iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll citlhscthat break down the protective mucous coating of the intestinal lining as
well as degrading the pancreatic and brush border enzymes.
The first enzyme affected is lactase (used to break down the lactose sugar
found in milk). It is also the last enzyme to regenerate once the bacterial
world is stabilized. Interestingly, statistics claim 70 percent of people are
deficient in this enzyme, which leads me to wonder whether lactose-intol-
erant people are also suffering from a gut microflora imbalance.
While certain carbohydrates such as monosaccharaides (single sugars) can
be absorbed by the body to provide nutrition without needing to be digest-
ed, disaccharides (double sugars) and polysaccharides (multiple sugars) can-
not be digested or absorbed without the activity of brush border enzymes,
which cleave them into the absorbable monosaccharide components.
These undigested carbohydrates remain in the intestinal tract and are uti-
lized as “lunch” for the bacterial universe. The pathogenic bacteria ferment
the carbohydrates, leading to flatulence, gas, bloating, and further intesti-
nal damage, creating the vicious cycle described by Elaine Gottschall.
Without proper digestion and the aid of beneficial bacteria, a person
may become malnourished or have vitamin/mineral deficiencies despite
adequate intake.
B 12 deficiency may result from this malabsorption, which further con-
tributes to the vicious cycle as B 12 is required for the growth and proper
function of villi. Other nutrients important to thyroid health (such as
selenium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids) may also become depleted.
Testing
Stool tests are available to check microbial balance. These tests can tell us
whether there is a lack of beneficial bacteria or an overabundance of pathogenic
organisms such as potentially pathogenic gram-negative species or Candida.
These same tests can be used to check for Yersinia enterocolitica.
I recommend the GI Effects Profile from Metametrix/Genova Diagnostics,
which also checks for digestion/absorption, gut immunology, metabolic
parameters, and parasites as well as the mixture of intestinal flora. This
test helps determine microbial balance by quantifying the amounts of
beneficial and pathogenic bacteria.
To determine if you have gut infections that may be contributing to in-
testinal permeability, I also recommend the 401H GI Pathogen Screen
with H. pylori Antigen stool test from BioHealth Lab.