Your key to better management of allergies
Dr. med. Thomas Rau, May 2024
The connection between allergies and the intestinal environment
Gain an insight into an often overlooked aspect of allergic diseases: the crucial role of the intestinal environment. The link between our digestive system and allergic reactions such as hay fever and pollen allergies is fascinating and offers new hope for sufferers.
In modern allergology, the term "SILENT INFLAMMATION" is used today, mainly originating from the small intestine and in connection with so-called IgG4 primary allergies, which are practically always related to food allergies and very often go back to early childhood. It leads to chronic irritation and inflammation of the small intestine, which then leads to histamine reaction and mast cell degranulation as "SILENT INFLAMMATION" and thus to secondary allergies with the classic IgE allergies of the immediate type and then bring the patients to the doctor.
According to these findings, behind every immediate-type allergy there is reduced intestinal integrity or a basic food allergy.
In my many years of practice as a specialist in biological medicine, I have been able to confirm that the key to treating and understanding allergies, such as hay fever and pollen allergies, often lies in the intestinal environment.
The immunological role of the intestine
Our gut is home to around 70 to 80 percent of the body's immune cells, making it a key factor in immune homeostasis. The Peyer's plaques in the submucosa of the small intestine wall contain practically all T lymphocytes and even the NK cells (natural killer cells), which are so extremely important for the defense against cancer.
In the case of food allergies, the permanent inflammatory irritation reduces the surface area of the small intestine mucosa and the quality of the mucosa also decreases, which can be measured by various small intestine parameters in the stool test.
The histamine-producing mast cells are located on the surface of the small intestinal mucosa and the allergic-inflammatory irritation can lead to degranulation - slightly increased histamine basal levels are the result. These histamine levels lower the threshold of secondary allergic reactions, such as pollen, animal hair, etc.
It is therefore astonishing to observe that in acute allergy sufferers who have had to see a doctor for years because of acute pollen allergies or other vegetative, allergy-related problems, such as PODS or "histamine intolerance" or the now so common "mast cell syndrome", all these acute problems practically disappear within a year if the intestine and intestinal flora are consistently built up during the "non-allergy period". We have therefore developed corresponding unique products.
A healthy throat and intestinal flora helps the immune system to maintain a balance and not overreact. This bacterial flora forms an inner protective layer, so to speak, a very fine mucous membrane along the mucous membranes and binds pollen and other foreign bodies.
This is particularly important in the defense against seemingly harmless substances such as pollen, which often lead to overreactions in allergic people because they are not bound by the protective film of the bacteria.
Dysbiosis as a trigger for allergies
Dysbiosis, is an imbalance in the intestinal flora, can weaken the immune system and increase sensitivity to allergens. This imbalance can impair the intestinal barrier function, which in turn leads to increased permeability to allergens. Such conditions make it easier for allergens to enter the bloodstream and trigger immune reactions (IgE-dependent allergies).
For specialists: we always test people who are susceptible to infections and especially children, but also allergy sufferers, with the "large stool test". In this stool test, the bacteria are cultivated (not just genetic tests) and the immune parameters (secretory IgA and EPX), inflammation parameters (histamine, calprotectin) and permeability parameters (zonulin) are tested. It is astonishing that in the case of "harmless acute allergies" several of these values are always pathological. Behind every asthma and every allergy, even behind every "hay fever", there is always a deeper immune and mucosal problem.
The protective membrane of the intestinal mucosa
An almost unknown membrane, the "glycocalyx" (often also called "biofilm"), plays a major role in the entire intestinal immune system. The glycocalyx is a sealing membrane between the intestinal flora, which should itself represent a true "protective membrane", and the actual intestinal mucosa. It is a dense polysaccharide film with a very fine net-like structure, which is formed by bacteria (in the small intestine) but also by the intact mucosal cells as protection. This glycocalyx structure combines with the surface proteins of the mucosal cells and provides highly effective protection against self-digestion and intestinal permeability. The impermeability, but in its absence also the permeability of the small intestine, depends to a large extent on the glycocalyx. Reduced glycocalyx is also practically always an important primary cause of allergies. Here, too, we have been able to adopt a unique product as Dr. Rau's brand product: Dr. Rau's NEURO sana.
The importance of nutrition
Our diet has a direct influence on the composition of our intestinal flora. A diet rich in processed foods, sugar and saturated fats can lead to an unfavorable shift in the intestinal flora. Preservatives on the one hand and phosphates and sulphates/sulphites in drinks on the other have a massively damaging effect on the gut and significantly destroy the bacterial world AND also the glycocalyx. Conversely, a nutrient-rich diet containing lots of fiber, fermented foods and omega-3 fatty acids supports healthy intestinal flora and can thus help to reduce allergic reactions. To build up the glycocalyx, the body, or rather the intestinal bacteria, require very long-chain polysaccharides, which are actually only found in plant-based foods, preferably raw vegetables.
It should also be borne in mind that by far the most common primary and basic allergens are beta-lacto-globulin in cow's milk and gluten in cereal products. These should therefore be avoided.
Practical recommendations for those affected
In my daily practice, I often recommend that people with allergies make comprehensive adjustments to their diet, take probiotics and gut-building products, and use naturopathic therapies. These approaches aim to restore balance in the gut and modulate the immune system so that it reacts less hyperactively to environmental allergens.
Closing thoughts
The link between the gut environment and allergies is a crucial area that has the potential to revolutionize our approach to the treatment and management of allergic disease. By focusing on gut health, we can not only alleviate the symptoms but also treat the underlying causes of allergies. This opens up new avenues for a better and healthier life for allergy patients. Used at an early stage, this treatment could also prevent secondary symptoms such as asthma and susceptibility to infections, even in children.
In biological medicine, we have the opportunity to make significant progress in the treatment of allergies by taking a holistic view of the human being. This approach offers many opportunities to sustainably improve both the well-being and the basic health of our patients.