Last Updated on November 18, 2023 by Cathy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. It is the most common cause of non-traumatic neurological disability in young adults. MS generates an inflammatory response causing the body to attack its own tissues.
Studies found that a leaky gut is often associated with MS. What is a leaky gut? It is when the tight junctions in the gut lining begin to open letting food particles and toxins pass.
Processed Foods – Gluten – Alcohol – Stress
All of these can cause a leaky gut. However, there is one other surprising cause of a leaky gut.
It is not talked about as often and it is something everyone has inside of them. For most people, it is not a problem and it is something our body needs when it is at a healthy level. It is in the intestines, mouth, and throat.
But, when it starts to overgrow it becomes a fungal infection.
You may see it as athlete’s foot, dandruff, nail fungus, or yeast infection. But what you don’t see is what it is doing inside your body as it colonizes its host (you).
This fungal infection, known as Candida Albicans, is a type of yeast/fungus. Candida is sneaky as it wreaks havoc on the intestinal lining and throughout the body. It even gets into the bloodstream and passes the blood-brain barrier.
Researchers found people with MS have more bad bacteria in their gut than healthy people. When the gut flora is out of balance it allows candida to grow out of control.
The Link Between MS and Candida Overgrowth
Doctors do not normally see the connection between MS and candida. But studies say otherwise. Many biomarkers (what is happening inside a cell or organism) of MS are consistent with fungal infections.
The most important genetic risk factor of MS is the HLA-DRB1*15 allele group. It is also a risk factor in several other conditions linked to fungal infections.
One small study found Candida albicans in 47.5% of MS patients vs. 21.3% in people without MS. They also found it’s associated with the severity of MS.
“The results of this single study suggest that Candida species infection may be associated with increased odds of MS.” – PubMed
How candida overgrowth causes a leaky gut
Candida is an aggressive pathogen. When it senses a weakness or poor gut health, it takes advantage to grow. Since your gut is not healthy enough it does not have the ability to fight back to keep it balanced.
If left untreated, Candida begins to sprout roots (hyphae). It then breaks through your intestinal lining causing leaky gut and tissue damage. Candida then produces toxic by-products (mycotoxins) kicking your immune system into overdrive.
Not only does candida get into the bloodstream it gets into the organs and tissues. Such as your brain, joints, muscles, nerves, and skin. As the whole body is under attack the gut lining can’t heal.
MS is a chronic inflammatory disease. Besides the systems of MS, you need to consider candida (fungi) as a possible health issue. Yes, there haven’t been many studies on MS and Candida. But from the studies there are, they point to Candida as a possible link.
Testing For Candida
The current tests for Candida overgrowth are not very conclusive. Some websites/blogs claim a spit test works but this most likely won’t be accurate. This is not an ideal test.
Ask your doctor for a comprehensive stool test from Genova Diagnostics. It is expensive but it will tell you if it is Candida. If not, other possibilities are bad bacteria or parasites which can also cause a leaky gut.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money you can also tell by asking yourself a few questions such as:
Have you…
- Taken any tetracyclines or other antibiotics for acne for one month (or longer)?
- At any time in your life taken other “broad spectrum” antibiotics for two months or longer? Or for shorter periods four or more times in a one-year span?
- Taken prednisone or other cortisone-type drugs for more than two weeks?
- Taken birth control pills for more than two years?
OR, have you ever had symptoms such as…
- Numbness, burning or tingling
- Insomnia
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Constipation
- Cold hands or feet
- And, leaky gut
If you answer yes to 3 or more of the questions above, you should look into starting a Candida diet.
Removing Candida Overgrowth
You don’t want to eliminate yeast altogether, you need to get it back into a healthy balance. Starting a Candida diet will help. Since Candida feeds on processed foods and refined sugar it is best to eat an anti-inflammatory diet to avoid these.
Can gluten cause a leaky gut?
When there is inflammation in the body a protein called zonulin is not able to keep the gut lining tight. Zonulin is responsible for opening up the tight junctions to let nutrients through. Too much zonulin causes the junctions to open wider creating a leaky gut.
The two most powerful triggers for releasing too much zonulin are gliadin and gluten. Gliadin is a protein found in wheat and gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, and wheat. This is why it is important to eliminate gluten from your diet.
Surprising Cause of Leaky Gut
The first step to healing your gut is to stop eating foods that contribute to a leaky gut. Second, start eating a clean diet that includes LOTS of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. You could also supplement with a digestive enzyme.
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Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5650687/#!po=8.65385
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29085329/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20556470/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27061227/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7161696/#idm140426607271600title
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk and Nenad Delibos from Pexels.
A Surprising Cause of Leaky Gut
