(Newswire.net — October 13, 2013) Portland, OR —
Celiac disease which is an inflammatory immune response to the gliadin protein in gluten, has been increasing over the past few years. Recent research also points out that celiac disease is more prevalent than previously considered.
Gluten sensitivities are also increasing, with more and more people in western countries opting for gluten-free diets. Foods containing gluten often produce intestinal irritations, including bloating and indigestion. For this reason, the term “gluten-free” has become synonymous among people.
Grain-based foods have been part of the human diet for thousands of years, and some of the healthiest diets – including the Mediterranean Diet – contain a good amount of wheat and other whole grains.
Many traditional societies known for longevity, have diets including grains as a major component of the diet. These cultures also have an absence of history of intestinal problems.
So the question is… has humanity been poisoning itself with wheat and other gluten-containing grains (including barley, rye and others)? Or is something else going on?
Significant research has confirmed that the inflammatory response is inhibited by healthy intestinal probiotics.
The research focused first upon the mechanisms of wheat gliadin protein upon the intestinal cells which produce inflammation and intestinal permeability. A protein called Zonulin, stimulates an increase in the spaces in the tight junctions between the intestinal cells, creating gut spacing.
The body’s immune system then responds to larger proteins having potential contact with the bloodstream.
One Irish study showed how intestinal probiotics in a healthy body will inhibit this process by breaking down gluten through protease (enzyme) activity. It showed that two enzymes produced from probiotic bacteria – prolyl endopeptidase and endoprotease B – were able to break down gluten into non-reactive elements, completely sidestepping the possible intestinal response.
Several studies in Finland found that the live probiotics, Lactobacillus fermentum and Bifidobacterium lactis, were both able to inhibit the inflammation response.
This means that the probiotics reduced the amount of intestinal damage caused by the inflammatory response related to the gluten ingestion
These results have been confirmed by other research.
In another study from Argentina’s University of Buenos Aires, a probiotic supplement was tested with 22 adults with celiac disease. The patients were given either capsules with the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis or a placebo for 3 weeks.
Those taking the probiotic supplement had significantly lower levels of indigestion, constipation and other intestinal symptoms as gauged by the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. Levels of IgA antibodies to gluten were also lower among the probiotic group.
The researchers stated:
“The study suggests that B. infantis may alleviate symptoms in untreated celiac disease.”
A healthy human intestine is a microcosm of thousands of strains of probiotic bacteria which produce a myriad of enzymes that assist our body with the digestion of nature’s foods. So we are merely scratching the surface, yet the surface truly reveals the culprits involved.
The fact that gluten sensitivities have been growing as the use of antibiotics and antiseptics have become increasingly utilized together with the findings that enzymes produced by probiotics break down gluten and gliadin into non-toxic constituents, it boils down to that our gut microflora has everything to do with wheat and other gluten sensitivities.
But avoiding all forms of gluten in our diets can not only difficult, if not impossible, it may be unnecessary if we learn to maintain healthy intestinal probiotics.
Research from the UK has determined that gluten grains also provide critical nourishment (prebiotics) for our intestinal probiotics. 55 healthy men and women were given different doses of a wheat bran for three weeks. Those eating more wheat bran showed an increase in healthy probiotic bifidobacteria in their intestines and colons.
Source:
http://blog.enrichgifts.com/2013/10/probiotics-prevent-gluten-sensitivity.html