Lose It! – July 2019

(where they do). In animals, this

causes painful arthritis and joint

inflammation, but humans don’t

metabolise Vitamin D in the same way

as cows and horses do, so we can’t say

definitively that studies such as this

one are relevant to human beings.

Other research indicates that vitamin

D metabolism plays no part at all.

Instead, it attributes the autoimmune

dangers of nightshades to various

other factors, in particular, a group of

chemical compounds called alkaloids.

Alkaloids include solanine,

nicotine (in very

small amounts)

and capsaicin (the

chemical that

gives peppers

their heat).

While the

nightshade is alive,

these compounds

work as its

homegrown ‘bug spray’,

defending it from pests and

moulds that would otherwise kill it.

In other words, they’re designed to be

toxic. In the poisonous members of

the nightshade family these chemicals

are so concentrated that they have

deadly effects on humans. In the edible

nightshades, however, they’re present

in smaller amounts, and mostly in the

leaves and stems (which we don’t eat).

Since humans are so much bigger

than bugs and mould, and since we’re

not eating the most alkaloid-rich parts

of the plant, most of us will not be

affected by eating minimal amounts

of this natural ‘bug spray’. For those

of us with healthy, normal functioning

digestive systems, ingesting these

compounds will be of no harm at all.

But for people whose digestive

systems are already compromised by an

autoimmune condition, eating these

plants could cause several problems:

some kinds of alkaloids increase the

body’s immune response – exactly

what you don’t want if you have an

autoimmune disorder.

Another potential danger of alkaloids is

gut irritation. As we know, alkaloids in

plants are designed to destroy and kill

foreign matter. Problems arise when

alkaloids are exposed to the intestines

and start destroying the cells in the

lining of the intestinal wall. This

irritation of the gut contributes to

intestinal permeability known as ‘leaky

gut’, which can set off an autoimmune

reaction because proteins that belong

inside the digestive tract leak into the

bloodstream and, in response, the body

attacks them.

Even if vitamin D and alkaloids aren’t

to blame, there is still another possible

culprit: lectins. Lectins are a kind

of protein that binds sugar. In small

quantities, lectins play a vital role in

body processes, including immune

function and cell growth. However,

like alkaloids, eating large quantities

can damage the gut wall, resulting

in symptoms such as diarrhoea and

vomiting. Lectins are sometimes

HEALTH

ALKALOIDS

LECTINS

Problems arise

when alkaloids are

exposed to the

intestines and start

destroying the cells

in the lining of the

intestinal wall.