we can start enjoying real food again. Until then, please step up to the plate and become proactive in our health. We all benefit from each others’ contributions. -
Celiac.com Article:A First-Hand Look at How Larazotide Works -
Celiac.com Article:They've Done It Again! -
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Leaky Gut Could Be a Real Problem for Space Travelers
Jefferson Adams posted an article in Additional Concerns
Celiac.com 12/09/2019 - When humans eat food, we also introduce bacteria, fungi, and viruses into our gut. Here on Earth, the epithelial cells that line the gut usually work to prevent these microorganisms from crossing into our blood stream. However, little is known about how microgravity effects epithelial barrier function. Some previous studies have shown that microgravity weakens the human immune system and increases entero-pathogen virulence. To get a better understanding of the problem, a team of researchers set out to see if microgravity changes intestinal epithelial permeability, and susceptibility, to barrier-disrupting agents. A research team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has found that simulated microgravity, such as that encountered in spaceflight, disrupts the functioning of the epithelial barrier, even after the person returns to a regular gravity environment. The research team included Rocio Alvarez, Cheryl A. Stork, Anica Sayoc-Becerra, Ronald R. Marchelletta, G. Kim Prisk and Declan F. McCole. They are variously associated with the Division of Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, Riverside in Riverside, CA; the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA; the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, CA; the Department of Radiology at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, CA; and the Johnson & Johnson Research Laboratories, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. in La Jolla, CA. For their study, the team cultured intestinal epithelial cells (HT-29.cl19a) on microcarrier beads in simulated microgravity using a rotating wall vessel (RWV) for 18 days. They then seeded the iECs on semipermeable supports to measure ion flux (transepithelial electrical resistance (TER)) and FITC-dextran (FD4) permeability over 14 days. RWV cells showed delayed apical junction localization of the tight junction proteins, occludin and ZO-1. Compared with static, motion and flask control cells, RWV cells treated with alcohol metabolite, acetaldehyde, showed sharp decrease in TER, along with reduced junctional ZO-1 localization, and increased FD4 permeability. Based on these data, the team concludes that simulated microgravity makes the gut susceptible to epithelial barrier permeability upon removal from the microgravity environment, which means that space travelers are more likely to develop gastrointestinal issues, such as leaky gut, once they return to earth. Studies like this help to shed a light on how the body's gastrointestinal system functions in space travelers, especially in astronauts, and to help us better the factors that can compromise intestinal epithelial barrier function following return to Earth. Read more in Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 17531 (2019) -
I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998, and over the years have developed serious insomnia problems. I've heard that many celiac sufferers have trouble sleeping - true? By trial & error I've found that if I avoid certain foods or supplements I sleep much better. For instance, I don't sleep well (or at all) when I consume foods with high tannin (polyphenol) content (pecans, pistachio nuts, tea, blueberries, etc). Also foods containing high amounts of vitamin A and E (oil base vitamins) as well as certain inactive ingredients in supplements. My sleep sensitivity could be related to the leaky gut condition but I don't really know. Any other celiacs have problems with insomnia?
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Celiac.com 05/17/2019 (Originally published 10/08/2010) - There are many ways in which the immune system is compromised in the context of celiac disease. A lack of fats (due to fat malabsorption) can limit production of eicosanoids and other fat-dependent immune system components. Malabsorption of minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, selenium, or magnesium can also impair immune function in several ways. Malabsorption of non-metalic elements such as iodine can also impair our immune function through impairing T cell production by the thymus. The leaky gut, a chronic feature of untreated celiac disease can induce autoimmunity and deplete the very resources that protect us from infection and toxic agents. The recent successes of Larazotide are highly suggestive that it is the leaky gut that is at the very root of celiac disease, since many celiacs can consume gluten with little harm when taking this drug. Malabsorption Our cells can make use of three separate sources of energy. They can burn glucose, from carbohydrates, amino acids, from proteins, or fats which can be saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fats. Any or all of these can be used for fuel at the cellular level. Celiac disease has long been characterized as a condition of fat malabsorption, and some fats are essential to our survival and wellness. Stephen Cunnane makes an excellent case for these essential fats in his book about the evolution of the human brain titled “Survival of the Fattest”. He shows that the human brain cannot develop normally without adequate supplies of omega 3 fatty acids. We also need fats to make many elements of the immune system. We must consume and absorb omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids because our bodies are unable to efficiently produce them. Similarly, as our understanding has expanded, we have come to recognize that absorption of other nutrients such as minerals can also be compromised in untreated celiac disease. (Some people with celiac disease continue to battle mineral malabsorption for many years after adopting the gluten-free diet.) Patients with iron deficiency that does not respond to supplementation should be investigated for celiac disease, as refractory iron deficiency is common in untreated celiac disease (1). Iron is an important constituent of immune function and Stephen J. Oppenheimer has identified seven separate dynamics through which iron deficiency can compromise immune function. These include: Reduced neutrophil function which can be reversed through iron supplementation; Reduced numbers of T-lymphocytes; Reduced T-lymphocyte responsiveness; Impaired natural killer cell activity; Impaired interleukin 2 production; Altered macrophage migration; Altered cutaneous hypersensitivity (2). Magnesium deficiency, in the context of celiac disease, has been identified as a factor in damage to the parathyroid gland and consequent bone demineralization. Rude et al have shown that magnesium supplementation alone will reverse this problem (3). Similarly, mineral malabsorption may impede our supplies of zinc, copper, and selenium, each of which may have a negative impact on the immune system. Even a mild zinc deficiency can impair T cells, interfere with hormonal regulation of the thymus, and activation of tumor necrosis factor and natural killer cells (4). I have previously reported that natural killer cells are the body’s first line of defense against malignancy (5). Natural killer cells also help to protect us from a variety of infectious agents. Malabsorption of non-metallic elements such as iodine can also impair immune function. Not only does the thyroid gland require iodine to function properly, the healthy thymus gland contains large reserves of iodine and a wide range of immune functions require iodine. The antibacterial uses of iodine have a long history and this element was discovered early in the nineteenth century. Although iodine is now added to most table salts in the industrialized world deficiency continues to plague the third world causing preventable mental retardation. Failure to absorb this important nutrient can cause disturbances to many facets of the immune system and impair heat regulation through compromised thyroid function. Added problems with the thyroid gland can also come to the untreated celiac through autoimmunity induced by a process called molecular mimicry (more on this later) which is one of the means by which the leaky gut can also create havoc with the immune system. Leaky Gut Jon Meddings has characterized the gastrointestinal tract as a long tube running through our bodies that contains materials from the outside environment (6). Unlike our skin, we have only one layer of cells in the intestine that protects us from the outside world. These cells must selectively absorb nutrients from this material, while providing a protective barrier against constituents of our food that might harm us. These nutrients are absorbed through the epithelial cells and are released on the other side of the cells into the bloodstream. The leaky gut, as induced by gluten, is a state where excessive zonulin is produced in the intestinal lumen. This protein attaches to the epithelial cells that line the intestine. The epithelial cells move further apart leaving gaps between the cells, thus allowing matter to enter the bloodstream on the other side of the epithelial barrier. Depending on the size of these gaps, various toxins, infectious agents from our food, undigested and partly digested food particles, and even the friendly bacteria that inhabit our intestines may reach the bloodstream and beyond. Whether in the form of partial or complete proteins from foods, microbes from the external environment, or friendly bacteria from our intestines, once in the bloodstream our immune systems recognize these proteins as foreign. We produce antibodies to attack and destroy them. If these same proteins arrive in the circulation repeatedly, we will have elevated serum antibodies specifically sensitized to these proteins. Protein structures can contain enormously variable sequences of amino acids. Perhaps for the sake of efficiency, these selective antibodies recognize only one segment of the foreign protein structure, in the form of a single sequence of amino acids. According to the theory of molecular mimicry, this or a very similar sequence of amino acids may be found in proteins that form some of our own tissues. If we have elevated levels of antibodies that are made to attack such a string of amino acids, they will also attack self tissues. This is process results in autoimmune disease. Because it is difficult to predict what sequence of amino acids the immune system will choose, we cannot predict the specific self tissues that will be attacked by our immune systems. Nonetheless, if the theory of molecular mimicry is correct, gluten may be at the root of many forms of autoimmunity because of its impact on zonulin production. Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Sensitivity The greater hazard appears to lie with celiac disease rather than non-celiac gluten sensitivity, as celiac patients not only have to contend with all the problems that come from a leaky gut, they also have all the problems associated with malabsorption. However, Anderson et al report that people with gluten sensitivity showed a greater rate of all cause mortality as well as significantly increased rates of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and cancers of the digestive tract than were found among patients with celiac disease (7). These unfortunate data may be the direct result of the many physicians and other health care practitioners who consistently urge their patients to continue to consume gluten despite the clear evidence, in the form of anti-gliadin antibodies, that these patients are mounting an immune reaction against the most common food in their diet. Peter Green, professor of Medicine at Columbia University, has called for more attention to be paid to “the lesser degrees of intestinal inflammation and gluten sensitivity” (8). Sources: Farhad Zamani, Mehdi Mohamadnejad, Ramin Shakeri, Afsaneh Amiri, Safa Najafi, Seyed Meysam Alimohamadi, Seyed Mohamad Tavangar, Ardeshir Ghavamzadeh, Reza MalekzadehGluten sensitive enteropathy in patients with iron deficiency anemia of unknown originWorld J Gastroenterol 2008 December 28; 14(48): 7381-7385 Oppenheimer Stephen J, Iron and Its Relation to Immunity and Infectious Disease. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences Supplement, Journal of Nutrition. 2001;131:616S-635S. Rude RK, Olerich M. Magnesium deficiency: possible role in osteoporosis associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Osteoporos Int. 1996;6(6):453-61. Prasad AS. Zinc and immunity. Mol Cell Biochem. 1998 Nov;188(1-2):63-9. Hoggan R. Considering wheat, rye, and barley proteins as aids to carcinogens. Med Hypotheses. 1997 Sep;49(3):285-8. Meddings J. National Conference, Canadian Celiac Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1999 Anderson LA, McMillan SA, Watson RGP, Monaghan P, Gavin AT, Fox C, Murray LI Malignancy and mortality in a population-based cohort of patients with coeliac disease or ‘gluten sensitivity’. World J Gastroenterol 2007 January 7; 13(1): 146-151 Green P H R, Mortality in Celiac Disease, Intestinal Inflammation, andGluten Sensitivity. JAMA. 2009;302(11):1225-1226.- 2 comments
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I honestly don't know what's going on with me. I've had health issues going on around 7 years now. I am 21 years old and it has ruined my life so far. My dad is celiac so i thought it was autoimmune i could have. I got the blood test done for that and it came back negative. I've been doing intermittent fasting for the last two weeks and it seems to have been helping but earlier i hit rock bottom. I hadn't eaten anything from around 8pm last night and i broke the fast at around 1:30pm with a big bowl of brown rice and carrot and ever since then i've been feeling really bad. I got fatigued, irritable, sinus issues, face got puffy, eyes puffy, redness on skin. I don't know why this happens to me it's happened many times before too after i eat stuff. Anyways here's a list of my symptoms: My symptoms aren't all there at the same time, they fluctuate. My symptom list is as follows: stingy eyes puffy eyes dark circles under eyes anxiety heart palpitations bloating belly fat (slight) (i'm skinny for my height but i have excess fat in certain places) breast fat (slight) Sometimes when my health gets really bad my face starts getting rosacea-like symptoms puffy face sinus issues brain fog bad short term memory paleness (especially in hands) cold hands and feet loss of collagen in skin oily skin/hair bloodshot eyes flaky skin between eyebrows fatigue irritability lack of sex drive insomnia i think my vision is worse when my health is down too, i have bad eyesight anyways so it's hard to tell flatulence blackheads/whiteheads on nose stiff joints
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Another reason to avoid many processed foods? “Two bacterial strains that have plagued hospitals around the country may have been at least partly fueled by a sugar additive in our food products, scientists say. Trehalose, a sugar that is added to a wide range of food products, could have allowed certain strains of Clostridium difficile to become far more virulent than they were before, a new study finds.” http://beta.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-sugar-c-diff-20180103-story.html Yuck! Just reading about how trehalose was developed and manufactured is enough to make you sick! ? -
Good morning everyone. So I have been gluten free for 4 months now. One thing I have realized is that I have an issue with yeast overgrowth which may be causing my gluten and dairy intolerance. I am wondering if anyone else experienced this and how they approached it. Also if you detoxed from yeast were you able to eat gluten and dairy again? I want to start a cleanse but I am not sure where to start. i am going to the doctor next week but thought it may be a good idea to be proactive. Thank you so much for all of your help!
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Digestive System Care for those with Celiac Disease
Thora posted a blog entry in Gluten Free Mastery
Digestive Upset Causes Beyond Gluten When you have Celiac disease, you have a damaged digestive system. This requires that extra care should be taken to avoid foods and additives that are known to cause digestive side effects. Many of the people who successfully recover their health after going gluten free will speak about having to make other dietary changes. These additional changes generally involve removing other foods not thought of to have gluten. Some of these other foods do in fact contain gluten. Some of it will be in the various ingredients in packaged foods, or cross contamination during some point in the production line. But others will actually not contain gluten, but do contain other substances that further irritate the damaged digestive systems that those with Celiac Disease have. Some terms that are heard these days are: Leaky Gut Intestinal Permeability Microbiome Probiotics and Prebiotics These all relate to managing the digestive system. It can get a bit overwhelming when you start digging into these subjects, since there appears to be an endless amount of info to learn. Many of them don't directly speak about Celiac and gluten. Others will disregard gluten problems, and be disrespectful of Celiac sufferers. However, the core theories, and core research backed information coming out of these topics carry an extremely important message: Put good stuff into your diet, and take damaging stuff out. Groundbreaking Advances in Digestive Health Importance Research in the last few years is really starting to get the core understanding of how this works, and realizing it's much more important than anyone dreamed of. This research is really just the beginning. The research will continue, and much more will be learned over the coming years. Some core concepts that have come out so far are: The main part of the immune system resides in the stomach. The microbiome is the core of the immune system. The microbiome is the bacteria in our systems, with "ground zero" being the stomach and digestive tract. Modern life as lived for the last 100 to 150 years has seriously changed the composition of the microbiome, and not for the better. The microbiome can be "changed" via diet. (The details of this are still in their infancy, so much more will be learned in the coming years.) Every person has a unique microbiome, thus meaning solutions will be unique to every single person. (This is why some treatments, diets, etc. have such dramatically different results from person to person.) As people with Celiac disease, who still struggle with not feeling well, we can use this to tailor a truly unique diet plan for our life, and for our wellness. We all must start with removing gluten, ALL gluten, from our diets. Unfortunately, that does mean some dramatic lifestyle changes. If we all lived in Utopia, we could just snap our fingers and have a proper gluten free product available for everything we're used to eating. But we don't live in Utopia. We live in a culture that is obsessed with gluten. It's everywhere. As many of you are aware, first hand, eating gluten free is being treated like a fad. That means that your need for 100% gluten free foods are being disregarded, and not truly taken seriously. By restaurants, food manufacturers, your friends, your family, etc. Far too many people think "just a little is okay." If you REALLY want to get well, then you need to control your food 100%. That can be inconvenient. It involves a big learning curve. However, it's vital to understand that with practice, this truly will become second nature. But only if you take the initiative to educate yourself fully. If you rely on someone else to make some or all of these decisions, you will not get better. You will continue to be sick, and you will continue to suffer. As you learn about taking control of eating gluten free, you'll run across a lot of conflicting info. You'll just have to work through the conflicting info, to find what's actually true. A Core Step in Recovery A big first step in getting control is to eat only food. That may sound silly, but there's a ton of stuff in the products that we buy that isn't really food, and the vast majority of them can irritate various parts of our bodies. Manufacturers use a lot of additives to mimic the taste, texture and actions of more expensive food ingredients, and to allow them to sell items that if made with real foods would not be able to be packaged and sold long after they were made. If you're still struggling with feeling well, and feeling frustrated that you can't eat "normal" then it may be time to get back to basics for a while, until you can learn more. It really is better to feel well and have what you may think of as a restricted diet. When you feel well, you can make better decisions, plan more, get a bit more creative in your meal planning, etc. Change Our Attitudes, Change Our Destiny A change in our attitude about food will also go a long way to help us deal with the needed changes. For example, we may think we're being deprived by not being able to eat "normal." However, if you think the "Standard American Diet" (the SAD diet) is "normal," then it may be time to rethink the wisdom of that. The SAD diet has come to be known as one of the worst ways to eat that the world has seen. It causes severe chronic illness, and is massively contributing to decades of illness for many Americans. Earlier I said that our culture is obsessed with gluten. This is clearly seen when you look at the last several Food Guides that the USDA has put out. The current version recommends 5 to 8 servings per day of grain products (for adult women and men). That's a LOT of grain. That's a LOT of bread. We're being told that we must eat grains to provide the following (per current USDA MyPlate site): fiber some B vitamins - folate / folic acid; thiamin, roboflavin, niacin iron magnesium selenium When we cut out gluten containing grains, we pretty much cut out getting these above nutrients from grains. It's almost impossible to get these nutrients in the same quantities from non gluten grains. However, all is not lost. It's very easy to get these nutrients in other common foods in our diet (if we don't follow the USDA MyPlate recommendations). You can get a ton of fiber from adding leafy greens, vegetables, some fruits, nuts, and seeds. All of the B vitamins in the processed grains, those mostly used in the US and other developed countries, are added. The fact is that the processing of foods strips out most of the natural B vitamins. It's super easy to get these vitamins from meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, beans and vegetables. Be sure to eat all of those foods. If you have some other reason to exclude some of those foods, then get some proper advice from someone who properly understands eating gluten free AND your other limitations. Remember that part of the reason we think we must have these very high levels of grains is that's what the marketers have told us. Even the USDA is really just a group of growers in the US that grow mostly grains (along with a large portion raising livestock). The USDA's food guides have been shown repeatedly to NOT be based on truthful, valid research. Take a Step Back, Keep it Simple to Start So, when you're planning your gluten free diet, remember that you don't have to fill your plate with as many grains as you may be used to. Get back to the basics. Plan out some home cooked meals, made with pure, fresh foods. This may be something you haven't done much of, since our culture is so used to buying mostly prepared foods, but with some practice, and some basic planning, you'll be well on your way to making significant progress in getting well. Here's a super simple dinner plan, to get you started, when you have no idea how to start: Choose your favorite PROTEIN - meat, beans. Pick your favorite single herbs to prepare them with. Add some diced onions or garlic. Cook. Choose 2 different colored VEGGIES, steam them, or cut up and eat raw - have one be green, the other one be a nice vibrant color. Choose a STARCH - brown rice, potatoes, yams, etc. Boil and serve with butter. Make a SALAD, with a base of leaf lettuce, and at least 4 other veggies, all different colors. Make a salad dressing from scratch: 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/4 c apple cider vinegar, 1/2 c olive oil, 1 tsp raw honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper. Place in a container and shake. You can take this basic plan, and adjust one thing at a time by finding a recipe you like that fits the gluten free, processed food free criteria. Over time, you'll start to build a wonderful collection of recipes that suit you and your family. Be sure to let us all know in the comments below when you try this, how it went, and be sure to tell us what you ate! Bon Appetit! Thora Toft - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References and further research: Time to Run - Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) USDA - Choose MyPlate website Excerpt from “Sugar Crush: How to Reduce Inflammation, Reverse Nerve Damage and Reclaim Good Health” by Richard Jacoby and Raquel Baldelomar -
EDIT: Is there a "wrap text" option for the text to eliminate the now-present horizontal scroll of this entry? Today I was thinking about my back pain during when waking up in the mornings and decided to do some research in the internet. I bumped into diseases like scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis. I decided to take a look in the mirror and saw that I my back is actually bent, my head hanging far in front of my torso - a clear sign of kyphosis. Now it also struck me that my mother also has some kind of congetial spine curvature (she even had to too some stretching exercices in her youth because of that), and she also like me can only sleep on her side (not on back or on front). And that my karate couch (who's a medical student) noticed during the stretching exercises that my back bends "irregularly". Image of kyphosis: https://www.google.ee/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&celiac disease=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=%2Furl%3Fsa%3Di%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dimages%26cd%3D%26cad%3Drja%26uact%3D8%26ved%3D0CAcQjRw%26url%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com%2Fkyphosis-treatment%26ei%3D-pZzVKvcAo3oaMajgdgL%26bvm%3Dbv.80185997%2Cd.d2s%26psig%3DAFQjCNEO9me8IrQj81LWGL_2YiwRt0T1zw%26ust%3D1416947794510696&ei=-pZzVKvcAo3oaMajgdgL&bvm=bv.80185997,d.d2s&psig=AFQjCNEO9me8IrQj81LWGL_2YiwRt0T1zw&ust=1416947794510696 Okay, I have a kyphosis. But can it somehow be connected to my unsolved digestive problem? What I know about my digestion: Problems started in the summer of 2008 (age 14), right after my big growth spurt, gradually worsening, culminating in 2010. Symptoms: constant diarrhea, severe brain fog, muscle weakness and constant fatigue In 2010 celiac disease was excluded (blood test negative), although I'm extremely sensitive to gluten (few grains of wheat can cause 10 days of fatigue, especially at mealtimes). But still, another antibody tests for food intolerances was positive (for wheat, rye, yeast...some vegetables). From my trial-and-error diet I quickly found out that these results were true. 4 year diet on allowed foods has revealed that I'm mildly intolerant to everything - there is no single food that I could eat as much as I want with returning of symptoms (brain fog, exhaustion, diarrhea). E.g. allowed quantity for certain rice species is 200 grams and rotation period ca 20 days. For some rice species it's much less (e.g. 30g with 20d rotation). And some brain fog is present even when I follow the rotation. The fifth point and my special rotation is what I've never found in the internet before. I know immune system must be involved here, because it's the only thing that explains "the memory" - something in my body remembers how much I've eaten different foods. And this memory has an IQ of 160 - it knows exactly how much during past 20 days I've eaten this carnarroli rice grown in Italia and how much basmati rice grown in India. It even differenciates between carnarroli rice grown in different parts of Italia (different products by different companies). The only thing that remains a mystery is the type of immune system: it can't be the allergic part (IgE), because that one is not so specific (it only differentiates between food families, that's where the common 4-day rotation diet comes from) and I don't have a "fast-reacting life threatening allergic reaction" to anything, nor have ever had a skin rash of any kind. Perhaps then the widely debated and contoversial IgG?, I've also eliminated other explanations like Gradually running out of specific enzymes for different species of rice over time that need 20 days to be reproduced by pancreas Counterargument: there are very few enzymes responsible for digestion, far not enough to "have an enzyme for each species", [there are just general enzyme labels like protease, amylase and they have don't have many subenzymes]) Specific species of harmful candida/bacteria thrive on specific species of rice, consuming too much of that product will cause this candida/bacteria species to multiply and cause my symptoms Counterargument: there is just candida albicans that everyone is talking about, that can overgrow, not thousands of species for covering each product of food. I also took a month of anticandida herbs + Itraconazol, nothing changed. Also, I become intolerant to probiotics over time - it's not likely that there are bacteria/candida who eat other bacteria. So, it's my immune system. Immune system's memory cells remember the half-digested particles of carnarolli rice, and the more I eat it the more the immune system detects these potenitally harmful invader particles and the more it tries to fight back by releasing chemicals that damage my nerve cells and muscle cells (causing brain fog and muscle fatigue respectively). The involvment of the immune system means that undigested food particles have to be in my blood stream (immune system doesn't reach to the bowel), thus my bowel has to be leaking every food I eat (I become intolerant to everything). Leaky gut syndrome. Now, I've tried to heal my leaky gut with treatments like SCDiet and taking supplements like L-Glutamine (15g per day), quercetine (2x300mg), deglycorized licorice root, fish oil. SCDiet doesn't work (I'm too intolerant to nuts, homemade yoghurt, lentils, veggies, fish and the food that is left [meat, fruits] with its rotation periods isn't enough to feed me). No notable improvement on the supplements (although I've taken them only 3 weeks, they could still have an effect in the future). Actually, all I've achieved with my 4 year diet is that I know the rotation periods of foods and selected 40 products of rice, buckwheat, millet (out of 150, wheew, that was an arduous 2 year project!) that have long rotation and cause FEW (but still some) symptoms AND strictly following these periods hasn't prolonged them even a bit. Meaning the intolerances haven't been healing at all and that with all my effort the leaky gut hasn't improved even a bit. Isn't this odd? Now, today an idea stroke me. I read that sometimes kyphosis can pincing or stretching of the spinal nerves. >Kyphosis:While most cases of kyphosis are mild and only require routine monitoring, serious cases can be debilitating. High degrees of kyphosis can cause severe pain and discomfort, breathing and digestion difficulties. I am quite sure that I have some kind of nerve damage, because I have very little or no knee jerk reflex. I'm very tolerable to pain. That was noticed for example by a masseur who struck my toes with needles. My arms and legs fall asleep often (although this is pretty common symptom). So, here is my new theory: Kyphosis -> spinal nerve pinching/stretching -> impaired nerve impulses. Now what would be unique in my is that my kyphosis isn't very severe (otherwise my doctors would have noticed it a long time ago) AND incidently the impaired nerves are the ones that control the digestion part. >Nerve Regulators:Two types of nerves help to control the action of the digestive system. Extrinsic (outside) nerves come to the digestive organs from the unconscious part of the brain or from the spinal cord . They release a chemical called acetylcholine and another called adrenaline. Acetylcholine causes the muscle of the digestive organs to squeeze with more force and increase the "push" of food and juice through the digestive tract. Acetylcholine also causes the stomach and pancreas to produce more digestive juice. Adrenaline relaxes the muscle of the stomach and intestine and decreases the flow of blood to these organs. Even more important, though, are the intrinsic (inside) nerves, which make up a very dense network embedded in the walls of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. The intrinsic nerves are triggered to act when the walls of the hollow organs are stretched by food. They release many different substances that speed up or delay the movement of food and the production of juices by the digestive organs. If the problem is in these nerves, then from the quote above we know that it can cause lack of digestive juice with all its enzymes can cause all my symptoms: lack of enzymes->undigested food. Undigested food causes all other symptoms like candida overgrowth, and some of this food surely gets into bloodstream (even if there aren't any holes in my gut (typical to "leaky gut" that could be present in case of celiac disease)). Stuff like veggies and nuts cause diarrhea because I just lack the enzymes to digest its fiber and no wonder gluten is the worst thing I can eat, because it's one of the most difficulty digestable proteins. The theory isn't perfect. I have taken a lot of different enzyme supplements and they had absolutely no effect. So there maybe other factors that I can't perceive. Or also my kyphosis->indigestion theory could be entirely wrong (maybe despite the all I am celiac and my blood test was false negative, despite the kyphosis being geneological I actually have so severe vitamin D deficiency caused by celiac that accounted for the formation of crooked spine,although I have no other obvious malnutrition symptoms, and my celiac case is just "special" with my leaky gut not healing and with all its rotations; doesn't make sense, does it?). But hey, what are you gonna do if whatever you do your symptoms still persist and make your life intolerable. I'm definitely going to present my theory to my GP and hope that she will at least consider my claims, and besides recommending me exercises to straighten my back she would also send me to some cool nerve tests (EMG, NCV,SSEP) that will determine if my kyphosis has anything to do with my nerves and digestive problems. EDIT (Nov 26): The theory above is wrong. My kyphosis is really small. And I found out that the text I quoted saying "high degrees kyphosis can cause...,..., digestion difficulties" obviously meant that they have difficulty swollowing the food or acid reflux coming up the throat due to the curvature upper body. Pinched nerve usually also causes pain/numbness. So my pinched nerve causing a little numbness in the rest of my body but "big numbness digestive system" is just delusional. Also, I read that "enteric nervous system can and does operate independently of the brain and the spinal cord", so this makes my theory pointless. Also, my mother actually had scoliosis, thus this is not heredetary. I think I have celiac+Hashimoto, I'm going to talk about this in my next post.
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