New Gluten Intolerance Tests from Cyrex Labs Give Deeper Insight into Gluten Intolerance and autoimmune conditions.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten gives bread its fluffiness and chewiness. Research has shown gluten to be connected to many diseases such as celiac and several autoimmune diseases including a thyroid condition known as Hashimoto’s.

Until recently, testing for gluten intolerance has been extremely limited and innacurate. The Naperville Instiute For NeuroMetabolic Solutions uses the most advanced testing in Gluten sensitivity and Gluten intolerance. We have the ability to accurately determine whether gluten is damaging your health and what foods are cross reactive with Gluten. In this Blog I want to share some very powerful things with you to help you understand the mechanisms behind your disease. If you have read any of my past blogs my Mantra is “ALLWAYS ASK WHY”

Approaches for the treatment of these devastating diseases.

1) If you have celiac disease, you have a leaky gut (loss of intestinal barrier integrity). You cannot develop celiac disease (or many other diseases for that matter) without having excessive permeability of the small intestine.

2). Going on a gluten free diet will heal the villi of the small intestine in celiac patients (or at least it should, but according to this study, only 8% of adults diagnosed with celiac disease ever fully heal…8%!!! Also see: Mucosal Recovery and Mortality in Adults with Celiac Disease After Treatment With a Gluten-free Diet), but a gluten-free diet alone will not necessarily heal the gut, leaving the patient at an increased risk for developing more adverse food reactions, autoimmune disorders and even cancer (to learn more, download Zonulin and Its Regulation of Intestinal Barrier Function: The Biological Door to Inflammation, Autoimmunity, and Cancer by Dr. Alessio Fasano). The reason for this is due to the continued inflammation brought on by macromolecules entering the blood stream via a leaky gut.

Dr. Peter Green’s explains in his book, Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic (Revised and Updated Edition) how a leaky gut develops:

3). There are MANY factors (in addition to gluten) that contribute to increased permeability of the small intestine: poor intestinal flora, parasites and other infections, food allergies and intolerances*, NSAIDS, alcohol, antacids, antibiotics, chemotherapy and stress (just to name a few).

*It is well established that an intolerance to cow’s milk proteins can cause intestinal damage identical to that seen in celiac disease. This is not a gluten-driven cross-reaction, it is a separate enteropathy (see Cows’ Milk-Sensitive Enteropathy).

3 Very Important Points If you or a Loved One Are Suffering

With A Chronic Health Condition.

1) A leaky gut is one of the required ingredients for the development of many adverse health conditions, including, but not limited to, autoimmune disorders (like celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes) and cancer.

2). While gluten is one of the biggest contributors of impaired intestinal barrier function in all humans, regardless of the person’s genetic expression of autoimmunity leading to increased intestinal permeability to macromolecules (gliadin is a key trigger of zonulin release), there are other contributors of a leaky gut as well.

3) Research is showing that the autoimmune process can be halted (or even reversed), if the intestinal barrier is restored to optimal health. Now, before you go getting too excited, that statement does not mean that if a celiac heals their intestine they can resume eating gluten without suffering a relapse. What it does mean though, is that if you heal your intestine you may be able to prevent the development of additional autoimmune diseases and cancer.

4) Going on a Gluten Free Diet is not enough. You need to have advanced testing to determine what foods are cross reacting with Gluten. This is why several studies indicate that most celiac patients on a gluten Free Diet Never get truly better. Theres is a differnce between a TRUE gluten Free Diet and “gluten Free Diet” consuming Gluten free flours, eating gluten free cookies, drinking gluten free beer is NOT gluten Free.

You can Read more on the hidden sources of Gluten in another article I posted here.

I have used Cyrex Lab Testing for over 2 years now and I can tell you that the testing Cyrex labs offers is unlike any other. I have been able to be a part of the healing process for patients who have been everywhere. Below you will find an exlplanation of the tests and how they might be part of the answer to your IBS, Celiac Disease, Hashimotos, Multiple Sclerosis, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes and many other autoimmune conditions

Cyrex was founded based on the life-work of Aristo Vojdani, Ph.D., M.Sc., C.L.S., a leading researcher in the fields of autoimmune disease and neuroimmunology who has published more than 120 scientific papers. 

Array 1:  Gluten Sensitivity Screen – The most research-validated ‘screen’ of Gluten Sensitivity (oral fluids)

Array 2:  Intestinal Antigenic Permeability Screen – Finally a test that will identify antigenic Intestinal Permeability

Array 3: Wheat/Gluten Proteome Sensitivity & Autoimmunity – There are multiple peptides of gluten that are antigenic.  Until now, we have only been able to test one – gliadin.  Now we can test for 10 gluten peptides.

Array 4:  Gluten-Associated Sensitivity and Cross-Reactive Foods – When a patient doesn’t ‘feel like a million dollars’ on a GFD, are they ingesting foods that cross-react with gluten?  Now the Array is available looking at 24 of these foods.

Each Array can be ordered at Dr. Hagmeyer office.  Details of each Array are described below.

Issues with old gluten intolerance testing

The main issue with standard gluten intolerance blood testing is that it only looks at antibodies to one component of gluten called alpha gliadin. The literature shows that there are many different components of gluten that one can be sensitive to.

This is problematic because if gluten is in fact destroying someone’s health and he or she does not test positive for alpha gliadin but is in fact sensitive to the other components (for example Gluteomorphin), then that person who should avoid gluten, would be cleared to eat gluten containing foods.

Another extreme downfall in gluten intolerant testing is the fact that food proteins other than gluten can react in the exact same way as gluten. Researchers have identified the most common foods that have this gluten mimicking reaction. New testing is available to detect sensitivities to these foods.

A prime example of the importance of having these foods tested is in the case of those suffering from celiac disease. Those patients are instructed to eliminate gluten containing foods from their diet so they switch to gluten free quinoa, for example. Quinoa is one of the foods that have the potential to react like gluten. Knowing this information is invaluable to those with known gluten intolerance.

Cyrex Labs Test 1- Gluten Sensitivity Screen

This saliva test is the best way to detect gluten sensitivities early. Standard blood testing for gluten intolerance typically tests positive only after their has been extensive damage to the gut or other tissues. Since autoimmune conditions such as Celiac disease and Hashimoto’s,  Peripheral Neuropathy, Diabetes, have gluten and genetic components, this test would be of use for those with a family history of autoimmune disease. Taking a saliva sample is also easy to collect in the case of children who are suspected of being gluten intolerant.

Cyrex Labs Test 2- Intestinal Permeability “Leaky Gut” Screen

The gut of those who are gluten intolerant can be damaged by gluten intake. This damage can lead to what many call “leaky gut syndrome”. This means that things like large food proteins and bacteria that are meant to stay within the lumen of the gut now enters into the blood. The body’s immune then reacts to naturalize the “foreign invaders”. This reaction creates inflammation, which if allowed to continue, can damage organs and lead to other chronic diseases. Testing for intestinal permeability is important in the recovery from long-term gluten exposure.

Cyrex Test 3- 12 Component Gluten Intolerance Test with Autoimmune Screen

Research has shown that components other than alpha gliadin can cause damage. As mentioned earlier, standard testing for gluten intolerance only tests for antibodies to one component of gluten, alpha gliadin. This test looks at the 12 most common reactive components of gluten. This is important because not all who are gluten intolerant test positive for alpha gliadin. Since gluten intolerance is highly associated with celiac disease, markers for autoimmune celiac is included with this test. This test is also referred as “Array 3- Wheat/Gluten Proteome Reactivity & Autoimmunity Profile”.

Cyrex Test 4- Gluten Cross-Reactive Foods

Gluten has received the majority of the attention because it is the the most researched. It is extremely important to understand that other foods (even gluten-free foods) can react in the same manner as gluten. Many foods can cross-react like this, however, this test looks at the 24 most common foods that cross-react with gluten. Some common cross-reactive foods are corn, rice, coffee, and chocolate. This test can help doctors and patients develop a clear and effective lifestyle plan.

Dr Hagmeyer can use the results from these tests to develop a personalized course of action to improve the underlying immune dysfunction and create a better quality of life.

Dr Hagmeyer can be reached at 630-718-0555

1020 104th street

Naperville, IL

https://DrHagmeyer.com

Additional Research studies

Impairment of the intestinal mucosal barrier has even been implicated in the development of atopic dermatitis, a.k.a. eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis herpetiformis.

As Dr. Alessio Fasano states in his article, Mechanisms of Disease: The Role of Intestinal Barrier Function in the Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal Autoimmune Diseases (bold emphasis added):