A Protein In The Gut May Explain Why Some Can't Stomach Gluten
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Levels of zonulin in the blood have already shown to be high in celiacs. In Barbara's study, levels in gluten-sensitive individuals almost matched those of celiacs. Though the results are preliminary, they point in a hopeful direction for future tests to help diagnose this controversial condition.
About 6 percent of the global population may be sensitive to gluten, according to gastroenterologist Alessio Fasano of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Symptoms can be similar to irritable bowel syndrome, with abdominal pain, bloating, alternating diarrhea or constipation. And there can be other symptoms, including "brain fog", headache, fatigue, joint and muscle pain.
Enter zonulin, stage left. Zonulin is an inflammatory protein first discovered by Fasano and his team in 2000. It helps regulate leakiness in the gut by opening and closing the spaces or "junctions" between cells in the lining of the digestive tract. Zonulin is triggered by harmful bacteria, and offers important protection to the body: If you accidentally eat a food contaminated with salmonella, you rely on zonulin to help trigger diarrhea and flush out the bugs.
Once the pathogen is gone, zonulin levels drop and the junctions close.
So what does it have to do with gluten? It turns out that gluten is a strong trigger of zonulin in some individuals.....
