The "Can I eat gluten now?" problem

Although I have healed my leaky gut

In a delayed food allergy test from February 2023, it was found that I was negative for leaky gut syndrome.

However, I was not confident about how often I can eat wheat (gluten).
(*Gluten is a substance that causes leaky gut syndrome in many people.)

In the first place, there are people who are healthy even if they eat bread or ramen every day, so why is that?
Thinking about this, I stumbled upon the issue of digestive enzymes.

Gluten is a protein, and proteins are aggregates of amino acids. Proteins are mainly digested in the stomach. (Thinking that I learned this in middle or high school is sufficient.)
From there, the idea that

gluten damages the intestines =
is it not being sufficiently digested (broken down) in the stomach?
naturally arises.

The enzyme that digests protein is basically something called pepsin. You can find it immediately if you Google it.

However, I thought that since gluten is plant-derived, maybe it's different, so I searched for what kind of enzyme breaks it down.

Then, as expected, I found out that a different enzyme called "DPP4" is at work.
(This is the one often inhibited by diabetes medication.)

If for some reason the function of this is inhibited, you cannot eat wheat with peace of mind.

Digestive enzymes as symptomatic treatment

My own situation, as far as I know, involves the (potential) persistence of Candida bacteria in the intestinal tract and heavy metal accumulation.

Using those as keywords, I Googled their relationship with DPP4, and in about 15 minutes, I arrived at the information I was looking for.

The answer was, both Candida bacteria and mercury interfere with the production of DPP4.

In other words, the correct answer is to eat as little as possible for now.

I could completely cut out wheat until the treatment is finished, but I really want to eat ramen, so I asked my integrative medicine (orthomolecular) doctor if there is such a thing as as-needed DPP4.

Digestive enzymes are sold as supplements.
This is common knowledge for supplement geeks in the megavitamin therapy field.
(Making friends with supplement geeks is also a way to gather information.)

Then, they prescribed a gluten/casein-specific digestive enzyme mix for as-needed use, and the matter was settled as a symptomatic treatment.

It's quite expensive, but since it's for as-needed use, it calculates to an increase of about 180 yen per bowl of ramen.

I don't eat it every day, so I'm fine with that.

Research it yourself based on your troubles, form a hypothesis, and then ask an expert.

Yes, this is the best way.

How to strictly investigate the harm of gluten

Proteins like gluten and casein go through a state called "peptides" before being broken down into amino acids.

If you have developed leaky gut syndrome due to gluten or casein, these peptides (gliadorphin, casomorphin) enter your bloodstream.

Since these peptides have a molecular structure similar to morphine, they are addictive and habit-forming.

You occasionally see people who cannot stop eating noodles, and they are highly likely to be in this state.

If you want to verify it strictly, I think it is fine to check the amount of peptides in your blood through testing. Numbers do not lie.

Getting confirmation from an expert is the gold standard.

That said, for those who are not confident in their knowledge, going to ask an expert is the best approach.

Even if you don't have a primary care physician, there is the option of consulting a doctor who offers free initial consultations, or even making an appointment with a researcher to ask.

University professors are often surprisingly willing to spend time with laypeople they meet for the first time.

It is difficult with those who are best-selling authors, but I think they are happy when there are ordinary people interested in their field of research.

However, when you actually talk to them, make sure you have acquired the minimum necessary knowledge (things that come up immediately if you Google them) beforehand.

And, ask them as a general theory unless they are a clinician.

If you ask for something like a diagnosis regarding your own symptoms, the other party will be forced to take responsibility and will no longer be able to answer you casually.

Please just be careful about that point.