Gluten, food allergy and leaky gut syndrome

[GP2]

http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/foodallergy

This is not the first article I have read that indicates that after a damaged gut is healed wheat or gluten can be re-intoroduced. I am certainly not advocating this but is there any evidence to back this up? My understanding is you're gluten intolerant - off it for life! Another article I can retrieve claimed that 50% of patients in a study returned to a gluten diet and were ok. I know we need scientific evidence but I thought id raise it..

[webslave]

I would warn against re-introducing problem foods. After a long time of not eating a problem food, the antibodies to that protein falls and one can once again start eating it with minimal effects, but not for long. Within a few days to weeks, the antibodies start building up and symptoms re-emerge. So best not to start this self-defeating course of action.
(source of this information is the book by Dr Brostoff)
I experienced this very situation myself.

[GP2]

Mark,

I know you had many food problems. Did you find that you were able to re-introduce certain foods after a period of time in which your body / gut healed? What do you think of the leaky gut theory??

[Clay]

So many questions, so few solid answers.

Part of my Enterolab testing was a gene test that found I have genes that predispose to gluten intolerance. So why did I go 60 years eating it with no problems?? Was it the mystery illness last year that changed my gut, or was it 60 years of gluten that finally caused the illness? Chicken/egg/chicken/egg.

I'm just hoping that after a few months off gluten and dairy, I can add back a little tiny bit of soy and egg.

[webslave]

Mark,

I know you had many food problems. Did you find that you were able to re-introduce certain foods after a period of time in which your body / gut healed? What do you think of the leaky gut theory??

I have many food intolerances. I react to about 80% of foods. And chemicals too -- even a whiff of cooking gas gives me a headache that lasts for many hours. Super sensitive.

I have adjusted and adjusted my diet to the point that I am comfortable. It's taken years and I still make mistakes occasionally. No, I have not found I can reintroduce problems foods.

Leaky gut theory sounds plausible but I don't think conventional doctors and medical science supports it. But it is true that if you consume mast cell degranulating foods and drugs (pineapple, buckwheat, alcohol, opioids etc), food-related symptoms can suddenly worsen, which hints that these substances, by inflaming the gut, are making it more permeable and allowing more of the semi-digested food particles into the bloodstream.

[webslave]

However, looks like there is some support from the medical community:

Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 1999 Oct;1(5):410-6.

Intestinal permeability, leaky gut, and intestinal disorders.

Hollander D.
Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute, 1124 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90502, USA

A major task of the intestine is to form a defensive barrier to prevent absorption of damaging substances from the external environment. This protective function of the intestinal mucosa is called permeability. Clinicians can use inert, nonmetabolized sugars such as mannitol, rhamnose, or lactulose to measure the permeability barrier or the degree of leakiness of the intestinal mucosa. Ample evidence indicates that permeability is increased in most patients with Crohn's disease and in 10% to 20% of their clinically healthy relatives. The abnormal leakiness of the mucosa in Crohn's patients and their relatives can be greatly amplified by aspirin preadministration. Permeability measurements in Crohn's patients reflect the activity, extent, and distribution of the disease and may allow us to predict the likelihood of recurrence after surgery or medically induced remission. Permeability is also increased in celiac disease and by trauma, burns, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The major determinant of the rate of intestinal permeability is the opening or closure of the tight junctions between enterocytes in the paracellular space. As we broaden our understanding of the mechanisms and agents that control the degree of leakiness of the tight junctions, we will be increasingly able to use permeability measurements to study the etiology and pathogenesis of various disorders and to design or monitor therapies for their management.


PMID: 10980980[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Clay]

That second one is fascinating to me, Webslave. After my first bout of colitis had subsided I made myself sick by taking NSAIDs for 3 days. I know that's a no-no now, but I didn't understand why.

[GP2]

I have many food intolerances. I react to about 80% of foods. And chemicals too -- even a whiff of cooking gas gives me a headache that lasts for many hours. Super sensitive.

Mark, what makes you so sensitive to so many things? Do you know? Is this common and something others with allergies should be wary of?

[webslave]

Multiple food sensitivities and mutilple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are not that rare, but are not frequently diagnosed due to ignorance, I believe. For that reason, I have not met anyone like me, yet.

I am on top of the condition now, even though it means a very restricted diet. Not many of the foods cause me actual chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome though, only gluten-containing foods. I also think only a minority of men with CPPS/pelvic myoneuropathy have this particular food problem, but if they do have it, coping with it properly is extremely important.

[GP2]

I personally believe that I have some form of adrenal burnout caused by years of stress, anxiety and gluten problems. I intend to go on a long path of boosting my adrenal glands (years) along with a leaky gut syndrome protocal which I have started. Chronic tachycardia (palpitations) led me to this conclusion. I have read the article you have linked - I think my problems are linked to gluten, dairy and soy thus far & since I have cut out dairy as well (casein) my stomach / constipation issues have been better than ever.

[SickofCP]

I have never had stomach problems, but was recently diagnosed with a gluten intolerance (tested by enterolab). After 1 week of being gluten free, I feel much worse. I didn't expect to be better, but I didn't expect to be worse. Perhaps something in my change in diet is aggravating it.

Mark, you mention damage from opioids. I take tramadol. Does this cause problems?

[GP2]

I had terrible withdrawal symptoms coming off gluten SickofCP. They passed Mark and himself said this was a good sign and proved addiction and therefore an intolerance.

Dairy was a problem for me too. And for many people with gluten intolerance dairy is an issue until the gut heals..

[webslave]

Mark, you mention damage from opioids. I take tramadol. Does this cause problems?

Thankfully, no (click for study).
Activation of mast cells and the systemic release of histamine is a common side effect of opioids (but not fentanyl or tramadol, interestingly).

More:
viewtopic.php?p=24664

[SickofCP]

I had terrible withdrawal symptoms coming off gluten SickofCP. They passed Mark and himself said this was a good sign and proved addiction and therefore an intolerance.

Dairy was a problem for me too. And for many people with gluten intolerance dairy is an issue until the gut heals..

Interesting....thanks. Glad to know this. For the last year and a half, my pelvic symptoms on the anterior side have been fine for the most part. Unfortunately, when this happened, I began to have posterior issues (coccyx, low back, upper glutes) that were disabling. Also I have been gradually losing weight over the last few years. I theorize now that the gluten intolerance has caused malnutrition. My muscles go into spasm too easily. My hope is that going gluten free will eventually allow my body to recover. I never considered a gluten intolerance before because my BM were always normal. Perhaps more people wih chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome should test themselves.

[GP2]

Perhaps more people wih chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome should test themselves.

I couldnt agree more. What you have said is why I chose to sort my digestive problems out (gluten etc) prior to trigger point work & dealing directly with CPPS. My previous posts back this up. The effects gluten can have on your muscles not only as you tense your pelvis from pain / contipation but directly through mineral deficiencies is alarming.

I personally believe that there is a higher rate of gluten intolerance / celiac disease in chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome sufferers than normal. then again its a very misdiagnosed condition generally.