It has been known for a long time how mast cells trigger common allergies. When mast cells in the nose encounter a molecule like ragweed pollen, it releases histamines which cause the cells of the nose to release fluid. You feel a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing.
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But it is now evident that the immune system stages most of its heavy hitters in the intestines. According to Current Allergy and Asthma Journal, “The gastrointestinal tract is a rich source of mast cells with an enormous surface area that permits a high degree of interaction between the mast cell and the intestinal contents.”
Since a recent study found a common allergy medication can treat diabetes and obesity, this indicates that obesity and diabetes may have a trigger. For most autoimmune diseases the trigger is unknown. However, for the autoimmune condition celiac disease, the trigger is gluten. Remove gluten, remove the disease.
Remove the trigger, remove the disease.
This may also be a clue to why people undergoing gastric bypass surgery wake up the next morning free from diabetes. Surgery may remove the section of intestines undergoing severe immune response which results in the cascading symptoms of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease (metabolic syndrome).
Further research may conclude that obesity and diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from a certain food or ingested chemical. According to the Current Journal of Allergy and Asthma, “Local gastrointestinal proliferation of mast cells in response to recognized or obscure stimuli can alter gastrointestinal function and induce systemic symptoms.” Translation: an immune response in the intestines can induce symptoms affecting the entire body, which could include heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
If obesity or metabolic syndrome was considered an autoimmune disease, we might wonder why medical providers don’t seem to recognize it as an epidemic. If 65% of the American population grew facial tumors, (like the same number of people showing signs of metabolic syndrome) we can hope someone might investigate the cause of the tumors rather than ask the patient how many times they've secretly consumed an entire box of Oreo cookies.
Comments
Rachel - what you wrote makes no sense and the articles you quote do NOT back you up. No where in the abstract you quote does it say that allergies have any impact or cause diabetes or obesity. In case you haven't been watching TV or reading lately, obesity IS recognized as being at epidemic proportions. However, the experts in this field recognize that it's our propensity to eat fast food and the overuse of HFC and hydrogenated oil that contribute to it.
Mast cell diseases such as Systemic Mastocytosis (which I have) do not cause obesity. If anything, people with the smoldering or advanced form of this disease can't gain weight due to the fact that the vast majority of the foods cause a reaction ranging from cramping to anaphalaxis. Most people are struggling to get to a healthy weight.
I have the indolent form of the disease which causes very little gastric distress. I am overweight. It's my diet - not my disease that causes me to be overweight.
You're correct. Mast cells do not "cause" obesity. But they are implicated in the part of the immune system that triggers cell death. When the body attacks its own systems, it is called autoimmune disease. I'm just suggesting that before the body goes ballistic on itself, there may be some sort of "chemical" trigger present causing cells to die-thus alerting the immune system to a problem. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease--and so is celiac, thyroiditis, ALS, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Autoimmune reactions can cause systemic symptoms--which means the reactions can cascade into other issues--like obesity.
Something triggers the body to recognize these cells as damaged. I'm calling for the identification of these "somethings" that damage cells and cause autoimmune diseases rather than a shrug and more meds to suppress the symptoms.
But Rachel if you look at the people who have these diseases you mention, with the exception of diabetes, none of these group suffer from epidemic levels of obesity. If the vast majority of MS, ALS, celiac suffers were obese, I'd say you are on to something. In fact, it's the extreme opposite. Most people with these conditions are incredibly thin.
I just don't see the connection nor do I see any supporting evidence in your links (outside of mice which we both know means nothing).
Julie, I'm so glad you care so much, because so do I. I'm arguing that obesity may be a symptom of autoimmune disease. Each system reacts differently to damage. Some people with Celiacs disease are thin while others obese. Some people get cancer, while others get MS as a response to cellular damage. The problem is: no one understands what's going on with the immune system. They know why vaccines work, but little else. The autoimmune folks can't agree on how the system works.
I'm just trying to point out that obesity may not ONLY be a function of eating too much food and sitting around. I'm just not buying it--and I'm not obese.
First of all, no one knows what our ancestors did, but we do know we haven't chanced that much since the 1950's when the average American wasn't overweight.
Please check out some of my other articles and let me know what kinds of things you'd like me to clarify specifically. I'm here to help you.
Actual Rachel - we have made HUGE changes in our food supply since the 50's. The addition of hormones and antibiotics to our meats, chemicals like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils have been shown to increase obesity in people (not just mice), portion sizes have gone up tremendously.
School lunches are crap and we've gone from kids having gym class every day (when I was a kid) to once a week or never.
I'm not saying that certain disease processes don't cause obesity. I'm sure there are some. However, the vast majority, it's the other way around. Overweight people risk diabetes, hypertension, and a host of diseases brought on by their weight not the other way around.
Obesity being caused by allergies... it's a HUGE stretch.
Julie, You are absolutely correct. And I know this is a huge stretch. But I'm trying to say that calories are not the only thing that makes us fat. (I'm also sure people eat too much). Fat doesn't just come from fat--the system is not that simple. Read my post on breast milk and how active proteins signal genes to turn on and off.
I'm trying to point out exactly what you say. All the additives in our foods (like MSG and other "flavor enhancers") may be triggering endocrine and immune dysfunction. It isn't as simple as an allergy-but if you take the logic all the way to the beginning of modern autoimmune disease, you should find a trigger of some sort. What causes the system to go haywire?
I'm just remembering how cigarettes were "good" for us once. There could be some "proprietary" ingredient that causes addiction and damage to the system. Just in case, limit all processed foods and sugar and see how you feel.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Im interested in the subject of obesity being an autoimmune disoreders, where can i get your articles
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