The Gastrointestinal origin of mental Illness and complimentary treatment strategies 17/12/2008  Based on the writings of Psychiatrist Dr C.M. Reading and Jordan Rubin

**This is article is is not a replacement for medical treatment  and By Reading you agree to the disclaimer first

The below article and information and treatment strategies may be of great benefit to anyone who may suffer from a mental illness, Coeliac disease, bowel disease, depression, autism, ADHD and other related learning disorders. Many people have reported testimonials of recovery from many so called 'incurable' illnesses using the protocols outlined in the treatments section*.

The current situation - Modern medicine sees all mental illness deriving only from the brain - primarily from neurotransmitter imbalance and nothing else - the truth is that in many cases there is often an underlining physical cause (eg: infection, Coeliac disease, etc) and this is often never investigated,  and so its no wonder today we are faced with the current tragedy that the Mentally ill die 25 years earlier, on average

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What you haven't been told: - Medical studies both you & your MD need to see:

• '99% certain of a genetic association between schizophrenia and coeliac disease  A drastic reduction, if not full remission, of schizophrenic symptoms after initiation of gluten withdrawal has been noted in a variety of studies.'  read more..

• 'An autopsy of 82 patients who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Gastritis was found in 50%, enteritis in 85% and colitis in 92%.' read more...

• Enterocolitis discovered in the majority of children with Autistic spectrum disorders' read more..

Why isn't my doctor / psychiatrist aware about this?

What really causes a mental illness?

Genes, the environment and emotional experiences and seen as the likely causal variables in the development of mental illness. Currently, science believes that mental illness is linked to genetic flaws. However, recent medical research also points to immune system dsyregulation, most likely originating  from gastrointestinal dysfunction as another factor. The below article explains this in greater detail and provides a complimentary treatment and prevention protocol.

Credit  with regards to this article must be given to Psychiatrist Dr C.M. Reading  - who over 30 years of practice believed that a significant percentage of those with mental illness suffer due to gastrointestinal & physical problems manifesting as Coeliac or latent Coeliac disease, food allergies, infections, auto-immune disease and malabsorbtion. Only recently, has scientific research started to support such theories about mental illness - particularly the need for auto-antibody screening and the auto-immune link to mental illness.

Often overlooked in the development of many illnesses, especially mental illness and neurological disorders is the role of the gastrointestinal system. It is known that both our gut and brain originate early in embryogenesis from a clump of tissue called the neurcast, which appears and divides during foetal development. While one section turns into the central nervous system another piece migrates to become the enteric nervous system and thus form both thinking machines.  Later the two nervous systems are connected via a cable called the vagus nerve. This nerve meanders from the brain stem through the organs in the neck and thoric and finally ends up in the abdomen. This establishes the brain gut connection. So it is from a correctly functioning gut that we enjoy neurological, psychological and immunological health.

It is currently known among gastroenterologists that children with neurological problems often exhibit gastrointestinal upset. Most medical practitioners associate that the function of the gut is reactive to the mind and not vice versa. This understanding is based of current neuro-gastroeneterology. The guts brain, the enteric nervous system (located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophageus, stomach and colon) is packed with nerves with neurotransmitters, neurons and proteins and support cells like those found in the brain. So when we feel emotional, the enteric nervous system in the gut likely responds to the mind in a certain manner. For example vomiting before an interview.

But contrary to what most people think, latest research indicates that the gut itself may affect the mind and hence how we feel. It is possible that problems with the guts brain - the 'enteric nervous system' and its immunological interactions may indirectly effect the human brain and central nervous system. In this way the gut may be in fact more responsible than we have imagined for our mental well-being...

Gastrointestinal causes of mental illness:

The human body,  is an organism of 100 trillion (1014) cells and of this 90 trillion are prokaryotic (bacterial) and only 10 trillion are eukaryotic ('human'). Each human cell supports 50-100 bacteria or bacterial descendants. The human gastrointestinal tract, (gut) contains contains almost all of this bacteria infact 2 kg - so therefore there are more cells in our gut than our entire body!. Hundreds of different types of bacteria function symbiotically to maintain this 'micro-world' to predominate over pathogenic bacteria . In this way, an advanced array of immunological interactions constantly interplay between this specialised bacterial mass and the body to enable us to maintain both physical and mental health. It is pivotal that the balance of this bacteria is maintained as the human intestine is the largest organ of the immune system. Thus, changes in intestinal health can indirectly have far reaching consequences on the body through the gut's regulatory impact on immune system.

Overuse of antibiotics, poor diet and nutrition, emotional stress, infection and inherited gut disorders such as Coeliac disease are known to contribute to weakened gastrointestinal health. When the balance of the gut is compromised there is increased risk of gut infection and thus a possible breakdown of the immunological health of the body. So important is this balance, it is noted that 'The brain and body state' is achieved as a reward for looking after our micro flora - according to Evgeny Rothschild, (Science Spectra 6, 1996).

Recurrent gastrointestinal infection, gastritis, post antibiotic infection (colonization of bad bacteria), tropical sprue and inherited gastro-immunological disorders such as Coeliac sprue, non-Coeliac sprue and food intolerances may lead to the development of mental illness and disease. For example, current research into autism has postulated that a certain subset of children who had MMR vaccine may have developed a persistent gastrointestinal infection with the measles virus. This has been confirmed through colonoscopies of these children who exhibit inflammation in the small bowel.  As a consequence, the poor health of their small bowel has caused these children to deteriorate neurologically.

When the gut can not eradicate a pathogen or suspected antigen correctly a cycle of deterioration occurs in the gut. Normally when a pathogen is acquired by the gastrointestinal tract an auto-immune response is triggered to eliminate this infection. Often diarrhoea, fever and vomiting occur and usually the infection is self limiting and the individual recovers. However, in a subset of people with weakened gastrointestinal systems either inherited or due to environmental factors, the immune response may be inadequate.  This leads to persistent gastrointestinal illness. Often a long term immune response to a pathogen not eliminated correctly will trigger persistent inflammation. For example, often seen in cases of inflammatory bowel disease such as Ulcerative colitis, the immune system over-responds and the colon become chronically inflamed due to infection. Repeated inflammation sets in a cycle of deterioration of gut mucosa.
 
In the case of mental illness it is mostly likely that an insufficient  gastro-immunological response occurs in the small bowel. No symptoms of gastrointestinal upset may occur except for mental illness. Repeated immune response due to infection or allergy may result in inflammation, particularly in the area of the small bowel and over time this may lead to damage of the mucosal villi and in turn increase mucosal permeability. With partial-atrophy (flattening) of the villi there is less absorption of food and less immune secretory factors from  the villi (IgA, IgM, IgG) cells to prevent further infection. These villi are also responsible in secreting of digestive enzymes, but with greater pathogenic load and poor motility due to infection there is less enzyme release and hence digestion of ingested substances deteriorates. Due to this a cycle of malabsorption can set in, and with malabsorption there is less chance of epithelial repair. This is because epithelial cells are constantly replacing themselves and to do so require a constant nutrient supply. Without adequate and dense nutrition they can not replicate and this worseness mucosal integrity.

In this way, a vicious circle of inflammation, infection, allergy, permeability and malabsorption continues. Overtime, the immunological response of the small bowel may deteriorate,  likely due to auto-immune tendency to the stomach or bowel from the body. This may lead to small bowel bacterial overgrowth or candidiasis which in turn increase the permeability of the gut.
 
Once depleted and inflamed, the villi fail to protect the mucosal integrity and allow the intestine to become permeable to more substances.  In this way, the small bowel may allow the undigested contents to 'leak' into the blood stream. As enzyme secretion diminishes, due to pathogenic and pancreatic overload there is an accumulation of absorbed undigested materials in the body. These easily cross through a more permeable gut and overload the liver and kidneys with greater than normal toxin levels. In particular, the phase one to phase two detoxification pathways of toxins in the liver can become insufficient for this load and chemical sensitivities may then develop. Without adequate detoxification the poorly digested toxins accumulate in the body.
 
Allergies to certain foods are often acquired from incomplete digestion and elimination. Allergies in turn also create nutrient deficiencies. In many gut related mental illnesses malabsorption develops both from allergies and poor enzyme release possibly due to pathogenic overload. Malabsorption creates severe disturbances in the body. Many mental patients are known to often exhibit low serum levels of B vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B12 and B6 and zinc which are vital for normal the function of the brain and stability of mood. Recent studies have shown the many schizophrenics have poor taste and sense of smell - indicative of zinc deficiency.

In addition, the correct break down and digestion foods are required to produce the vitamins needed to create the hormone cortisol. Cortisol and related steroids can only be manufactured with adequate B vitamins, esp. B5, B1, B2, B3, Mg, ZN, and vitamin C.Hence, malabsoption prevents cortisol production in the body. Cortisol is an anti-inflammatory compound and is very important for the homeostasis of the body. With low cortisol the body can not fight allergies, infection,  inflammation and auto-immunity as well. Cortisol is also is important in mood regulation, stamina levels and blood sugar regulation. Low cortisol can result in mood swings, depression, paranoid and psychotic behaviour. Hypoglycemia results from food allergies, malabsorbtion, low cortisol, Candida, pancreatic overload - all which derive from digestive problems. Hypoglycemia can cause many mental problems such as anxiety, shaking, crying, panic and mood changes.
 
Insufficient break-down of the hardest to digest (and most commonly consumed) foods leads to incompletely digested fractions or peptides. With stressed detoxification systems these peptides can accumulate in the body. Certain peptides readily cross the blood brain barrier and interfere with brain functioning. Milk and bread exhibit peptides called exorphins from gluten and casein which act as opoids in the human brain and have psychoactive effects similar to morphine (an opoid drug). Many psychotic patients have specific circulating IgA antibodies to such peptides indicating that these fractions have over time accumulated in their brains and organs.

These poorly digested food fractions then trigger an autoimmune response by the body-  the body identifies these as 'foreign' antigens - accumulating in areas which they should not be in the body. The autoimmune response may damage the brain due to repeated cerebral allergy and may initiate autoimmune damage to other organs such as the thyroid and pancreas. It is postulated that the autoimmune response triggered by such toxins as well as bacterial and fungal endotoxins from the gut may deteriorate the blood brain barrier itself allowing for greater permeability of the brain to further toxins. Further auto-immune damage may then occur deep in the brain itself, including areas involving neurotransmitter release and neurological function..
 
In children and young adults, both the accumulation of opioid s, bacterial & or fungal endotoxins and the auto-immune response triggered as a result may then inhibit the normal maturation of the central nervous system. As the human brain, especially the frontal lobe, does not complete development until the age of 25, permanent damage to the brain often results. This explains the rapid onset of autism in healthy children  who suddenly deteriorate with severe developmental and learning disorders. Whilst with schizophrenia, this correlates with onset and worsening of symptoms seen in the late teens and early twenties of growing adults. It is likely that the developing brain is damaged from both the auto-immune response and toxins.

These once healthy individuals may have in fact acquired their mental illness through a poorly functioning gastrointestinal-immune system rather than inheriting mental illness. Further examples are of this are seen in Western Ireland which has a high incidence of both Coeliac sprue and schizophrenia. This also indirectly highlights the mechanism for the inheritance of schizophrenia, whereby inheritance of poor gut function is passed on (not necessarily the gene for dopamine excess) which slowly erodes the developing brain eventually causing mental symptoms.

The combination of the malabsorption of essential nutrients, allergies, low cortisol and accumulation brain opioid and insufficient detoxication and resulting autoimmune damage may overwhelm the ability of any individual to function normally. By initiating a chain of 'health breakdowns'(See the Gut and Mental illness flow chart diagram), a poorly functioning gastro-immunological system and its cumulative effects, ultimately result in mental illness. The path to recovery or prevention of such illness therefore lies in restoring the immunological balance of the gut. Below are  treatment strategies that have helped others recover:

The below treatment strategies are effective for any form of gastro-immune induced illness. Good gut management and gut repair can modify and manage many immune disorders outside the gut. Without gut repair and good gut ecology return of health is unlikely. The Below complementary treatments have assisted people with  mental illness, learning disorders, hypoglycemia, autism, memory problems, chronic fatigue, bowel disease, auto-immune disease, arthritis and coeliac and latent Coeliac disease. 

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