Turns out, there are a few different methods in use by health professionals to assess the nature of our bacterial microflora. These are often used to assess whether or not an individual is suffering from a bacterial imbalance, such as the case with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).¹ Some methods have better results than others, so let’s look into a few of them.

Hydrogen Breath Test

The hydrogen breath test is a way of measuring the amount of hydrogen present in our breath when we breathe out. Keep in mind, hydrogen shouldn’t normally be in our breath, and this test operates on the assumption that the only hydrogen present is from the metabolism of carbohydrates by bacteria.² To perform this test, a person consumes various types of carbohydrates such as glucose, lactulose, and fructose, which are metabolized by bacteria in the mouth and, in the case of SIBO, in the small intestine. Fermentation (i.e. the process by which bacteria break down carbohydrates and sugars) releases hydrogen as a byproduct, which is passed into our respiratory system, breathed out, and measured.³

How accurate is it? Unfortunately, there are a few things that can affect the accuracy of the hydrogen breath test. First, not all bacteria in the body produce hydrogen, in which case they would be missed by the test. Second, disorders of carbohydrate metabolism such as celiac disease, can produce false positives. Bacteria in the mouth may also throw off the results. Having a digestive system that moves too slowly, such as food that takes a bit longer to empty from the stomach, can also contribute to inaccurate readings.²

Bacterial Culture of the Small Intestine

Obtaining a sample of bacteria from fluid in the small intestine is considered the “gold standard” of diagnostic tests. This is because the presence of bacteria in the small intestine is a compelling sign of gut bacteria imbalance and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. However, despite its reputation, research has been mixed when it comes to the accuracy of bacterial cultures.⁴

This procedure, known as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD, is performed by passing a long, flexible tube with a camera (an endoscope) through the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and into the small intestine. If you can picture this, great. If not, let me describe it in a little more detail.

During my dietetic internship to become a registered dietician, I spent the better part of a year working in various units in a hospital. During one of my stints, I had the esteemed opportunity to observe a day of endoscopic procedures. These included everyone’s favorite – the colonoscopy – and, at the other end of the pipe, the EGD. Sedatives are often used to help people relax during these procedures, and you can imagine why. For the EGD, the endoscope is passed through the mouth, over the tongue and into the oropharynx – around the neighborhood of the gag reflex – and into the esophagus and so on. If it sounds uncomfortable to you, that’s because it is.

The point is that despite bacterial cultures being considered the gold standard when testing for the presence of bacteria, invasive procedures are not something that you’ll see many people lining up for (at least not voluntarily). In other words, they’re not performed very frequently, and the research behind them is inconclusive.⁵

Taking a Stool Sample

The last type of assessment we’ll look at is the stool sample. While sampling of the bacteria in feces has commonly been used by health professionals and researchers to assess gut microflora, it has some limitations that make it less than ideal for creating an accurate snapshot of the bacterial makeup of the gut.⁶

One reason is that feces only contain a fraction of the millions of types of bacteria present in the gut. More importantly, feces consist predominantly of bacteria from the colon and rectum. Bacteria further upstream in the stomach and small intestine are not generally accounted for in the feces. Therefore, if a stool sample only represents a fraction of the total makeup of a person’s gut bacteria, it’s challenging to fashion a clear assessment of overall balance, good or bad.

Final Thoughts

Other than the hydrogen breath test, these methods are generally inaccessible or unrealistic for most people unless there’s something more serious at work. So if none of these are realistic options, what can you do? What’s available?

In my opinion, taking stock of your diet is the first step. Of course, if you are struggling with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s, or some other gastrointestinal condition, it’s prudent to consult your physician. But also take a good, hard look at your diet. Is it imbalanced? Is it overly inflammatory? Does it make you feel like crap?

Be mindful of foods that bother you. Try eliminating refined sugars and other processed and highly inflammatory foods and see if there’s a change. Take a stab at paleo or even a modified primal diet. And if you’re more proactive, taking a probiotic supplement or increasing your intake of fermented foods can potentially be a very beneficial step in the right direction.

Stay tuned for next time, when I’ll be addressing probiotics and their role in reestablishing balance to the microflora of the gut.

References:

1. Dukowicz AC, Lacy BE, Levine GM. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2007;3(2):112–122.

2. Simrén M, Stotzer P. Use and abuse of hydrogen breath tests. Gut. 2006;55(3):297–303.

3. Gasbarrini A, Corazza GR, Gasbarrini G, et al. Methodology and indications of H2-breath testing in gastrointestinal diseases: the Rome Consensus Conference. Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 2009;29 Suppl 1:1–49.

4. Khoshini R, Dai SC, Lezcano S, Pimentel M. A systematic review of diagnostic tests for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Digestive diseases and sciences. 2008;53(6):1443–1454.

5. Kerckhoffs APM, Visser MR, Samsom M, et al. Critical Evaluation of Diagnosing Bacterial Overgrowth in the Proximal Small Intestine. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 2008;42(10):1095–1102.

6. Zoetendal EG, Cheng B, Koike S, Mackie RI. Molecular microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract: from phylogeny to function. Current issues in intestinal microbiology. 2004;5(2):31–48.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How To Tell If Your Gut Bugs Are Out Of Whack appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

At a lecture the other night I was turned on to recent research highlighting the effects of our “Western” diet on the bacteria that live in our body. What caught my attention about this article were the specific effects of refined carbohydrates on those bacteria. The main idea of the article was that our gut microflora – i.e. the trillions of bacteria living in our bodies – can become imbalanced due to the emphasis of the Western diet on refined and/or processed foods – and can contribute to the development of diseases like obesity and diabetes.¹

It was in the 1970s that people began to fear fat. Perhaps, I thought, it’s no coincidence that around the same time we began to see a marked rise in the consumption of refined or processed foods (such as flour, sugar, and vegetable oils), we also saw a rise in obesity and diabetes. I decided it was time to take a closer look at the relationship between our body’s bacteria and refined carbohydrates.

Bacteria As an Organ?

The bacteria in our body – known in some circles as the microflora or microbiota – functions similarly to an organ, performing many functions while existing peacefully in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship within us. For example, bacteria in the colon produce energy in the form of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), make vitamin K, regulate the turnover of cells lining the intestine, and help protect against invading bacteria and pathogens.²

Think of our bacterial microflora as the middleman between what we eat – our diet – and our body. Since bacteria are first to come in contact with food, it makes sense that they are affected by our diet. When bacteria become imbalanced, inflammation is often the result. So, if our diet is subpar then we’re looking at a situation of probable system-wide inflammation.³

Call it paleo or primal eating style, but a diet free of refined grains, flour, sugar, and vegetable oils seems to support a healthy mixture of gut microflora. On the other hand, a typical Western diet – very high in calories from refined carbohydrates but low in overall nutrients – tends to have the opposite effect, contributing to an imbalance in gut bacteria that lends itself further downstream to the development of insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.¹

What’s Diet Got to Do With It?

If we have a state where the body’s own bacterial microflora is out of whack, and the bad bacteria are running the streets, we start to see an increased presence of a molecule called lipopolysaccharide (LPS), found on the cell surface of bacteria. These molecules trigger the body’s immune defenses, producing inflammation as the troops are mobilized and sent out on patrol.

Inflammation and insulin resistance are only a couple of the symptoms of a change in the gut microflora.⁴ Others are less obvious, such as an increased amount of energy derived from typically indigestible plant fibers. With a normal balance of gut bacteria, some plant fibers are digested to a certain point, producing SCFAs used for energy in the process. But with an imbalanced gut microflora more SCFAs are produced, leading to increased energy coming into the body. In layman’s terms, this means it’s easier to gain weight (a problem that many of us have probably experienced at one point or another).

Gain Weight No Matter How Little You Eat

If you come across clients who are overweight or obese and you discover their diets are high in refined carbohydrates, it’s probably safe to guess that their gut bacteria is making it easier for them to put on weight. For every ounce of food they eat or drink, more and more of that is being harvested for energy by an ever-growing gut flora that thrives on refined carbohydrates.⁵

Taking care of your gut bacterial microflora is important. It’s not just about following a particular diet so you can lose or gain weight. The implications of our nutritional choices are more significant than we may realize and could impact our long-term health. If we keep our bacteria microflora happy and thriving in a balanced environment, our health will be on the right track.

References:

1. Spreadbury I. Comparison with ancestral diets suggests dense acellular carbohydrates promote an inflammatory microbiota, and may be the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2012;5:175–189.

2. Guarner F, Malagelada J-R. Gut flora in health and disease. The Lancet. 2003;361(9356):512–519.

3. Burcelin R. Regulation of Metabolism: A Cross Talk Between Gut Microbiota and Its Human Host. Physiology. 2012;27(5):300–307.

4. Musso G, Gambino R, Cassader M. Obesity, Diabetes, and Gut Microbiota The hygiene hypothesis expanded? Dia Care. 2010;33(10):2277–2284.

5. Turnbaugh PJ, Ley RE, Mahowald MA, Magrini V, Mardis ER, Gordon JI. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. Nature. 2006;444(7122):1027–131.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Gut Bacteria and Obesity – A Hidden Connection? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Identify Your Goals

Nutrition as a science is so broad that when people become interested in it they generally want to learn as much as possible about everything having to do with food and how it interacts with the body. Unsurprisingly, as they dig deeper into complex physiological processes and experiment with various diets, nutrition can become an all-encompassing pursuit.

Needless to say, people get interested in nutrition for a variety of reasons. Some want to lose weight while others are looking to gain muscle, manage diabetes, reduce cholesterol, improve performance in a particular sport, or perhaps figure out what the heck “paleo” means. Within the realm of nutrition, these are all realistic goals that will affect the type of coach you seek.

Here are some things to consider when you’re in the market for a nutrition coach:

Credentials and Experience

Due to the fact there are many different nutrition credentials and certifications in use today, it can be very challenging to assess the quality of a coach’s education and experience. Keep in mind that anyone can be called a nutritionist or nutrition coach. It’s not a title controlled by law or regulation, and a license to practice is generally not required.

Nutrition as a health science exists in the world in a variety of forms, and many health professionals with varying degrees of license and experience are providing nutrition services. The fact of the matter is, the credential doesn’t necessarily make the coach. Here are a few examples of the more common health professions that offer nutrition coaching services:

Registered Dietitian (RD) – A registered dietitian completes four years of college, does a yearlong internship similar in format to medical residency, and must pass a rigorous national licensing exam. RDs are trained extensively in medical nutrition therapy, providing nutrition support for disease management in a variety of hospital and outpatient settings. Some may also have specializations, such as sports dietitians with the Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) credential who work primarily with athletes, as well as dietitians who are Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) and work with diabetic individuals.

Physician (Doctor, Osteopath, Naturopath, Chiropractor) – Historically, physicians of the MD variety have had limited training in nutrition. Thankfully, times are changing and many newer physicians are becoming increasingly fluent in nutrition science and the application of nutrition therapy for chronic disease management and preventative care.

Other Nutritionists (PN, NTP, CISSN, CNS, CCN, ACBN*) and Researchers (MS, PhD) – As I mentioned earlier, being a good nutrition coach is not just about the credential or certificate. Individuals not only have their choice of a variety of independent certifications, but may also choose to pursue advanced degrees in nutrition. Unfortunately, neither of these is completely indicative of a person’s ability to provide quality nutrition services to individuals in a safe and effective manner. As always, look beyond the initials following the name and research the coach’s experience and reputation.

Coaching Style

Similar to other fitness disciplines, nutrition coaches use a variety of approaches and coaching styles. These include having clients track calories and food intake with a food journal, practice learning portion sizes, and read nutrient labels. Some coaches give very detailed instruction and emphasize specific numbers and goals, while others opt for a more generalized and habit-based approach.

Counseling Skills

The best nutrition coaches are also excellent counselors. Food can be a tricky subject. It’s often very personal, and can be connected to other issues such as self-image, depression, eating disorders, and addiction. Having a nutrition coach with skills in this area is immensely helpful.

Philosophy

It’s important to determine the coach’s philosophy and whether or not it matches your own. Are they open-minded when it comes to nutrition? Do they keep up with current trends and research? Good nutrition coaches should have an evidence-based approach, continually pushing themselves to learn and advance their own knowledge. At the same time, they shouldn’t be prone to dismissing any new approach outright, but instead be able to objectively judge it on past experience and supporting research. These are good criteria to keep in mind when researching your coach.

Rapport

Finally, the make or break component of finding the right nutrition coach is whether or not you feel there’s a good rapport. For instance, I have been told that it’s nerve-racking to consult a dietitian like myself, thinking I might behave like the food police. I calm such fears right away by saying, “I’m not here to judge what you eat. In fact, I’m probably the most liberal dietitian you’ll ever meet. I’m more concerned with getting you from point A to point B, and seeing how we can fit your diet and lifestyle so they support that journey.” Having the ability to connect with a coach is extremely important to the success of the whole process. Don’t hesitate to switch if it doesn’t feel like a good fit. Remember, this is about finding the right coach for you.

Reputation

These days, with the prevalence of blogs and social media, it’s not too difficult to get a feel for the reputation of a nutrition coach. In addition, any work they have produced, written or otherwise, will help you make a more educated decision about whether or not they would be a good match for you.

Don’t hesitate to inquire about clients the coach has worked with. What do typical results look like? Have clients been satisfied? Have they written any testimonials? These are good questions to have in mind when doing your research.

Ultimately, it comes down to what your particular goals are and being able to match them to a nutrition coach with expertise in that area. Remember, credentials, education, and experience are important, but equally so are coaching style, philosophy, and rapport.

Questions to Consider:

• What are your goals?
• How will the coach approach implementing nutrition changes within your current lifestyle?
• Does the coach offer an initial consultation to get a feel for the types of services available?
• What is the coach’s background?
• What led them to become a nutrition coach?
• What is their area of expertise?

*Nutrition Certifications

PN = Precision Nutrition

NTP = Nutrition Therapy Practitioner

CISSN = Certified Sports Nutritionist

CNS = Certified Nutrition Specialist

CCN = Certified Clinical Nutritionist

ACBN = American Clinical Board of Nutrition

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Choose the Right Nutrition Coach For You appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Peter’s Strength Training Holiday Wish List

1.Black Widow Training Gear Farmers Walk Handles – $115.00 

In my garage gym I filled some plastic jugs with sand to do farmers walks and suitcase carries, but these have always been on my list. Who doesn’t want to walk around with really heavy stuff in their hands?

2. Eleiko 190kg Bumper Plate Set – $4,129.00 

The gold standard in Olympic Weightlifting, these bad boys would be a dream to have. No more banging steel plates on the ground.

3. Pendlay Nexgen 20kg Bearing Bar – $559.00 

To go along with my Eleiko bumper plate set, I would need to have a really top-notch bar. The spin on this Nexgen is amazing.

4. Black Widow Training Gear Swiss Bar – $170.00 

The possibilities are endless with this awesome-looking bar. You can bench all you want without banging up your wrists, do bent-over barbell rows, overhead presses, etc. I could go on and on. Plus, it just looks cool.

5. Dragon Door Kettlebells, 16kg-48kg – $939.10

Kettlebells are something I don’t use as frequently as I’d like. These would be a great set to get started with. Besides, what’s cooler than a Turkish get up?

6. Warrior Whey Protein Powder 6-Pack – $124.75

Let’s face it, there are a lot of terrible whey protein powders out there. Although a bit on the expensive side, good quality whey like this is worth every penny. My favorite flavor is chocolate.

7. MiR Pro 120lbs Weight Vest – $329.99

As much as I love Olympic lifting and all things barbell, I’m also a big fan of bodyweight training. Having a good weighted vest would allow me to take things up a notch.

8. Vulcan III Squat Rack – $519.00

This is my favorite style of squat rack, and they are practically indestructible. No joke, these things can add 10 kilos to your squat.

9. Traeger Grill & Smoker – $699.99

Summer is my favorite time of year, due in large part to the fact that it’s barbeque season. Whether you’re grilling steak, chicken, fish, sweet potatoes, or onions, this thing does it all.

10. Weekly massage for a year – $4,000-5,000?

Years of being active, throwing weights around, and spending a lot of time working on a computer will leave you begging for some TLC. This would be priceless.

Keep an eye out for our other holiday wish lists:

Sally’s MMA Holiday Wish List

Chris Duffin’s Powerlifting Holiday Wish List

Eric Stevens’s Holiday Wish List

Val Worthington’s Holiday Wish List

Becca’s Healthy Eating Holiday Wish List

Sally’s BJJ Holiday Wish List

Nicole’s Fit Mom Holiday Wish List

Hannah’s Holiday Wish List

Danette’s Athlete-Foodie-Mom Wish List

Andrew’s Hardstyle Holiday Wish List

Nick Horton’s Weightlifting Is Fun Holiday Wish List

Mindith’s Strong Mom Holiday Wish List

Greg Everett Needs Your Help Holiday Wish List

The post Peter’s Strength Training Holiday Wish List appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It’s that time of year again. The start of 2013 looms just around the corner, and with it comes the usual flood of New Year’s resolutions. We’ve all been here before, trying to kick start a new change for the new year. Unfortunately, many of us fail to make those changes stick and end up falling back on old habits.

If I had to pick just one book on creating effective and lasting change, it would be Switch, by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. This book blew me away, not just because it has a clear message and an organized layout, but also because it offers the reader a clear-cut framework to begin creating change within their own business immediately.

When Change Is Hard

“Change is hard because people wear themselves out. … What looks like laziness is often exhaustion.” At its heart, the book Switch is about changing things for the better, whether it’s within an individual, an organization, or even an entire culture. Where the Heath brothers really shine is in illustrating through stories and real-world examples how to systematically go about creating change.

Borrowing from psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s book The Happiness Hypothesis, the Heath brothers describe a duality within each of us comprised of an emotional elephant and a rational rider. This duo is responsible for our ability to make decisions, react to our surroundings, and create change. Although we may initially assume the rider is in total control, seeing as how he sits atop the elephant with reins in hand, this is not always the case. To the Heath brothers, successful change comes down to three basic tasks: directing the rider, motivating the elephant, and shaping the path (i.e. the environment).

Directing the Rider

The rider directs the elephant, but the path is not always clear. To help enhance the rider’s vision, the Heath brothers recommend seeking out individuals or situations (which they dub “bright spots”) where change has been created successfully.

This resonated with me. Isn’t it interesting how we tend to fixate on what’s going wrong rather than focus on what’s actually working well? The Heath brothers take this a step further. Not only must the rider be led down the right path, the directions must be specific and attainable. “If you want people to change, you must provide crystal-clear direction,” they explain.

Motivating the Elephant

In reality, the rider is no match for the elephant. He’s just too small in comparison. Think back to the last time you tried to make a major change and failed. Were you feeling overly rational and logical, or were your emotions running amok? The Heath brothers emphasize that the elephant and the rider must work together to move in the same direction. “A reluctant Elephant and a wheel-spinning Rider can both ensure that nothing changes. But when Elephants and Riders move together, change can come easily.”

It’s a sure bet many coaches have come across clients with generic, non-specific goals like wanting to be “healthy,” or “lose weight,” or “tone up.” These are rider goals. Engage the elephant by asking your client to elaborate, perhaps with the question “what does this mean to YOU?” This forms the basis for meaningful change, something Chip and Dan Heath go out of their way to make sure we understand.

Shaping the Path

Like the rider and the elephant, the environment also plays a critical role in Switch. Here the Heath brothers refer to it as the path, which must be shaped in order to facilitate the journey of the rider and elephant. It makes sense, when you consider the effect our environment and surroundings can have on our everyday decisions and ability to create change. Without shaping the path, the rider and elephant could find themselves walking in circles, distracted and lost. Wrote the Heath brothers,“When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what’s happening with the Rider and Elephant.”

Overall Impressions

Chip and Dan Heath do an outstanding job of transforming a hefty amount of behavioral psychology into succinct and actionable steps that coaches can put into practice with their own clients immediately. They include real-life examples of change and research to support their ideas.

To their credit, there’s never a moment in this book where you lose sight of the overall message. Chapters flow smoothly from one section to the next, staying connected with the overarching theme the entire time. In my opinion, this book not only contains great content, but is also very well-written.

In the end, it’s difficult to do this book justice in a short review. If you want to improve the success you have with clients (no matter what their circumstances) or even create meaningful change in your own life, you’d do well to check out this book.

“Switch” is available at Amazon.com for $17.16.

The post Book Review: “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

It turns out that phytic acid is found predominantly (about 80% of it) in the bran, or outermost shell, of whole grains. In legumes and seeds, phytic acid resides almost entirely in the endosperm.¹ This is significant when you consider that most whole grain and high-fiber food products include all of the phytic acid, while processed or refined grains have it removed entirely.

The problem is these foods, considered healthy and nutritious by many, are getting a bad reputation based on their phytic acid content. This is due to phytic acid’s ability to bind to essential minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium in the digestive tract and inhibit their absorption by the body.^1,2

What’s the Big Deal?

Where this is most detrimental is in developing countries that rely heavily on grains and legumes to provide the majority of people’s nutrient needs. In this context, when individuals are already hard-pressed to get all the nutrients they need, phytic acid can make already low nutrient bioavailability and mineral deficiency worse. This is especially true with iron and zinc (and to a lesser extent calcium and magnesium).

However, in developed countries without the same limitations in the food supply, the severity of phytic acid’s effect on overall health tends to be a bit exaggerated. That means for those of us living in the United States, the threat of significant nutrient deficiency, as related to phytic acid, is not as imminent as we might think. That being said, there are certainly arguments to be made for increasing mineral and nutrient intake in certain populations such as vegetarians, vegans, and children.

Despite being somewhat demonized for its ability to reduce mineral absorption, phytic acid actually has some potentially beneficial properties.

Antioxidant

Phytic acid can act as an antioxidant, particularly in regards to iron.^3-5 It is known that iron can behave as a free radical, contributing to oxidative stress in the body. In this context, phytic acid’s ability to sequester and trap iron is beneficial. In fact, it does such a good job of binding to iron that it can effectively neutralize any free radical.

Keep in mind that oxidation in the body is a normal day-to-day activity but it can get out of hand, especially when the body is under stress, which includes rigorous exercise. In this case it may be a good thing to have phytic acid around to protect cells that might otherwise be at risk for excessive oxidative damage.

Anti-Cancer

In addition to acting as an antioxidant, phytic acid also has been shown to exhibit some anti-cancer properties.^6-10 Though research in humans is a bit scarce, there have been several studies demonstrating the potential positive effects of phytic acid in fighting cancerous tumor cells. This may partially explain why high-fiber diets tend to be associated with reducing colon cancer risk.

Cholesterol and Blood Sugar

Finally, phytic acid has shown some capacity to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, and positively impact the glycemic response of certain foods.^11-13 In some cases, phytic acid seems to have an ability to slow down a potential blood sugar spike following the ingestion of certain high-carbohydrate foods. Again, this may explain why high-fiber foods have been associated with improved blood sugar control.

Finding a Solution

Now here’s the catch. The potential benefits of phytic acid occur in instances with high dietary phytic acid intake. However, a high intake has also been associated with reduced mineral absorption. So, in order for us to get the best of both worlds (if such a thing is possible) it’s important to discover some ways in which we can minimize the negative effects while maximizing the beneficial effects.

One way we can do this (specifically in regards to iron) is by incorporating more vitamin C (ascorbic acid) into our diet. These two work well together, with vitamin C placing iron in a chemical state that is more readily absorbed by the body.¹⁴

Preparation methods such as soaking, germinating, or fermenting can be very effective in reducing the amount phytic acid present in foods. Some methods are better for different foods. In the case of nuts and legumes, soaking and germinating are most successful, but for grains and cereals, all three are effective.

Another way to maximize benefit of phytic acid is to simply increase the consumption of foods rich in iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium that are naturally low in phytic acid. For example, consider eating more animal-based proteins. Understandably, this can be challenging for vegetarians and vegans and may warrant the inclusion of a vitamin and mineral supplement.

One last strategy is to focus more on meal timing. In other words, eat foods that contain phytic acid separately from foods that are richer in minerals. From a practical standpoint, one could accomplish this by eating meals of protein and fat separate from meals of carbohydrate and fat.

The Bottom Line

Phytic acid can bind to minerals in the digestive tract and make them less available to the body. However, this is most problematic in areas of the world with already-established nutrient and mineral deficiency that rely primarily on foods containing high amounts of phytic acid.

On the plus side, phytic acid can act as antioxidant, exhibits anti-cancer properties, and may have a positive impact on cholesterol and blood sugar. Preparation methods can reduce the phytic acid content in food, as well as adjusting meal times and food choices.

Closing Thoughts

One of the easiest mistakes to make in the world of nutrition is to assume that any nutrient or substance behaves in just one way, whether it’s good or bad. Truth is, the body is much more unique and complex than we can truly understand, and stuff we eat tends to have many different functions once it’s inside of us. Every person, though sharing similar nutrient needs, is going to respond differently and accommodate foods, such as those containing phytic acid, more or less easily than others. Keep an open mind, think critically, and don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees.

References:

1. Schlemmer U, Frølich W, Prieto RM, Grases F. Phytate in foods and significance for humans: Food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 2009;53(S2):S330–S375.

2. Gibson RS, Bailey KB, Gibbs M, Ferguson EL. A review of phytate, iron, zinc, and calcium concentrations in plant-based complementary foods used in low-income countries and implications for bioavailability. Food Nutr Bull. 2010;31(2 Suppl):S134–146.

3. Graf E, Empson KL, Eaton JW. Phytic acid. A natural antioxidant. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1987;262(24):11647–11650.

4. Hawkins PT, Poyner DR, Jackson TR, et al. Inhibition of iron-catalysed hydroxyl radical formation by inositol polyphosphates: a possible physiological function for myo-inositol hexakisphosphate. Biochemical Journal. 1993;294(Pt 3):929.

5. Phillippy BQ, Graf E. Antioxidant functions of inositol 1,2,3-trisphosphate and inositol 1,2,3,6-tetrakisphosphate. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 1997;22(6):939–946.

6. Shamsuddin AM. Anti-cancer function of phytic acid. International Journal of Food Science & Technology. 2002;37(7):769–782.

7. Shamsuddin AM, Vucenik I, Cole KE. IP6: a novel anti-cancer agent. Life Sci. 1997;61(4):343–354.

8. Shamsuddin AM. Inositol phosphates have novel anticancer function. J. Nutr. 1995;125(3 Suppl):725S–732S.

9. Vucenik I, Shamsuddin AM. Cancer inhibition by inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) and inositol: from laboratory to clinic. J. Nutr. 2003;133(11 Suppl 1):3778S–3784S.

10. Vucenik I, Shamsuddin AM. Protection Against Cancer by Dietary IP6 and Inositol. Nutrition and Cancer. 2006;55(2):109–125.

11. Thompson LU, Button CL, Jenkins DJ. Phytic acid and calcium affect the in vitro rate of navy bean starch digestion and blood glucose response in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987;46(3):467–473.

12. Lee SH, Park HJ, Chun HK, et al. Dietary phytic acid lowers the blood glucose level in diabetic KK mice. Nutrition research. 2006;26(9):474–479.

13. Lee SH, Park HJ, Chun HK, et al. Dietary phytic acid improves serum and hepatic lipid levels in aged ICR mice fed a high-cholesterol diet. Nutrition research. 2007;27(8):505–510.

14. Hummers Jr WS, Offeman RE. Iron absorption in man: ascorbic acid and dose-dependent inhibition by phytate. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 1958;80(6):1339–1339.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Within the Paleo framework, saponins, along with lectins and prolamins like gliadin, are considered toxic anti-nutrients that are best removed from the diet. Robb Wolf, in The Paleo Solution, frankly recommends people avoid eating foods that contain saponins, explaining that they “…punch holes in the membranes of microvilli cells…” He goes on to say saponins are “so irritating to the immune system that they are used in vaccine research to help the body mount a powerful immune response.”

Microvilli are the absorptive cells of the small intestine, and form the basis for the larger issue of increased intestinal permeability, or the weakening in the cellular barrier that prevents unwanted substances (such as bacteria and other toxins) from passing through the gut into the bloodstream. Intestinal permeability is usually a tightly-controlled affair. In my gluten article I discussed how increased intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut,” can contribute to more serious conditions like depression, diabetes, and heart disease.

Varieties of Saponins

Saponins are found in a variety of plant sources, from legumes (including beans, peanuts, and soy), to nightshade vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes, seeds such as quinoa and the herb ginseng, as well as other non-food substances such as Quillaja saponaria, a type of tree bark used predominantly in vaccine research.

Along with Quillaja saponaria, another commercial source of saponins is Yuccaschidigera. Yucca and quillaja extracts are used in beverages such as soda to produce a foamy head. In addition, based on their surfactant properties, the Linus Pauling Instititute explains they “are used industrially in mining and ore separation, in preparation of emulsions for photographic films, and extensively in cosmetics, such as lipstick and shampoo.”

Saponin Chemistry

Saponins are soap-like substances characterized by their ability to create foam in water. This ability to behave like a detergent is due to their chemical structure, with one end binding easily to water and the other to cholesterol and fat. Similar to how an emulsifier acts when you shake up a bottle of salad dressing, this ability to bridge between two polar opposite types of molecules (e.g. oil and water), enables saponins to interact very easily with the molecules on the surfaces of cell membranes.

Saponins’ amphiphilic structure allows them to latch on to cholesterol molecules attached to the surface of intestinal cells. Once they attach, they stimulate a reaction that creates pores in the cell surface, producing increased permeability (i.e. leaky gut) and allowing substances to enter the bloodstream.

Sorting the Good From the Bad

Much of the vaccine research that utilized saponins derived them from Quillaja saponaria tree bark to create adjuvants (substances used to enhance an immune response). When injected in vitro or into the bloodstream in animal models, these saponins have been shown to cause the destruction of red blood cells.

However, other saponins, such as those found in soy, do not seem to exert the same harmful effects. This certainly makes sense when you consider we don’t inject soybeans into our veins, but rather allow them to take the normal route through our digestive system. In fact, one research review concluded (in regards to soy saponins versus non-food saponins) that “most of the available data indicate that these compounds are very poorly absorbed following oral administration to animals and humans.”

At the same time, not all saponins are created equal. Some have exhibited anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating characteristics as well as antimicrobial properties towards some fungi and bacteria. Other varieties have demonstrated cholesterol-lowering effects. Saponins bind to cholesterol and bile acids in the digestive tract and assist in their elimination from the body. In the end, despite their reputation as evil “gut-punchers,” saponins as a whole are quite a bit more complex.

Closing Thoughts

Without a doubt, more research is needed to nail down the function of saponins, especially in regards to their function within the human digestive tract. As one early review put it, “The results indicate that some saponins readily increase the permeability of the small intestinal mucosal cells, thereby inhibiting active nutrient transport, and facilitating the uptake of materials to which the gut would normally be impermeable.”

What Can You Do?

Avoiding foods such as legumes, peanuts, soy, potatoes, and even quinoa will help greatly reduce the amount of saponins in your diet. However, due to their inclusion in many non-food products, it may be difficult to completely eliminate them. In addition, although research remains inconclusive regarding the negative effects of saponins on humans, it may be sensible to err on the safe side and limit your exposure.

References:

1. Podolak, Irma, Galanty, Agnieszka, and Sobolewska, Danuta. Saponins as cytotoxic agents: a review. Phytochemistry Reviews. 2010 Sep; (9)2: 425-474.

2. Francis G, Kerem Z, Makkar HPS, and Becker K. The biological action of saponins in animal systems: a review. British Journal of Nutrition. 2002;88(6):587–605.

3. Johnson IT, Gee JM, Price K, Curl C, and Fenwick GR. Influence of saponins on gut permeability and active nutrient transport in vitro. J Nutr. 1986 Nov;116(11):2270-7.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Here are some paleo “meal hacks” to help you out.

Though still in its relative infancy, the paleo diet has been utilized by a ton of people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, despite the built-in simplicity and effectiveness, it can sometimes be challenging to find foods and meals that fit neatly within the paleo framework.

Here are some paleo “meal hacks” to help you out.

1. Fajitas → Fajita Salad

One of my favorite meals, fajitas generally include some type of grilled meat (beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.), sautéed peppers and onions, and a hefty dose of Mexican spices served on flour or corn tortillas. Delicious!

Now, depending on your own particular stance in the paleo-sphere, the tortillas could be a deal-breaker (especially if you don’t get down with corn). However, never fear. You can easily put a paleo spin on these by replacing the tortillas with spinach to make a fajita salad.

The benefit: Not only does this cut out the grains, the gluten, and, for better or worse, a chunk of the carbohydrates, but spinach brings a healthy return on investment by supplying folate, vitamin K, potassium, and vitamin C (nutrients that, unfortunately, many of us may not be getting enough of).

How to prepare: Get the fajitas going in usual fashion with sautéed veggies, spices aplenty, and your meat of choice. Place all ingredients atop a generous plateful of spinach, and then add salsa and any additional toppings you desire. As a side note, if you’re not a strict paleo, you can always add black refried beans and some Greek yogurt to accompany the salsa. It’s amazing.

2. Burrito → Veggie Wrap

For all manner of foods packing a combined protein/carb/fat punch, look no further than the all-hallowed burrito. Extremely versatile and satisfying, the burrito is hard to beat.

However, in order to bring in this into the paleo world, we have to remove the tortilla (and the beans if you abstain from legumes). However, with some slight modifications we can take this up a notch by transforming our burrito into a wrap with either Swiss chard or collard greens.

The benefit: From a nutritional point of view, both Swiss chard and collard greenspack a punch. Like spinach, they supply vitamins A, C, and K, plus folate, iron, potassium, and fiber. In addition, both Swiss chard and collard greens have large, semi-rigid leaves. Not only do they serve as durable substitutes for a piece of bread or tortilla, but help add a satisfying crispness and crunch to any meal.

How to prepare: Wash and pat dry a couple leaves and lay them out flat. Fill with your preference of meat or meat-substitute (my favorites are tuna fish or chicken), along with any vegetables, toppings, sauces or other spreads, and simply fold up burrito-style and enjoy. Easy enough, right? As a side note, I tend to leave the stems intact, and just tuck them in as I’m wrapping the entire thing together. This adds a nice, overall crunch to the bite.

3. Potato Chips → Kale Chips

Oh potato chips, how I love thee. Salty, crunchy, and delicious though they may be, they tend to add little else in terms of nutritional awesomeness. Enter the kale chip. Salty? Check. Crunchy? Check. Delicious? Check. And nutritious? Heck yeah, baby!

The benefit: Brining it home in similar fashion to spinach, Swiss chard, and collard greens, kale excels in the department of nutrient density by delivering the usual suspects, vitamins A, C, and K, and a boatload of anti-inflammatory flavonoids.

How to prepare: These are a super-cinch to make. All you need is extra virgin olive oil, salt, and an oven. Check it out here.

4. “Mashed” Cauliflower → Sautéed Cauliflower

You’ve heard of substituting mashed or pureed cauliflower for mashed potatoes, right? Don’t get me wrong, I really have nothing against potatoes, but if I’m going to have cauliflower I usually prefer it sautéed.

The benefit: Unless you’ve spent some time developing a taste for cauliflower, the benefits of this awesome cruciferous vegetable may be unknown to you. Similar to its cousin, broccoli, cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C (seeing a trend here, yet?) as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants. It’s also one of the best foods for supporting your body’s detoxification systems. As an added bonus, sautéing cauliflower preserves more nutrients than does boiling. However, let me offer a word of caution. Cruciferous veggies are known to cause some unruly gas if you’re not used to eating them. So, a word to the wise, start small and work your way up.

How to prepare: Chop up the cauliflower into individual or half-sized florets. Sauté on high heat with oil of your choice, onions, and garlic. As the pan begins to sizzle, add in the juice from a half of a lime. Sauté for 5 minutes, sprinkling in salt and pepper to taste, and after a couple minutes add the juice from the remaining half of lime. After the cauliflower has softened a bit (usually around the 5 minute mark), remove from the heat, place in a mixing bowl, toss with Parmesan cheese (the magic ingredient for this recipe, though I know some of you are abstaining from dairy), additional salt and pepper if needed, and a dash of red chili flakes to give it a kick. Enjoy!

5. Oatmeal → Quinoa

If you’re like me and breakfast is your thing, chances are good that at some point you’ve included a bowl of oatmeal in the mix. If you want to find a suitable alternative that will still give you the texture and mouth feel of oatmeal, try quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”).

The benefit: Although supplying about twice the number of calories, quinoa is a complete protein, bringing to the table more essential amino acids than oats and is a great source of manganese and the flavonoid quercetin. Quinoa also has a faint, nutty flavor that pairs well with cinnamon and a preferred sweetener to bring your morning to life.

How to prepare: On the stovetop, bring a pot containing one cup of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and pour in a ½ cup of uncooked quinoa. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Once all the water has been absorbed, remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for approximately five minutes. When ready, scoop the quinoa into a bowl, garnish with any of your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

References:

1. AllRecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/

2. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18187018/

3. Oregon State LPI: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/publications/research-newsletter

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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My name is Laura and I’m 32. I CrossFit three times a week in the evenings, spin two times a week in the morning, and usually do some Pilates on a Sunday.

I am not sure how paleo my diet is, but I have breakfast with eggs, some fruit and a coffee; lunch with meat, vegetables, and sweet potatoes; and then I get into a lot of confusion as to what to eat pre- and post- CrossFit sessions.

So far I have had half my dinner consisting of fish or meat with vegetables an hour before CrossFit and then a straight post workout shake and the other half of my meal on my return back home, after about 45 minutes.My overall appetite has increased so sometimes for dinner, post CrossFit, I have gluten free oats cooked with water as well.

My goal is to get lean, lose fat and body weight, and increase lean muscle, but I find it really hard when comes nutrition time. Can I have some guidance on what to eat to reach my goal ?I currently weigh 64kg and would like to be below 60 with more lean mass than now.

Thanks,

Confused By Food

Dear Confused By Food,

Great question. It can be tricky to know exactly what to eat around your workouts, so let’s get started.

First, for you to lean down to 60kg or below, you’ll need to decrease your overall daily calories. Now, without knowing your body fat percentage, it’s difficult to estimate your daily calorie requirements. However, if you can find that out at your CrossFit gym, great. Then go here to use John Romaniello’s calorie calculator.

In order to drop your calories while maintaining enough energy for CrossFit, we need to look at adjusting what you’re eating around your workouts. It looks like you’re getting carbohydrates during breakfast and lunch as well as post-workout (I’m assuming your post-workout shake contains carbs) and dinner.

One suggestion would be to swap your lunch meal with your pre-workout meal (perhaps minus the veggies). The reason for this is that sweet potatoes can be a great pre-workout nutrient and, when eaten with some form of protein, can make it less important to have a post-workout shake immediately afterwards.

The only consideration is that you may have to give yourself a little more time between that pre-workout meal and the workout itself. But, in doing so you’ll be able to cut out some calories without the risk of short-changing your recovery. This is especially true since you’re eating dinner only 45 minutes after finishing your workout.

Of course, if you really enjoy having a post-workout shake, try reducing the amount of carbs in it and keep the protein. In addition, feel free to have some carbs (e.g. the gluten-free oats that you mentioned) with your protein at dinner. This will do a great job of helping your muscles recover for the next workout.

If you like seeing specific numbers, here are some guidelines (courtesy of Alan Aragon):

Pre-workout (60-120 minutes):

• Solid meal (i.e. NOT liquid) containing carbs and protein
• Carbohydrates – 0.44g/kg target body weight
• Protein – 0.44g/kg target body weight

For example, at your target body weight of 60kg, this would equal:

• 26-33 grams carbohydrate
• 26-33 grams protein

Post-workout (within 60 minutes):

• Solid or liquid meal containing carbs and protein
• Carbohydrates – 0.44g/kg target body weight
• Protein – 0.44g/kg target body weight

Note: Including fat in any your meals is optional and at your discretion based on your overall daily calorie goals and personal preference. Some people don’t feel as good when they eat foods containing fat before a workout, but it’s up to you. You’ll still want to include them at some point during the day, but they may be best for breakfast, lunch, or dinner following your workout.

Hopefully that helps. Please feel free to contact us with any other questions!

Coach Peter Curcio

(Click here for articles by Coach Peter)

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Once I arrived back at my apartment, my post-workout meal consisted of a can of tuna fish and a can of green beans. EVERY DAY. For three months. The result? I lost 50 pounds. No big deal.

To this day I have no idea what I used to eat before my workouts, only that when I got home it was a can of tuna and a can of green beans. Considering the ungodly early hour, I would imagine that I trained fasted (how innovative, right?). I had unknowingly established a perfect storm for fat-burning, muscle-building mayhem. In other words, I had dialed in my nutrient timing.

Nutrient Timing: Pre- and Post-Workout Shenanigans

Like many, I was confused about what to eat before and after my workouts. I tried protein shakes, and even once made the mistake of eating a whole plate of pasta an hour before lifting (bad idea). I was completely ignorant of the intricacies of carbohydrate and protein metabolism, but tuna and green beans turned out to be an effective system. Obviously, I was doing some other things right in the diet department, like reducing my overall daily calories, but by incorporating protein after my workout I was also supporting muscle growth.

Are you like I was – a bit confused about what to eat before and after a workout? Are you frustrated by conflicting information regarding what and when to eat? Read on for some best practices when it comes to fueling your body before and after training.

What you may have heard:

• It’s important to eat immediately after you work out (and certainly within an hour).
• You must eat protein and carbohydrates before and after or suffer the consequences.

What’s really going on:

The immediacy of the post-workout window is only essential if you’re an endurance athlete (and/or are an athlete training several times per day). If that’s you, then carbohydrates are your friend. On other hand, for those of us engaging in more resistance-based training, it’s most important to make sure that by the end of the day we’ve consumed our total allotted amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fat, rather than worry as much about what exactly we get before and after a workout.

In addition, much of what we eat before and after (during, even) will be determined first by our own personal preference, food tolerance, and experience, and second by our athletic or aesthetic goals.

Keep in mind that the primary goals of pre- and post-workout nutrition are to:

• Enhance athletic performance (i.e. improve stamina, mental focus, and physical power).
• Positively affect body composition (e.g. assist in recovery for building muscle, minimizing muscle damage, losing weight).

Here’s the rub: Remember, pre- and post-workout nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. It can vary depending on the particular type of activity (e.g. endurance versus strength/power) as well as duration and time-of-day.Endurance athletes have different nutrient requirements than strength/power athletes and even recreational exercisers.

Let’s talk some numbers. My favorite resource for pre-and post-workout nutrition is Alan Aragon’s excellent Research Review. He has put together a series of sensible and evidenced-based guidelines for estimating the best approach to eating before, during, and after a workout. He’s done a bang-up job of analyzing the body of research on nutrient timing, and I strongly recommend you check him out if this is your thing.

Recommendations for Endurance Sports

Examples: Long-distance track and cycling events, marathons, hybrid sports like basketball, soccer, MMA, possibly Crossfit

Top Macronutrient: Carbohydrates for replenishing muscle glycogen, maintaining stamina and energy during event

• 2-4 hours pre/post: balanced, full meal consisting of carbs and protein, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target bodyweight for both protein and carbs
• During (for every hour of endurance activity): liquids or gels, 8-15 g protein, 30-60 g carb
• 30-60 minutes pre/post: liquid or semi-liquid carbs for easy digestion, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target bodyweight for both protein and carbs

Endurance activities are events lasting at least 60 minutes. Due to the sub-maximal but prolonged nature of these sports, muscle glycogen tends to get very depleted. Therefore, these athletes require a significant daily amount of carbohydrates to maintain energy levels, stamina, and replenish muscle and liver glycogen levels.

The importance of specific nutrient timing is most important with endurance athletes, as these types of individuals will experience the most drastic decrease in nutrient availability during their activity. Protein, while useful for minimizing protein loss, is not as essential in the moment for these athletes, and therefore is not as emphasized as carbohydrates in the context of nutrient timing.

Recommendations for Strength/Power Sports

Examples: Olympic weightlifting, football, powerlifting, bodybuilding, throwing events in track and field, etc.

Top Macronutrient: Protein for optimizing muscle recovery and growth and minimizing muscle damage

• 2-4 hours pre/post: balanced, full meal consisting of carbs and protein, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target bodyweight for both protein and carbs
• 30-60 minutes pre/post: liquid or semi-liquid protein and carbs for easy digestion, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target bodyweight for both protein and carbs

Strength/power sports are characterized by repeated bursts of short, intense activity. While the event may last longer than a couple of hours, the total amount of actual work done is usually around 45-60 minutes. Based on this length of time, and the activities involved in these types of sports, muscle glycogen is not depleted to the extent of endurance sports. Most recreational exercisers tend to fall into this category as well.

Therefore, protein is important for supporting strength and muscle growth while minimizing muscle damage and loss. Carbohydrates are important, but less so, and are generally taken care of by meeting total daily calorie and macronutrient goals.

Recommendations for Weight-Loss

For recreational exercisers, or those looking to shed a few pounds, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you establish a calorie deficit. In other words, you must burn more calories than you bring into your body. Create a calorie deficit first, and then worry about dialing in your pre- and post-workout nutrition.

Using the carbohydrate and protein guidelines above can be effective for supporting the recovery from training, but they’re always secondary to meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient guidelines. Once that is established, nutrient timing is going to come down to personal preference. If you feel bloated and nasty when eating too close to a workout, next time create a bigger window between the pre-workout meal and the actual workout.

Closing Thoughts

Remember, nutrient timing will not make or break your athletic goals unless you’re an endurance athlete. Everyone else, look to meeting your daily calorie and carb/protein goals first and then dial in your pre- and post-workout nutrition based on how it best fits into your lifestyle and schedule. If you train first thing in the morning, you don’t have to eat. Get your nutrients after.

As always, nutrition when it comes to sports can be a tricky beast, but it need not make you a crazy person or ruin your life. Use common sense, follow the guidelines listed here, and listen to your body.

Feel free to leave comments and questions below.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Nowadays, choosing a gluten-free style of eating is much more common, with many people participating for reasons other than simply to treat celiac disease. As with any rising dietary trend, it’s important to understand the basic underlying principles. Let’s take a look at gluten and see if we can understand what’s going on.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a grain-based protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. As a component of processed foods, gluten can be found in bread, pasta, cereals, pizza, beer, cookies, and others. There it functions literally as a glue to give foods their structure (e.g. breads) and consistency (e.g. pasta).

It can also be found in less-obvious foods like soy sauce, ketchup, ice cream, and even hygiene products like shampoo or lotion. I don’t know about you, but it’s super strange to think of an ingredient like gluten, something of which I have eaten my fair share, contained in a form that I would never in a million years associate with food.

Gluten is made up of the smaller protein fractions gliadin and glutelin. Of these two, gliadin is the one that seems to cause the most problems. For those with celiac disease (and gluten-sensitive people alike), it is most certainly an unwelcome party-crasher.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by damage to the digestive system, specifically the hair-like villi cells that form the absorptive and protective lining of our small intestine. These cells become degraded and lose their ability to absorb nutrients. They also lose their ability to protect the inside of the body (the bloodstream and internal organs) from outside allergens or toxins routinely present in the food we eat.

As surprising as it may sound, our digestive system is considered to be outside our body. In other words, the cells lining our digestive tract, from mouth to anus, separate the food we eat from our insides. Normally, these cells are absolute rock stars and, in a perfect world, do a top-notch job of keeping bad stuff like bacteria and other environmental toxins out of our system while letting in the good stuff such as proteins, amino acids, and sugars. However, in cases like celiac disease, this picture-perfect scenario ceases to exist.

What Does Celiac Disease Look Like?

Celiac disease is no joke. This not-so-awesome immune response to gluten can manifest itself in many ways, from the more obvious diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, and chronic fatigue, to less-conspicuous changes in the joints or even the brain. Individuals with undiagnosed celiac disease can often appear malnourished or emaciated, but not all do, and not all individuals show the most characteristic symptoms.

Unfortunately, in addition to an increase in the numbers of reported celiac disease, there are many more people affected by a wide spectrum of gluten-sensitivity disorders. As misfortune would have it, the culprit seems primarily to be gliadin. It does a fantastic job of mucking up the body’s intestinal security.

Gliadin Affects Intestinal Permeability

The effects of gliadin on the function of the intestinal tract are seen in both those individuals with celiac disease and those without. As gliadin passes into the intestines, it is detected by epithelial cells lining the intestinal wall. In response, a substance called zonulin is released, which affects the function of cellular gateways, known as tight junctions, that sit in between the epithelial cells. To illustrate this, think of a tight junction as a gated alleyway between two buildings. Ordinarily the gate is locked and requires a key to open. Certain molecules have the correct key and are allowed to pass through into the alleyway.

Unfortunately, the same is true for gliadin. By stimulating our friend zonulin, it can open and pass through the gate. To make matters worse, individuals with celiac disease release significantly more zonulin, causing their tight junctions to remain open for a longer period of time. This allows greater opportunity for toxins, bacteria, and other outside substances to sneak their way through the intestinal lining where normally they would be prohibited.

“Leaky Gut”

This increased access to outside substances is often referred to as “leaky gut.” Although somewhat vague, this description still does a pretty good job of illustrating why there is oftentimes a prolonged condition of inflammation experienced by those with some form of gluten sensitivity.

To put it in perspective, people with celiac disease have a genetic predisposition towards gluten sensitivity. That’s why they have celiac. However, there are also tons of people out there who have some form of gluten sensitivity without an official diagnosis of celiac disease (i.e. they don’t have the genes causing the telltale immune response to gluten).

This prolonged autoimmune response of celiac disease, as well as chronic low-grade inflammation seen in non-celiacs can very likely contribute to the development of diabetes, heart disease, and even neurological disorders. Let’s be honest, that may be the most frightening part of having a “leaky gut.” Sustaining damage to the digestive system is bad enough, but then add the very likely potential of affecting other organs like the heart and brain and we’re talking SCARY.

So, Gluten-Free or No?

This brings up the question, “Is it best to avoid gluten in all shapes and forms?” I’m sure many of you reading this will answer with a resounding “Yes!” and I’m tempted to agree (albeit with a bit of well-meaning hesitation).

Even though many of us (myself included) experience no overt symptoms to consuming gluten, it doesn’t mean we aren’t experiencing some inflammatory response. It most likely means our immune systems are able to handle the situation and so it goes unnoticed. However, it is difficult to argue with recent research (check out the references below) that has demonstrated an increase in intestinal permeability, varying in magnitude though it may be, in both celiacs and non-celiacs when exposed to gluten.

At the same time, it’s worth considering the anecdotal accounts of many individuals who have tried removing gluten from their diets and noticed a significant improvement in symptoms. All in all, it seems sensible to say that, for those of us who have never consciously attempted to go without gluten it may be worth our time and energy to try it out and see what happens.

References:

1. Zonulin and Its Regulation of Intestinal Barrier Function: The Biological Door to Inflammation, Autoimmunity, and Cancer. Available at: http://physrev.physiology.org/content/91/1/151.long.

2. Fasano A. Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Diseases. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 2011;42(1):71–78.

3. Zonulin, regulation of tight junctions, and autoimmune diseases – Fasano – 2012 – Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences – Wiley Online Library. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.liboff.ohsu.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06538.x/pdf.

5. Tight Junctions, Intestinal Permeability, and Autoimmunity Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes Paradigms. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2886850/.

6. RHR: Pioneering Researcher Alessio Fasano M.D. on Gluten, Autoimmunity & Leaky Gut. Chris Kresser. Available at: http://chriskresser.com/pioneering-researcher-alessio-fasano-m-d-on-gluten-autoimmunity-leaky-gut.

7. Gliadin induces an increase in intestinal p… [Gastroenterology. 2008] – PubMed – NCBI. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18485912.

8. Gliadin, zonulin and gut permeability- Effects on celiac and non-celiac intestinal mucosa and intestinal cell lines, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, April 2006.pdf.

9. Early effects of gliadin on enterocyte intracellular sig… [Gut. 2003] – PubMed – NCBI. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12524403.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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