Yes, there is a significant correlationship between Candida and celiac disease. There are increasing reports to suggest that people under anti-Candida diet benefit significantly from the symptoms of celiac disorder. Celiac disease was generally considered to be caused due to the intake of gluten containing diet. But it has been a common observation that even after the removal of gluten from the diet, the symptoms of celiac did not subside. Now, you may well make out what could be the reason behind such observation. There are scientific reports confirming that it is infact Candida in a number of celiac flare ups. So, let’s find out what can be the reason behind the gluten like behavior of Candida to cause celiac symptoms.
What we need to know about celiac disease?
Celiac disease may be considered an auto-immune disorder when your immune responses react to the body’s own parts. However, many mistakenly consider celiac disease to be an intolerance or allergic reaction but it has nothing to do with such events. When gluten is consumed via cereals like wheat, barley, rye and so on the inflammatory responses are flared up that leads to the manifestation of the disease. Generally, the symptoms of the disease are related to the gastrointestinal disorder but can also show up through skin rashes. According to a survey carried out in the year 2001, celiac disease could not be diagnosed before 11 years of its onset in a majority of the patients. This suggests that the disease is highly deceptive and has multiple factors behind it, one of the critical one being Candida.
Symptoms common to both celiac disease and Candida overgrowth:
Cleo Libonati, the author of the book, “Recognizing Celiac Disease” has suggested for the increased incidences of Candida overgrowth in celiac patients. Hence, the yeast has been considered an important trigger factor in the onset of the disease. Accordingly, a number of symptoms common to both the disorders exist further confirming their link. The most important link between the two is the damage to the intestinal linings which is an identifiable hallmark in such conditions. Some of other symptoms include stomach pain, chronic diarrhea and nausea. Therefore, if you are suspecting for a celiac disease manifestation, you could do well to check for Candida and include appropriate remedies to exclude the increasing numbers of the yeast.
How can Candida lead to celiac disease?
There are now scientific studies to support for the gluten like behavior of Candida to give rise to the symptoms of celiac disease. Dr. Nieuwenhuizen and his co-workers from Holland published a research article in the Journal Lancet that links celiac disease with Candida. They have established the presence of a specific protein in the hyphal walls of the yeast which closely resembles gluten. The amino acid sequence of this protein HWP1 (which is a signature of the protein composition) has been found to exactly identical to the molecules from gluten (like gliadins) that causes celiac symptoms. It is the same protein in Candida that allows it to attach to the intestinal linings of your system. This can surely answer the long ensuing question as to why even after the elimination of gluten from the diets many individuals with celiac disease continued to have the symptoms of the disease.
What can be best therapy?
The major setback that the Candida overgrowth causes is the severe restriction or near removal of the beneficial microflora from your gastrointestinal tract. This results in severe inflammatory responses which is one of the major reasons behind celiac disease. It should be kept in mind that the intake of antibiotics which doctors often prescribe can only aggravate the situation. The best thing to do is provide your body with the required probiotic strains that can limit the growth of Candida. Since, it is now well established that candida can behave in a manner similar to gluten in flaring up the celiac symptoms a good probiotic product like ‘Probacto’ can definitely alleviate the problems of the disease.
References:
Cleo Libonati. “Recognizing Celiac Disease.” GFW Publishing, 2007.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2803%2913695-1/abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC175599/
