Insulin Resistance - Calling Lindacarol

[want2bike]

Many people have a problem with gluten. Sugar is not a good thing. Here are a couple of articles explaining the problem.



http://www.arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/ ... sugar.html

[lyndacarol]

I seem to be bumping into the idea of gluten intolerance/celiac disease everywhere I turn lately. In a conversation about peripheral neuropathy, Annesse supplied the following link to work from the University of Chicago:

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchic ... tion.shtml


In pursuing links further, I thought this description of a neurological exam might be helpful to people who have asked what to expect and whether or not they should take a list of symptoms to the appointment:

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchic ... #bloodtest


But then, I read the following section on blood tests (I thought Jimmylegs would be especially pleased to see the mention about vitamin deficiencies; Cheerleader, to see vascular evaluation on the list; others, Lyme disease.) and, with recent reading, think it is important to request testing for "antibodies related to celiac"among the others when neuropathy is a symptom. I think this will make a good composite recommendation for blood tests… What other additions should there be? Insulin? Cpn? Others? Where is the logical location of this for newbies?


Blood tests

Blood tests are commonly employed to check for vitamin deficiencies, toxic elements and evidence of an abnormal immune response.
Depending on your individual situation, your doctor may request certain laboratory tests to identify potentially treatable causes for neuropathy. These include tests for:
Vitamin B12 and folate levels
Thyroid, liver and kidney functions
Vasculitis evaluation
Oral glucose tolerance test
Antibodies to nerve components (e.g., anti-MAG antibody)
Antibodies related to celiac disease
Lyme disease
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C and B



Edited 9/24/13: According to Dr. William Davis, the real problem in wheat is a new protein gliadin: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162- ... ctor-says/

I am unsure of the best place to post further information about celiac disease; since other links are listed here I have chosen this General Discussion thread.

I now strongly suspect that wheat/gluten sensitivity results in a reaction in which more zonulin than necessary is produced; the zonulin opens the tight junctions between the cells lining the intestines and excess insulin is allowed to leak from the intestines into the bloodstream – (Correction: the digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas enter the small intestine; the pancreatic hormones, of which insulin is one, enter the mesenteric blood vessels, specifically the portal vein. I think wheat gluten simply raises blood glucose and the insulin response.) . I believe excess insulin affects my muscles and blood vessels and is responsible for my MS symptoms.

Celiac disease is the extreme end of gluten sensitivity; this list from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center of 300 celiac symptoms contains "Multiple Sclerosis" specifically, and many other symptoms familiar to people with MS:

http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/wp-con ... omList.pdf


I find something for everyone in this list: @cheerleader: Cerebral Perfusion Abnormalities, Vasculitis of the Central Nervous System; @jimmylegs: Malabsorption of Nutrients; Magnesium, Low; Zinc, Low; @everyone else: I suspect you can find at least one entry of interest!

[lyndacarol]

Test for coeliacs came back negative.

Other test results (comments Jimmy Legs - please )

Uric acid - 0.37 mmol/L
Glucose (fasting) 5.0 mmol/L
Calcium - 2.41 mmol/L
B12 - 707pg/ml
Iron - 21umol/L
TSH - 1.6
25 Hydroxy Vit D - 167 nmol/L

I am curious to know exactly which tests for celiac disease were done – anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA)? anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA)? anti-tissue transglutaminase?

Or was endoscopy/biopsy done?

Or perhaps a video capsule endoscopy (VCE)? http://celiac.org/blog/2012/11/06/diagn ... diagnosis/

I have read that a person can be gluten sensitive even though he tests negatively for celiac disease – perhaps this is the case with you, mrbarlow. Maybe a test for intestinal permeability would be useful:

Intestinal Permeability Assessment – This test is administered by a healthcare professional, and it involves drinking a liquid solution of mannitol and lactulose. Urine is then collected over a 6-hour period. If high levels of both molecules are found, it indicates a leaky gut condition. If low levels of both molecules are found, it indicates general mal-absorption of all nutrients.

[mrbarlow]

Test for coeliacs came back negative.

Other test results (comments Jimmy Legs - please )

Uric acid - 0.37 mmol/L
Glucose (fasting) 5.0 mmol/L
Calcium - 2.41 mmol/L
B12 - 707pg/ml
Iron - 21umol/L
TSH - 1.6
25 Hydroxy Vit D - 167 nmol/L

I am curious to know exactly which tests for celiac disease were done – anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA)? anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA)? anti-tissue transglutaminase?

Or was endoscopy/biopsy done?

Or perhaps a video capsule endoscopy (VCE)? http://celiac.org/blog/2012/11/06/diagn ... diagnosis/

I have read that a person can be gluten sensitive even though he tests negatively for celiac disease – perhaps this is the case with you, mrbarlow. Maybe a test for intestinal permeability would be useful:

Intestinal Permeability Assessment – This test is administered by a healthcare professional, and it involves drinking a liquid solution of mannitol and lactulose. Urine is then collected over a 6-hour period. If high levels of both molecules are found, it indicates a leaky gut condition. If low levels of both molecules are found, it indicates general mal-absorption of all nutrients.

Those tests.


Without a doubt I have some form of sensitivity. If I have greek yoghurt and flax for breakfast I'll feel fine today. If I have museli I will struggle to stay awake this morning and have no concentration.

[jimmylegs]

heya your uric acid level looks really good.

ordinarily I would take the healthy ua status as an indication of good underlying zinc status. but, with inosine supplementation in your personal picture, we can't make that assumption. b12 and d3 also look good.

it would be great if you could get a serum zinc test done!

when I used to react badly to gluten I found out I was zinc deficient, fixed it, end of story!

pretty worthwhile thing to look into, especially since zinc status has so much to do with integrity of membranes (including intestinal) among others.

Zinc deficiency induces membrane barrier damage... (2008)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18716167
In this study, we questioned whether zinc deficiency affects the membrane function and junctional structure of intestinal epithelial cells, causing increased neutrophil migration. ... Zinc deprivation induced a decrease of transepithelial electrical resistance and alterations to tight and adherens junctions ... These results provide new information on the critical role played by dietary zinc in the maintenance of membrane barrier integrity and in controlling inflammatory cell infiltration.

[mrbarlow]

Thanks JL (and Lynda)

My daily supplementation with zinc is 15mg from MV and a 15mg zinc tablet.

[jimmylegs]

sounds like it should be enough.. what forms are in the multi and the other? are they balanced with copper at all?

at some point, tests for both serum zinc and serum copper would be good.

[mrbarlow]

2mg in the MV

[jimmylegs]

sounds like a good amount. are they both zinc citrate? is the copper as copper citrate or similar? (ie hopefully not cupric anything..)

[mrbarlow]

MV is cupric oxide and zinc oxide (Holland & Barrett iron free multivit)

The zinc is gluconate.

[jimmylegs]

hmm, not the best options unfortunately..