Candida and Gluten share a protein

[Guest guest]

Patty posted this over at GAPS. I thought it was fascinating so I am reposting!

http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index...ic=27679&st=45

" Now we come to what to me is the most interesting of the recent research

regarding celiac. It seems fitting that the research again comes from Holland ,

where celiac disease was first linked to diet. Dr. Nieuwenhuizen, from the

research group TNO Nutrition and Food Research, published a paper in the June,

2003, Lancet. He links celiac disease with Candida albicans.

Dr. Nieuwenhuizen, knowing the actual sequence of proteins which trigger celiac

disease from the published work of other scientists, had searched the databases

available to him through TNO to see if the same sequence existed in other

places. It turns out the identical sequence of proteins occur in the cell walls

of Candida albicans. [15]

These Candida gluten-like proteins turn out to be the yeast's

" hypha-specific surface protein " nicknamed Hwp1. This is the yeast's version of

Velcro and allows it to attach and hang onto the endomysium in the wall of the

intestine. It is also targeted by transglutaminase, the enzyme which acts on the

gluten protein and serves as a target for immune antibodies. Candida species

which don't have this Hwp1 protein can't attach themselves to the digestive

tract. [16]

If Candida can trigger the same chemical and immunological reactions as wheat

gluten do we can imagine a number of interesting implications. First, in people

with celiac disease, symptoms usually get better rapidly when they eliminate

gluten from their diet. This isn't always the case. Even without gluten some

people continue to have symptoms. They may have intestinal Candidiasis. The

Candida in their gut may be acting like gluten and continues triggering

symptoms.

Second, an acute Candida infection may trigger the onset of celiac disease. Even

if the Candida is treated and eliminated, the person could be left with a

permanent sensitivity to wheat gluten.

Candida infections occur frequently with antibiotic usage. In people

genetically susceptible to celiac, extra caution should be exercised when using

antibiotics to prevent Candida overgrowth.

Third, if wheat can cause neurological damage as in gluten ataxia, it is

reasonable to assume that Candida could also do so by the same process. Reports

of Candida infections causing neurological symptoms are not uncommon; now we

have a possible explanation.

Fourth, if only a small portion of the people with gluten ataxia have

gastrointestinal symptoms despite their severe damage elsewhere in their bodies,

it is reasonable to assume that Candida could stimulate significant problems

while producing slight or no digestive symptoms.