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| Healthy mucosa allows nutrients to pass the barrier while blocking the entry of toxins. | With a damaged mucosal barrier, the barrier is dysfunctional, blocking nutrients at the damaged villi while permitting toxins to enter the blood stream. |
Mucosal Barrier Function Test
The Mucosal Barrier Function test assesses the level of secretory immunoglobulin IgA, IgG & IgM. This test evaluates the levels of IgA, IgG and IgG of:
1.Cow's milk, Gliadin, Soy, Rice and Corn;
2. Candida Albicans, Candida Krusie and Candida Tropicalis
3. E. Coli, E. Enterococcus, E. Lacotbacillus (Aerobic Bacteria)
4. Bacteroides Fragilis, Clostridium Perfringens
The Mucosal Barrier Function Test provides an extensive view of the intestinal mucosa as a barrier against viral, bacterial, fungi, parasitic & food antigens.
In a healthy situation the small intestine epithelium maintains tight cell junctions, which contributes to the physical barrier involved in intestinal absorption. In addition to the physical barrier, there is an important chemical barrier within the mucus that contains immune agents which neutralize any toxin that comes in contact.
The epithelium on the villi of the small intestine may become inflamed and irritated, which allows metabolic and microbial toxins of the small intestines to flood into the blood stream. This event compromises the liver, the lymphatic system, and the immune response including the endocrine system. It is often the primary cause of the following common conditions: asthma, food allergies, chronic sinusitis, eczema, urticaria, migraine, irritable bowel, fungal disorders, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory joint disorders including rheumatoid arthritis. It also contributes to PMS, uterine fibroid, and breast fibroid.
Candida Infection may cause small intestine epithelial cells to shrink. This allows intestinal toxins to infiltrate through the epithelium and into the blood. Eventually, the immune system becomes exhausted rising to this challenge.
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| Healthy mucosa allows nutrients to pass the barrier while blocking the entry of toxins. | With a damaged mucosal barrier, the barrier is dysfunctional, blocking nutrients at the damaged villi while permitting toxins to enter the blood stream. |
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The real damage done by Candida is to the intestinal epithelial barrier, allowing the absorption of serious toxic agents and chemicals, which then enter the blood and affect numerous organs, including the brain. When the integrity of the intestinal barrier has been compromised, intestinal toxins are not the only pathogens to be absorbed. The barrier, in a healthy state, selectively allows digested nutrients to enter the small intestine when all is ready. With a damaged mucosal barrier, nutrients can be absorbed before they are fully digested. The body's immune response, through specific antigen-antibody markers, will tag some of these foods as foreign irritants. Every time that particular food touches the epithelia, an inflammatory immune response is mounted which further damages the epithelial lining. What started as a Candida irritation with shrinking of the cells has now been complicated with active inflammation every time a particular food is eaten. The most common food allergies are dairy, eggs, gluten grains (wheat, oats, rye), corn, soy. Toxins that enter the bloodstream during a damaged mucosal barrier end up in the liver, which has the job of detoxifying and discharging the poisons. Under normal conditions, the liver is taxed just by processing the daily metabolic wastes created by cell and organ activity. Imagine the further load created by dumping serious intestinal toxins on a regular basis. There is a point when the liver becomes saturated; it cannot further detoxify the poisons, and they are returned to the blood circulation. The blood has sophisticated mechanisms for preserving chemical homeostasis, and will diffuse as much of the toxic chemicals and physical debris into the interstitial fluids as is possible. From here the lymphatic system will attempt to collect and neutralize the toxins, but unable to send the toxins to the liver, the body essentially becomes toxic. Microbes grow and develop, hence there can be chronic lymphatic swelling, especially in children. Over a period of time, toxins will be forced into distal connective tissue around muscles and joints, causing fibromyalgia, or into the cells, which can precipitate genetic mutation and ultimately cancer. The immune system is stressed in three major ways. First is at the site of the intestinal mucosa. As toxins and food antigens brush up against the mucosa, the immune system mobilizes to neutralize the toxins. Normally, much of this work would have been done by beneficial bacteria, which have been destroyed by antibiotics. For toxins that make it to the mucosa, the body will tag them with a chemical secretory IgA (SIgA), which attracts macrophages and other white blood cells to consume the toxins. It is not long before this immune response is overwhelmed and depleted. This can be measured directly with a stool or saliva test for the intestinal SIgA level. The second stressor happens in the liver and lymphatic system which, also overwhelmed, puts demands on the immune system. The third stressor is a consequence: as the immune response diminishes, more microbes (viruses, bacteria, and fungi) multiply, allowing for a chronic state of infection. What might be tagged as a viral infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is actually an opportunistic infection taking advantage of a weakened immune system. The most important organ in the production of immune agents seems to be the adrenal gland, and a damaged mucosal barrier slowly diminishes adrenal function. In the early and middle stages, there is actually an adrenal excess, as measured by excess cortisol output. Eventually, cortisol levels drop, and one now has exhaustion Candida flourishes when the terrain in the intestines favors it. Just killing Candida is usually not successful, because the chemistry and vitality of the terrain has not been normalized, and Candida returns. Antibiotics are the original cause of the change on the terrain. By killing acid forming bacteria (Lactobacillus bacteria produce lactic acid, for example), the environment becomes alkaline, which promotes Candida. Antibiotics and chronic illness reduce stomach acid production, contributing to the alkalinity, and also allowing poor digestive absorption. In fact, many people with a damaged mucosal barrier are malnourished, no matter how healthy the food is that they eat. The terrain of the small intestine requires proper pH. The idea that lactobacillus supplementation is all that is required after antibiotics is somewhat delusional; in fact most of the lactobacillus from supplementation does not survive in the intestine, due to poor terrain. Leaky Gut Syndrome has various components, all of which need to be evaluated and addressed. First, ongoing irritants to the small intestine mucosal lining (fungus, food allergies, candida, viruses, parasites and NSAIDs) need to be identified and neutralized. Second, nutrients and herbs are required to promote healing of the epithelial lining. Third, and perhaps the key link, the liver needs to be regulated. Fourth, the lymphatics and interstitial fluids need to be detoxified. Fifth, the immune and endocrine systems need to be regulated and supported. And sixth, the stomach and pancreas needs to be regulated, if necessary. The therapy takes between four and eight months. Patients need to be vigilant about their diet in avoiding food allergies and minimizing the growth of Candida. The body has a marvelous mechanism,the mucosal barrier lining, that allows digested nutrients in while keeping toxins meant for excretion out. Throughout history, in general, this barrier has maintained its integrity. During the last fifty years, due to the intrusive irritation of antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills and NSAIDs, the average person's health has been significantly challenged and weakened. The evaluation of the intestinal mucosa can be regarded as an essential tool in assessing overall health. © 2001 Ronald J. Grisanti
D.C., D.A.B.C.O Ronald J. Grisanti, D.C.,
D.A.B.C.O
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