Celiac Disease and Elusive Gluten Sensitivity

According to statistics from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, an average of one out of 133 otherwise healthy people in the United States suffer from celiac disease (CD). The trouble with that statistic though is that there are only two requirements set forth by the mainstream medical establishment which qualify a person for a Celiac Disease diagnosis. Those requirements are 1) a positive alpha-Gliadin antibody (Gliadin is a small portion of the gluten molecule) and 2) a complete atrophy of the intestinal micro-villi (very small fingerlike structures on the lining of our intestines) found via an intestinal biopsy.

The important thing to realize here is that Celiac Disease, being a gluten sensitivity condition, means that people with this condition can not have gluten in their diet whatsoever! Doing so will lead to very poor health indeed. But what about all those people who do not qualify for either of the two findings above? What if someone comes back with a negative alpha-Gliadin antibody and a moderate atrophy of intestinal villi? This person would be passed over and disregarded and told that they could continue eating gluten! (Which is what we all want to hear anyway… Or is it?)

Now what if I told you that besides the alpha-Gliadin antibodies that can be found that there were also:
• Beta-Gliadin
• Gamma-Gliadin
• Omega-Gliadin
• Deaminated Gliadins (15, 17, and/or 33) – These are found in processed foods.
• Glutenin
• Wheat Germ Agglutinin
• Gluteomorphin

Any one of these findings is enough to warrant a Celiac Disease diagnosis or at least gluten sensitivity. Now I am not telling you all this to sound really smart by using big words, nor do I expect you to understand what these things all are. But what I want you to take home from this is the fact that there are a lot of indicators for gluten sensitivity that are not being screened for out there. So when we hear that one in 133 people have Celiac Disease based upon only the two parameters tested for, you have to ask yourself what would that number be if ALL of the parameters were screened for? It is a staggering concept to say the least! And scary too when you consider all of the health problems out there which are linked to gluten sensitivity like thyroid problems, neurological decline, ADD/ADHD, autism, auto-immune disorders of all kinds, gastro-intestinal problems, muscular problems, skeletal problems, liver problems, skin problems. In fact there is not one part of the body that does not have a direct link to gluten sensitivity in those individuals with gluten sensitivity problems. Simply put for those people affected, gluten can and will be the fuel for the fire that will work to destroy one’s health.

Only recently has it been possible to screen for all of these parameters I mentioned and really start improving the lives of a great many people. In fact there is a new laboratory with cutting edge technology to finally screen for conditions like these who I am happy to be working with this starting in January of 2011. If you have any difficult medical conditions, auto-immune disorders, or just want to know if you are indeed Gluten intolerant get in touch and we can get you tested. I hope to hear from you real soon.

I Have Low Andro What Now?

Quite often I get male patients that come in complaining of things like low libido, or trouble in bed, etc. and they are desperately trying to find out solutions for their problem. More times than not they have already gone to their primary doctor only to be told that all their hormones look normal and it gets easily brushed off as, “Well it is probably just stress.” So they might be offered a combination of Viagra and/or some anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs as a remedy. There is only one problem… The sexual dysfunction still does not come back. So what is going wrong for these men that is apparently getting missed?

Well it just so happens that when it comes to hormones like Testosterone there are actually several different forms in a class of hormones called Adnrogens. Testosterone is right in the middle as far as potency and what we think of in cases like this, DHT is the strongest of the three, and then there is a little known hormone called Androstenedione which is the weakest of the bunch. A very common thing to occur in men, particularly in men who have blood sugar imbalances, or high levels of inflammation, is that the Androstenedione levels begin to rise. They rise so high in fact that they begin to outcompete Testosterone and DHT for the binding sites on the cells. Androstenedione being a weak cousin to Testosterone will then only offer a very weak Testosterone like experience vs. what a man is used to with the other more potent forms of the hormones. So for all intensive purposes this man will present with “low testosterone” symptoms. But if you recall, his testosterone was normal. So how then do you figure out his problem?

Well the answer is simple… You test for all of the sex hormones! An easy solution that unfortunately is not being done in the typical doctor’s office. If you run a complete hormone panel and find that the Androstenedione is high then you have to fix the Androstenedione. If you find that Testosterone is low then you find out why and fix that. If you find that Estrogen is high then you go after the Estrogen. All of these scenarios will make for a “low Testosterone” experience. And all may be given replacement hormones or erection producing pills without ever really understanding the mechanisms at hand. Is that good care? Let me just warn you now that if you take replacement Testosterone when your have otherwise normal levels of Testosterone then you are harming yourself! And coming off of the hormone will be really uncomfortable to say the least.

So this is what I do. I help people figure out the exact mechanism of what is going on in their bodies. I then offer step by step plans to get back on track without the use of heavy medications. Give me a call today, and don’t let where you live stop you. I do this kind of work all over the country by phone and email consultations. But until then, be happy, and be healthy. And don’t settle for less than you deserve.