<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Hi Listmates, I appreciate all of the answers I received re: my question
about exactly what leaky gut is. I received several technical/clinical
responses & suggestions that I cound not begin to explain or summarize,
so I have copied those & also listed the web sites that were the most
comprehensive & informative. Happy Holidays!
Kathy C
~<A
HREF="http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=Article&ID=425
">Click here: Leaky Gut Syndrome: Breaking the Vicious Cycle - Leo Galland,
M.D. - HealthWorld Online</A>
~Dr. Alessio Fasano at the Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore MD
is elucidating the role of gluten in inducing "leaky gut." Gliadin
appears to upregulate a protein he discovered called zonulin which
loosens the intestinal tight junctions. In celiacs, it appears that
they stay open. You can find more about it here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&
list_u
ids082037&dopt=Abstract
~Apparently your intestine gets tiny holes from all the stress or gluten
damage. THen, minute particles of food can enter your bloodstream,
undigested. This increases allergic reactions, etc. From this list serve
I've read that taking glutamine and acidophilus will help to heal up the
gut.
~Imagine a pair of XS fishnet stocking on an XL woman. Same number of holes,
just bigger than they are supposed to be. That's a good visual of leaky gut.
The gut is lined with "holes" that allow the nutrients are absorbed into the
blood. Inflammation in the gut can cause these spaces to be larger than they
are susposed to be. When healthy, the gut is supposed to act as a filler,
letting small, properly digested food particles to enter and also keep out
the larger particles--undigested food, germs and viruses. When the hole are
to big, incompletely digested proteins (& who know what else) can enter the
blood and, in theory, cause allergies. These particles are not supposed to be
in the blood & the immune system must remove them.
~Very simple, the gliadin in gluten attacks the walls of the small intestine
till sometimes substances can "leak" through the walls, often causing
additional allergies or intolerances to other foods. Often after avoiding
these foods for a year or two you can return to eating them again, if you
don't overdo it.
~The best page on it:
Leaky Gut Syndromes: Breaking the Vicious Cycle - HealthWorld Online
http://www.healthy.net/library/articles/galland/Leakygut.htm
~In my definition it is passing food undigested. Which is alarming because
it means your body is not taking in the nutrients you ingest. In my case it
was caused by an imbalance of fungus in the system, which I treated with
Nystatin. I no longer eat sugar, yeast, or fermented things. Also no corn
(it turns into sugar and feeds the fungi). I feel much better, the leaky
gut stuff is over, and my blood tests fabulous for vitamin absorption.
~Leaky gut occurs in many diesease, including arthritis, but it reallly
affects us.
In the small intestine are small villi [projections] upon which enzymes
rest which digest food, lactose for example. the celiac wipes out the
villi. No villi...cannot digest lactose.
Going gf will heal the gut in about three years, BUT you can short
circuit that time into a few months, My nutionistist and also my
allergist told me to take WITH EACH MEAL an L-glutlamine [amino acid]
pill 500mg and a Probitoics pills [either complex or 8] Glutamine is a
catalyst and also gets oxygen to the brain --it does not contain gluten.
Probitoics, in either form, really heals the gut. You will need to take
this for the rest of your life, but hey, it reduces the changes for
colon cancer. Get a note from your dr to take this and it becomes a
medical tax deduction off your income tax.
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