Zonulin – an important aid in the diagnosis of the “leaky gut syndrome”

The intestine of man has to accomplish many tasks. Until a few years ago it was assumed that he was solely responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Meanwhile, it is known, however, that it is beyond a lot more:

The intestine is also …

• An essential part of the immune system because it’s intestinal flora and its mucosa in the fight disease and foreign materials integrated.
• Nervous System and integrated in the is constantly in active exchange of information with the brain.
• For the immune system of meaning by signal send to regulate hunger, appetite, the release of digestive enzymes (eg. B. secretin, cholecystokinin) and the like, he determined about such signal substances and the mood of people with (via serotonin you can read more here).
• Involved in the recycling of sex hormones.
• Regulator of its own motion (peristalsis). According to the food intake, the bowel moves so that the digested food is moved therein. These movements are, however, not only depend on the intestine and its plexus but they are the so-called autonomic nervous system (parasympathetic and sympathetic) influenced.

If they contradict the tasks.

Here, the colon tasks has to solve, the mutually contradictory: On the one hand it is for example nutrients from our food as much as possible through the intestinal wall into the body record and so make it usable for the production of energy and as a building material for body tissues and organs. At the same time he is in front of harmful substances protect us who either arrive via the diet in the gut or there by fermentation or similar can form. These materials should not pass through the intestinal wall.

In order for the gut can make these contradictory things, he has a sophisticated system to transport mechanisms and protective barriers , which he himself regulates how it is needed. An important part of such barriers are the so-called “tight junctions”. They sit in the gaps between the intestinal cells and form fine but solid “bulges” of proteins, ranging around each cell. So the tiny gaps between the cells be sealed. But since it is sometimes important that something goes through the column, but the gut has the zonulin. It is the “master key” for all tight junctions and opens it if it is necessary. Here, the more zonulin there is, the more permeable the intestine.

Leaky-gut – hurts too much zonulin.

Now it may happen that too much zonulin is present and possible for a prolonged period. The consequences can be any coloring: The gaps between the intestinal cells remain open long. The gut is leaky and permeable: the Leaky gut syndrome! Permanently get substances in the body that would actually better excreted from the bowel. This applies to everything from the digested food in the gut, which can the cell gap happen:

• Bparticularly large molecules such as protein fragments from the digested food can be problematic in this way: On the immune system reacts with antibodies, so there can be food allergies.
• Through such processes, the body also forms from inflammation that is – the longer the condition persists the leaky-gut – intensify. Inflammation generate amplified radicals in the body and can thus harm the affected tissues.

Questionable: gliadin can increase zonulin.

Wheat and other gluten-Containing Grains are not well tolerated by many people. Nevertheless, Continues to hold tenaciously to the facts amounted whole grain cereal (products) are essential in a healthy diet. Meanwhile, a cause of poor compatibility is found: gliadin (a part of gluten) in the diet can increase the intestinal zonulin. This Means That Cereals Containing Gluten ahead wheat – can make long term the intestines full of holes. Even in healthy people, to increase of Zonulins after eating wheat is Observed. It is inconvenient for everyone to take a day to be wheat. If you already have trouble with gut, should if possible leave it.

Determine zonulin in the laboratory.

So zonulin become is in practice a valuable indicator for increased permeability of the intestine. He does an excellent service, both in diagnosis and in the course of therapy the leaky-gut syndrome and thus associated diseases.

Since it is known that zonulin is behind the increased permeability of the intestinal mucosa, is increasingly found that an increase of this regulator of “close links” in blood or stool samples an accompanying phenomenon of various serious diseases. Excessive zonulin levels were found, for example in patients with:

• Inflammatory diseases of the intestine
• Autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis (incl. Ankylosing spondylitis)
• Nervous system disorders such as schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis neuromyelitis optica (an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system with optic neuritis) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (neuritis with paralysis).

It can be assumed that this list is not complete long. Even asthma, allergies and certain operations in cancers appear with an increased zonulin and thus to be associated with an increased permeability of the intestine. Many good reasons to track an existing leaky gut syndrome by means of a laboratory investigation on zonulin and treat in time – before the leaky gut syndrome leads to worse.