<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi Everyone!

I recently posed a difficult question and didn't
think I would get any replies.  I asked about the
purpose of zonulin and why we need it to open the
tight junctions in our intestinal lining.  Well,
surprisingly I did get several responses.
A few people were just interested and I had a few
give reasons (included below).  I'm not sure I
have a definitive answer but the first response
I list has some sound advice (looking to the
intent of my question)! Thanks once again for
your help and no more problem solving until
the new year..:)

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Janet Kline
Charlotte, NC
The Queen City
http://www.charlotte-celiac-connection.org

-----
The effects of the zonulin inhibitor aren't
permanent. I think they say it only lasts for
an hour or so.  Don't remember exactly.  To be
perfectly honest, I seriously doubt that this
drug will have much to offer us.  I'd rather stick
with something safe & reliable - the GF diet.
Who knows what a zonulin inhibitor will do to our
livers, stomachs, nutritional intake, hydration
(as you pointed out), electrolyte balance, etc.
I personally don't trust much that comes out of
big pharma lately.  They often RUSH to
market before they really know if something is safe
& to use long term.  Perfect examples of that are
synthetic HRT, Viox, Celebrex, Resulin, Seldane, etc.
all of which have been removed from the market
because they kill people.  If & when this new drug
comes on the market, I'll wait for at least 5 years
before I'll even think of trying it.  It's often
after a new drug has been prescribed to thousands
of patients that the dangerous side effects become
manifest.  A perfect example of this is unfolding
before our eyes as we see what's happening to patients
who have been using those horrid bisphosphonates
(Foxamax, Actonel, etc.) -- their jaws are
deteriorating after they have a tooth pulled.
-----
They need to open up a little to let an occasional
macromolecule in ("transcellular transport") so
that the immune system knows what's going on
in the lumen of the gut. Infants have very
loose junctions because they need to absorb
macromolecules in maternal milk.
-----
I believe we want the tight junctions to open in
the first place to allow water and electrolytes
to be able to move between the intestines and the
cells of the body.  If the increased zonulin
keeps the gates open wide, larger and potentially
damaging things such as gluten proteins will pass
through. Just my take on this but I'll be
interested in your responses.
-----
Here is a pretty old post - 2000
http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/zonulin.html

Here is a pretty scientific view of the whole thing:
http://gut.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/49/2/159

From a site in the UK:
http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=show&pageid=984

But none actually answers your question.

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