Gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease: absence of anti-gliadin antibodies

[Bolt_Upright]

Gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease: absence of anti-gliadin antibodies apjcn.qdu.edu.cn/33_4_490.pdf

Background and Objectives: Parkinson disease (PD), which is a neurodegenerative disorder, includes several gastrointestinal symptoms that are similar to those of Celiac disease (CD). However, the presence of celiac anti-bodies in PD patients has not yet been studied. Our aim in this study is to compare anti-transglutaminase (ATA) and antigliadin antibodies (AGA) as well as gastrointestinal symptoms and nutrition habits between patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and healthy controls.

Methods and Study Design: Serum AGA IgG and IgA and the ATA antibodies IgA and IgG were studied in 102 PD patients and 91 healthy controls. Gastrointestinal symptoms, specifically constipation, were investigated using the gastrointestinal system rating scale (GSRS) and the constipation rating scale (CRS). Dietary habits were also investigated and compared between the groups.

Results: Nomsignificant differences were found between the two groups in terms of celiac antibodies. As expected, the hypokinetic GSRS and CRS scores were significantly higher in the PD group (p<0.001). Dietary habits, especially carbohydrate-rich diets, had a negative impact on gastrointestinal symptoms in the PD patients.

Conclusions: Studies have suggested a connection between PD and CD, which infers a probable non-celiac gluten intolerance and the need to offer PD patients an elimination diet. However, the results of our study did not support any link between celiac antibodies and PD. Notwithstanding, the negative impact of a carbohydrate-rich diet in PD patients still leaves a question regarding gluten sensitivity in these patients.

[Millbrook]

Thanks Bolt. That is really interesting considering that my husband has multiple food intolerances- definitely a gastrointestinal dysfunction . Avoiding gluten and lectins helped and now taking Betaine n pepsin supplement to get rid of SIBO. Also looking into ecklovin cava and making SIBO yoghurt

[JayPwP]

Good find Bolt...

[WhyRBD]

Great post. Definitely what I have discovered in my diet. Key to the "progression" of the disorder but not the origin (from what I have discovered so far).

[Bolt_Upright in reply to WhyRBD]

Thanks. I am gaining confidence that, at least for some of us, this could be a "non-celiac gluten intolerance" causing the problem. If a PD person went to the doctor about gluten they would be tested for Celiac and told they were fine (but they are not fine).

Stopping progression might be all we can hope for, and would be a huge thing to accomplish at almost any stage of progression, but especially at the early stages.

[Eryl]

This and the fact that some PD patients report worse symptoms after consuming carbohydrates indicates that all PD padients should consider taking grains out of their diet as the main priority, especially white and supermarket bread which is basically starch, gluten and a few artificial additives.

I do not eat any grain based food at all.

[Ireadwidely]

Glyphosate is a big factor also. Wheat is deadly.

[Astronomer90]

Before my tremors started, I started to have abdominal problems. The problems were identified with respect to some food intolerance especially lectin. Doctor suggested the low fodmap food and less dairy. Once I made changes to the diet my abdominal problems were gone. I was diagnosed with PD after a few years of theses problems.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Astronomer90]

Thanks for sharing. Did you eliminate all gluten and lectins?

I could be wrong, but I kind of think factory raised meat has lectins due to the corn and grain and soy the animals eat (but maybe beef is okay as they are ruminant animals and have 4 stomachs).

[Astronomer90]

I mainly reduced wheat, yogurt and milk. That helped me a lot. If I start wheat intake or yogurt, I started to have abdominal problems again.

[Likii]

By its own admission, a bit of a nothing study.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Likii]

I don't understand why this would be a nothing study. I found it groundbreaking.

It has long been speculated that PwP have a gluten intolerance, but whenever a patient would suggest this to their doctor, the doctor would test the PwP for Celiac, they would test fine, and continue eating gluten.

Celiac Disease causes some symptoms in common with PD.

This study infers that PwP probably have a non-celiac gluten intolerance and should be offered a (gluten) elimination diet.

I've had bloating and evacuation problems my whole life and I cut out gluten AND lectins about 2 years ago. Now my system feels normal. No issues. And my RBD is much milder too.

I have a high school diploma, so take my opinion for what it is worth. I think PD is an autoimmune disease. I think people with autoimmune diseases should reduce inflammation. I think gluten is inflammatory to most people, even if they do not have Celiac Disease.

Conclusions: Studies have suggested a connection between PD and CD, which infers a probable non-celiac gluten intolerance and the need to offer PD patients an elimination diet. However, the results of our study did not support any link between celiac antibodies and PD. Notwithstanding, the negative impact of a carbohydrate-rich diet in PD patients still leaves a question regarding gluten sensitivity in these patients.

[Likii in reply to Bolt_Upright]

"I don't understand why this would be a nothing study."

Read the very "Conclusions" section you've posted. Now read it again. They're guessing at best though they do acknowledge they've established nothing. I.e. the paper is bullshit.

(And incidentally, the correct word is 'implies', not 'infers'.)

[goldengrove]

Bolt, playing devil's advocate I believe a gastroenterologist would say that eliminating gluten-containing products and reducing carbs in general involves greatly reducing FODMAPS - fermentable carbohydrate substrates that are thought to be the cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - a very common cause of bloating and diarrhoea/constipation in the whole population, PD and non-PD. This is different to an immune-based issue with gluten (the protein which triggers the anti-gliadin antibodies that are needed to diagnose coeliac disease)- the FODMAPS that cause IBS in susceptible people are oligosaccharides (carbs) that are also contained in the gluten-rich foods. That said, it remains to understand how you've reduced the frequency of RBD episodes. And I'm hedging my bets since I too have cut out gluten without having coeliac antibodies, because I have one of the HLA genes that have to be present in coeliac disease (though these genes are far more common than coeliac disease itself,) and also have had Hashimoto's diagnosed (which is more common in those with coeliac disease.)

[Bolt_Upright in reply to goldengrove]

Good for you for hedging your bets and avoiding gluten. My doctor just told me Friday that he thought almost everybody should avoid gluten because gluten IS inflammatory.

So... I have a high school degree, but I think if we had one box containing things doctors understand and a second box containing the things doctors do not understand, the second box would be infinitely larger than the first.

I don't know if a non-Celiac gluten intolerance relates to auto-immunity or not. I don't think anybody else knows either. I still think Pluto is a planet.

I have Hashimoto's too.

You might consider cutting out Lectins also. Dr. Mason thinks Lectins, which are not digestible, make it through our gut wall, into our Vagus nerve, and into our brain. youtu.be/mjQZCCiV6iA?si=Dl6...(Not working as expected?)