Celiac Caused By Mold?

[bdot78]

I couldn't find anyone talking about this with a Google search so I figured I'd post it.

Has anyone ever thought of Celiac Disease being caused by eating moldy bread (even on accident I've probably done this at least 10x my life), thus infecting our intestines with that mold/fungus? (kind of like an intestinal Candida infection, maybe that's why Candida and Celiac have related symptoms?)

The mold loves gluten, but can survive on any carbohydrate that we feed it so it never dies. When we eat gluten though, it's colonies grow like crazy and our body "attacks itself". Maybe it's just that the mold/fungus is attaching to the gluten molecules and growing so quickly, that our immune system goes crazy fighting them, and alerting us with our symptoms that we still have a problem.

I did some more searching and found a fungus that "cleaves gluten":

"Research published in 2006-2008 investigated A. niger prolyl endoprotease (AN-PEP), a microbial-derived prolyl endoprotease which cleaves gluten. This has strong implications in the treatment of coeliac (celiac) disease or other metabolic gluten sensitivity disease processes. A placebo controlled, double blind study was initiated in December 2008 to determine the efficacy of this enzyme in treating humans with coeliac disease."

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus_niger

Aspergillus niger is a type of mold/fungus.

Maybe this is why I only feel "half-way" better on a gluten-free diet, and 95% better on the specific-carbohydrate diet.

Not saying I found the cure/cause of Celiac Disease, just wanted to see if anyone has ever had this hypothesis?

[ravenwoodglass]

Celiac is autoimmune and genetic. It does usually require a triggering event such as a severe stress, physical or mental, or an illness. Celiac could perhaps be triggered by being made ill by a severe mold infection but but I don't think it would be caused by eating moldy bread a few times.

[Kay DH]

Celiac is genetic and can be triggered by stresses such as being ill; mine kicked in after getting the flu last fall. I cannot eat any gluten-full food without symptoms. The only wheat-rye-barley I can eat is (real, not flavored) sourdough bread; the bacteria in the starter are in a symbiotic relationship with the yeast The bacteria eat and modify the gluten molecules. Mold would not cause Celiac except as a stress to your system with associated immune responses. Some mold can contain gluten, such as some blue cheese, because wheat is used as a starter.

[ravenwoodglass]

The only wheat-rye-barley I can eat is (real, not flavored) sourdough bread; the bacteria in the starter are in a symbiotic relationship with the yeast The bacteria eat and modify the gluten molecules.

IMHO you are playing with fire by eating sourdough bread. Being sourdough does not mean it becomes gluten free.

[mommyto3]

My son's only 6 and he's completely gluten intolerant. I'm almost 100% positive that he's never eaten moldy bread (I have 3 kids, bread doesn't last long enough at our house to become moldy!). I suspect his condition was triggered either by the flu or the flu shot, will probably never know for sure.

In his case, the mold theory wouldn't make sense. Perhaps there are multiple triggers, causes and factors.

[Looking for answers]

If this were true, I think many more people would have it. I think by the time most people are adults they've had the misfortune of biting into a piece of moldy bread.

[kareng]

I think there is mold on lots of things. There is mold on the bread before it has grown big enough to see. So it would be hard to avoid.

[GlutenFreeManna]

I think living in a moldy house may have triggered my celiac to start producing really bad symptoms. Perhaps it weakened my immune system enough? All I know is I started getting really sick in that house and we found black mold growing behind the fridge when we moved out. I think I had signs and symptoms that were mild my whole life though. I don't think mold is the CAUSE for everyone. I think we would see a lot more cases in other ethnicities if that were the case. But we don't see that, instead the majority of celiacs are fair-haired and fair skinned people of European decent. It doesn't make sense to say that Caucasian people ingest more moldy bread or live in moldier houses than every other race. We should see a more even distribution if something in the environment ALONE causes Celiac Disease. Now could it be that people with celiac have the genes and mold is one of the things in the environment that triggers it? Sure, but I don't think I would say that mold is the only trigger. I think it could be any illness or very stressful event or you could be born with full symptoms. Some children are born with full blown symptoms, so how would you explain them? Mold exposure while in the womb? I think that's a bit far-fetched considering the mold would have to enter the mother's blood stream to reach the child. The mother would be extremely sick IMO if that's even possible (I'm not a medical doctor).

[kareng]

My understanding is that there are many types of mold. The blue/green stuff on bread is way different then the black stuff behind your refrigerator. That is probably the really bad stuff you hear about. The mold in the air here right now that's makeing me & the neighbor's dog have the sniffles, is a different strain, too. 100 degrees, humidity makes it feel like 110 and mold spores in the air! I love Kansas!

[Skylark]

Not saying I found the cure/cause of Celiac Disease, just wanted to see if anyone has ever had this hypothesis?

May I suggest you read some of the very detailed immunological work on celiac disease? It is autoimmune and the mechanisms are reasonably well understood.

As far as celiac triggers, it appears that things that cause a lot of cytokine production tend to trigger it. Once celiac is triggered, your body learns to make the antibodies and those are lifelong and have nothing to do with the original event. I imagine a mold infection or reaction could trigger celiac. I believe mine was triggered by a flu.

[Americanpastor1776]

Hello and good day.  9 months ago I had to have a bunch of blood work done as I'm starting to get a little bit older I'm only 38 so it's not that old so no old man jokes please but I was told that I had the lungs in the heart of a 21 year old athlete.  and besides having hep C with ATS levels of 152 I was in good shape. Im a very physical person I hike I exercise and rock climbing very engaged in activities with my children I've been in very good shape for a long time.  a little history 14 years ago I walked away from a 7-year heroin addiction and unfortunately I did get Hepatitis C through all of the nonsense.  I've changed the way I eat I exercise I'm very healthy I watch what I take into my body.  in the last couple months as all of my employees in my shop have gotten deathly ill we found out that there was hazardous levels of black mold all through our shop 

 since I've been having to go to the doctor and have all this blood work done my liver levels are jumping dramatically they have more than doubled in the last couple months. My Celiac levels are even higher then they should even closely the be.  now there were hundreds of different types of mold out there that are in the air in your grass in your bedrooms and your bathrooms only a few of them are toxic does anybody have any information about the effects of black mold particularly with celiac disease?

 I'm a very healthy person I work out a lot and since this all started full loss of energy halfway through the day appetite has changed which means I've lost weight I still try to eat as much as I can and work out and eat healthy but with no luckthus far. The doctors have now started to try to put me on a big old bag of medication and we all know that for every medication you take you have to take two more to counter the effects. 

 so bottom line is what I'm asking does anybody have any links to being able to treat this naturally instead of overloading my body which is already week with a bunch of pharmaceuticals which will just make me weaker?

 I thank you all for your time and any help would be appreciated God bless and hope anybody that's dealing with it feels better.

[kareng]

1 hour ago, Americanpastor1776 said:

Hello and good day.  9 months ago I had to have a bunch of blood work done as I'm starting to get a little bit older I'm only 38 so it's not that old so no old man jokes please but I was told that I had the lungs in the heart of a 21 year old athlete.  and besides having hep C with ATS levels of 152 I was in good shape. Im a very physical person I hike I exercise and rock climbing very engaged in activities with my children I've been in very good shape for a long time.  a little history 14 years ago I walked away from a 7-year heroin addiction and unfortunately I did get Hepatitis C through all of the nonsense.  I've changed the way I eat I exercise I'm very healthy I watch what I take into my body.  in the last couple months as all of my employees in my shop have gotten deathly ill we found out that there was hazardous levels of black mold all through our shop 

 since I've been having to go to the doctor and have all this blood work done my liver levels are jumping dramatically they have more than doubled in the last couple months. My Celiac levels are even higher then they should even closely the be.  now there were hundreds of different types of mold out there that are in the air in your grass in your bedrooms and your bathrooms only a few of them are toxic does anybody have any information about the effects of black mold particularly with celiac disease?

 I'm a very healthy person I work out a lot and since this all started full loss of energy halfway through the day appetite has changed which means I've lost weight I still try to eat as much as I can and work out and eat healthy but with no luckthus far. The doctors have now started to try to put me on a big old bag of medication and we all know that for every medication you take you have to take two more to counter the effects. 

 so bottom line is what I'm asking does anybody have any links to being able to treat this naturally instead of overloading my body which is already week with a bunch of pharmaceuticals which will just make me weaker?

 I thank you all for your time and any help would be appreciated God bless and hope anybody that's dealing with it feels better.

Are you strictly gluten-free? You said your “Celiac levels” are high.  

[squirmingitch]

First off, a hearty congratulations on kicking the heroin addiction! My hat is off to you!

Like Karen, I'm a little confused about your statement about your "celiac levels". Are you saying you have celiac disease? For how long? 

On the other hand, it seems like you are saying you've just been diagnosed with celiac & are wondering if celiac is caused by your exposure to the mold???? If that's what you're asking, no, mold doesn't cause celiac. Celiac is a genetic disease. However, the stress & illness your body went through by being exposed to the mold, may have been the trigger for the celiac to present itself.

[Americanpastor1776]

 yeah cuz I've never had any kind of issue with eating any kind of food.  so I'm wondering if the mold did change something in my body that is making it react differently now I just got results from the doctor they're doing even more blood work to see what's going on so just trying to get information to see what I'm dealing with I appreciate you all thank you

[GFinDC]

Hi,

You didn't really answer the question about if you are celiac and if you are eating gluten-free?

It sounds like you are saying you have celiac but weren't eating gluten-free because you had no symptoms?  This is just guessing since you didn't answer those questions.

So, going on that assumption, you may have been a "silent celiac", a person who apparently has no symptoms from celiac.  Those people (silent celiacs) still have to eat gluten-free or risk damage to their bodies from the immune system attack.  If this is the case and you are now having symptoms, then you will need to change your diet and eat gluten-free.  There is a :Newbie 101" thread in the Coping with section that may help.

 

[Posterboy]

2 hours ago, Americanpastor1776 said:

and besides having hep C with ATS levels of 152 I was in good shape

AmericanPastor,

Did you mean to type AST levels by chance.

I had elevated ALT liver enzymes before my Celiac diagnosis and NAFLD despite not drinking.

Here is a nice verywell article on elevated liver enzymes common in celiac's.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/celiac-disease-and-liver-diseases-562618

My liver enzyme levels are now normal and have been for a while now.

And I don't no longer have NAFLD.

Milk Thistle is good liver supplement but women should be careful with it and some medicines (at least those that absorbed through the liver) can change the way they are absorbed in the body if you take milk thistle but I found it helped my liver health.

(You can google it and see what medicines might be effected).  YOU should tell your doctor you are taking milk thistle if you do try it.

I  no longer take milk thistle I credit it (Milk Thistle and Selenium see below for my improved liver health and of course my gluten free diet) for helping my NAFLD and better control of my diabetes which is now only in the prediabetes stage but it is not uncommon for NAFLD to come before diabetes especially in an undiagnosed diabetic and some undiagnosed celiac's as it was in my case.

Selenium is also important for liver health.  Try eating a Brazil nut a day for a good source of Selenium.

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

I like your user name by the way!

Posterboy by the grace of God,

[Posterboy]

10 minutes ago, Posterboy said:

Did you mean to type AST levels by chance.

I had elevated ALT liver enzymes before my Celiac diagnosis

AmericanPastor,
 

I should clarify for those who haven't/don't read the verywell article.

quoting from the verywell article for clarity.

"Physicians use a panel of common medical tests to monitor your liver's function, including measurements of the liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). If your liver doesn't function properly due to injury or illness, these tests will show a high result, i.e., elevated liver enzymes."

And I thought you swapped the AST to ATS levels.

I am aware there is more than one liver enyzme test.  I am/was not confusing my high ALT level for your possible high ATS/AST levels if that is what you mean to type.

I hope this clears things up for the other readers of this thread.

Again I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice but it is things I did that helped my liver health.

Good luck and God speed on your continued journey AmericanPastor to a quick recovery of your health!

Posterboy,

[squirmingitch]

58 minutes ago, Americanpastor1776 said:

 yeah cuz I've never had any kind of issue with eating any kind of food.  so I'm wondering if the mold did change something in my body that is making it react differently now I just got results from the doctor they're doing even more blood work to see what's going on so just trying to get information to see what I'm dealing with I appreciate you all thank you

Can you post the results of the celiac panel here? Please include the reference ranges as well b/c those vary from lab to lab. 

Celiac, if you carry the genetic marker for it, is often triggered to present by things like pregnancy, an accident, an illness, a major stressor (death in the family) etc... So yes, the pandemonium your body was thrown into by the mold exposure would certainly qualify as a possible trigger. 

Read that post by Posterboy on the celiac - liver connection. I'm not saying that's the whole answer to your liver issues but it could be or could be part of the problem. I don't drink - never did & I had elevated liver #'s before I was dx'd. My #'s were not extreme -- just mildly elevated but after I was dx'd & went gluten free, my liver numbers returned to totally normal. 

[DyingFromCeliac]

In response to the OP-. YES I have had this hypothesis ever since coming down with a horrific case of refractory celiac disease which has left me destitute and literally dying from diarrhea even on strict zero gluten diet (15 explosive spontaneous bowel movements per day which last from 8 days to 5 weeks per episode when I inhale or touch a gluten particle from interaction with other humans or their pets.  I was working an IT job in the basement of a college building constructed in 1851 which had an old underground steam vent inside our office.  Repeated flooding happened and we were forced to work in standing water.  For months nobody changed the carpet or did anything.  The stench was so bad I was getting headaches like never before just from being in the office for 5 minutes.  Then Celiac symptoms progressed to the point of living in a homeless shelter (where I was abused and exposed to airborne gluten particles daily) and I am still dying from it.  I had tons of symptoms throughout life they misdiagnosed me with IBS and I ate gluten for 15 more years until now the damage is killing me.  I do blame mold and I think doctors are idiots.

[Jake S]

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 25 years ago but found relief from avoiding gluten and keeping my fluid intake high.
My notes were lost many years ago so the diagnosis isn;t wholey reliable.
2 weeks ago I took a fluconazole tablet and again last week.  Except for occasional diarrhea (which is a big improvement for me) I can now eat bread without any symptoms.  I am not celiac but previously 1/2 slice of bread would have resulted in 2 days off work sick.
I'm pretty sure there is a link between bread mold and gluten problems.

[RaDonna Liberty]

There is a definite correlation between mold and celiac for certain individuals.  I think you are onto something; hopefully, someone in the medical community who does studies will investigate further.  Mold wrecks havoc on may lives and is commonly overlooked.

[Hellokittez]

I was exposed to horrific levels of black mold as a child.  The exposure was so bad that I was coughing up blood daily and was violently ill 24/7.  After the exposure I discovered that I had developed severe celiac disease, turned out that my father, sister and half sister likely had it, so there is a genetic component.  My mother recently started showing symptoms of it too and she was exposed as badly as the rest of us.  I literally spent the years after the exposure and after I escaped it, dying from celiac disease, increasing number of allergies, I lost my gallbladder, developed a grapefruit sized tumor in my abdomen, severe lung damage, severe nerve and neurological symptoms and it kept getting worse.  After a while the doctors had just given up on me like they have so many of us. They simply told me, we don't know what more we can do so, this is just you now.  As you can imagine I was devastated and of course angry, I mean who wouldn't be?!  My life was basically stolen from me for its entirety and they were telling me to just deal with it.  Well after I avoided the worst for the 4th time, I stumbled across an ad for a functional medicine service called gritwell.  It sounded like a total sham, but I was desperate and had already hit rock bottom numerous times, so I said what the hey and I signed up.  It has been eye opening and I finally have had a path with answers to questions I have had for years, that everyone else ignored and brushed off!  I honestly have been in the program for a little over a year, but I honestly started seeing improvement and connecting the dots within the first few months.  And my specialist is amazing!  She had me tested through my doctors office, so that my insurance would cover a portion of the cost for everything.  They found out that my body had been hanging on, while battling the toxic black mold for 25 years and that in all the time I was away from the place of exposure, I never truly was rid of it.  The things I had been doing to survive it turned out, were actually feeding it and slowly killing me.  I can honestly say I recommend the gritwell program to anyone who is also out of options.  It has completely changed how it is that I view my disease and what is happening and I have a plan for the first time in my life.  I actually feel like I can do this.  I will admit it can be a bit expensive, if you are low income,  but they are definitely flexible about those things and are willing to work with you, so I encourage those here to try it out.  Honestly I don't normally post things like this, so I wouldn't say anything about it unless I really, truly thought it could help.

[knitty kitty]

Molds contain toxins that break down Thiamine Vitamin B 1.  

Supplementing with Benfotiamine, a form of Thiamine, improves your body's ability to fight off molds and recover from mold exposure.

Dr. Chandler Marrs explains...

https://www.betterhealthguy.com/episode163