As gluten affects more and more people, news about the benefits of eating gluten free is spreading. Smart manufacturers are taking advantage of this gluten free trend and that includes Big Pharma.
The drug companies and big pharma have finally figured out a way to make money off of a disease that IS controlled strictly by diet. According to Amy Ratner over at Beyond Celiac, the first patient received a vaccine in a new clinical trial on Thursday, September 27th, 2018. And…the race is on to be the first drug company with a new drug for celiacs. Celiac Disease treatment research has picked up speed and it is expected to be about five more years before any drug is available for patients.
There is also testing being done using simvastatin, a cholesterol lowering statin drug. This study was done and completed by researchers at the Mayo Clinic. My understanding of the simvastatin and how it works is that simvastatin has the capability of being highly metabolized in the small intestine by enzymes that are secreted by the villi lining the intestine. Study participants are given the medication in tablet form and then blood samples are later provided to check the concentration of the drug in the blood. Healthy villi, with a high metabolism rate, leads to a reduced concentration of simvastatin in the blood. Participants with damaged villi have a higher concetration of the simvastatin showing up in the blood sample. The company is hoping that the use of this drug will replace or at the very least be an alternative to a biopsy.
My problem with this? I really have a problem with statins and their side-effects when used to lower cholesterol, I certainly do not want to be given a statin to see if my villi are healthy. If they aren’t, then I’ve just filled my damaged gut and ultimately my whole entire body with statins.
In another study, Innovate, a biotechnology company, is focusing on the needs of those with Celiac disease, who find themselves with symptoms even though they are following a strict gluten-free diet. Larazotide acetate works in the gut by decreasing intestinal permeability. It is thought that larazotide acetate, by Innovate Biopharmaceuticals, will be the first celiac disease drug to be available to patients, but will take another five years before available.
I don’t have as big of a problem with this one, because although I did just fine, and my gut healed very well on a g-free diet, I know that there are those out there that no matter how strict they are with their diet, they still have symptoms and fell sick. However, that being said, I agree with Dr. Josh Axe, Dr Oz, Dr Andrew Weil, that all disease starts in the gut and that in order to heal the whole body, you must first start in the gut, which is our second brain. That means removing dietary and lifestyle factors that can adversely and directly influence the health of our bodies and the gut microbiome in particular.
If you are following a strict gluten-free diet, but are still experiencing symptoms and are ready to take the steps necessary to begin the healing process, contact me here, or check out my 7 Day Gut Health program, here
You can read all of Amy’s report here.
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