There’s casein in my red wine! Who knew?

Since the majority of persons that are celiac or gluten sensitive is allergic to the milk protein casein, I have to report that those people may react to red wine. It appears that casein is used as a binding agent in RED wine, but not white wine.  This is called fining the wine. And kosher wines may use albumen from egg whites, for the fining process but never casein. Nor do Vegan wines.


Here is an interesting article about the wine clarification process done by many but not all wineries. It comes from WiseGEEK.


What does wine have to do with animal tissues and bladders? A lot. As we know, wine is made mostly of grapes, yeast, and sulfites. Different environmental factors such as plants and soil, as well as the weather, can affect the outcome of the wine. That's what makes each winery unique. However, there is one common attribute in the wine industry - the finished product is always cloudy. Because many people object to cloudy wine, along with the sediment that is left floating in it, wineries send their wines through a clarification process called fining.
Fining eliminates the cloudy appearance of wine by removing the sediments. The fining agent, after being stirred into the barrel of wine, acts like a magnet by picking up the sediment in the wine and carrying it to the bottom of the wine barrel. After the wine is clarified, it is separated from the sediment during a process called racking, which leaves the residue behind. Fining can take on a whole new meaning if you are a vegetarian or a vegan. Many of the fining agents used are animal products. These animal products include albumen, casein, gelatin, and isinglass.
Albumen, which is produced from egg whites, is the most common fining agent. Egg whites are typically used in fining red wines. Wines fined with egg whites are acceptable to vegetarians but not vegans. Casein is a milk protein. Casein is also more commonly used in red wines. For someone with a severe milk allergy, it is wise to inquire if the wine they are drinking was fined with casein.
Gelatin is an animal protein from the skin and connective tissue of pigs and cows. Gelatin may be used in the fining process of either red or white wines. Isinglass (also called fish glue) is made from the bladder of the sturgeon fish. Like the other agents, this works like a magnet, attracting the impurities and carrying them to the bottom of the barrel or tank, producing a clean wine. Isinglass is found in many German white wines.


And from GlutenFreeFox.com,
How to avoid casein and other fining agents? First of all, don’t discriminate. Cloudiness of the wine is not a reflection of quality, but rather of lack of fining. Vegan friendly vinyards allow their wines to settle naturally instead of fining with animal products. Keep in mind, organic does not mean “vegan or vegetarian friendly.” Many “organic” vinyards do fine their wines with animal proteins. If a wine is labeled vegetarian, it should not contain casein, vegan will contain no animal products. So look for these labels.
Where to find vegetarian friendly and vegan wines? Look for the labels at your grocer, or try doing a search on Barnivore.com. And the good news is that casein free wine is not always more expensive. According to Barnivore: Charles Shaw (a.k.a. Two Buck Chuck) is not fined with casein or eggs, Bolla wines are vegan using no animal products and even Yellow Tail’s red wines are vegan. But going to the grocery without a proper list of vegan wines would simple make matters complicated, so I’ve used the resources on Barnivore to create a list of vegan friendly wines that’s perfect for taking to the wine store or a restaurant.


Too much information, as some say. 
Just remember, if you’re allergic to casein, source out your next bottle of wine to be one that doesn’t have casein in it, and save yourself some grief. 

When you are gluten sensitive, you may be zinc deficient!

Zinc deficiency can lead to depression and other mental conditions. Zinc deficiency is really important to correct  because of the importance of zinc to our metabolism. It is the commonest mineral use in all our enzymes. Because of malabsorption and higher requirements from some genetic expression especially from poor methylation, people with gluten sensitivity almost always have zinc deficiency. It’s hard to diagnose from blood tests: If serum zinc is low then there is deficiency. If it is normal, it could represent zinc bound to globulins and that’s not available to use, and the person could have functional deficiency.

But a Homocysteine level above 8 is indicative of low B12, B6, B2, or zinc, or a combination of all. 

A new study by an Indian professor Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, has revealed that zinc may perform a protective function preventing major damage for those with type 2 diabetes. Read more a   thttp://www.inquisitr.com/122560/zinc-prevents-diabetes-type-2-damage/ 

Here is a brief description of zinc by the Patient.co.UK .

Zinc is an essential mineral that is important for immune function, wound healing, normal taste and smell, and is needed for DNA synthesis. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.

·         Zinc is a co-factor in DNA and protein synthesis and cell division. It is believed to be important in wound healing.

·         The UK recommended ranges are 5.5-9.5 mg/day for males and 4.0-7.0 mg/day for females.

·         Zinc is not stored in the body but the body contains 2 to 3 g of zinc (Zn), found mainly in bones, teeth, hair, skin, liver, muscle, leucocytes and testes.

·         One third of the zinc found in plasma is attached loosely to albumin and about two thirds is firmly bound to globulins.

·         Meat, liver, cereal products, peas, beans, eggs, and seafood (especially oysters) are good sources of zinc.

·         Absorption of zinc salts from food is approximately 20-40%. Absorption of zinc is higher from fish and meat but lower from wholegrain bread and cereals (phytate content impairs absorption).

·         Zinc is mainly excreted from body in faeces.

Although a confirmed diagnosis of zinc deficiency is rare, relative zinc deficiency caused by poor diet, malabsorption, or following burns or other trauma is probably common.

Risk factors

·         Excessive loss of zinc can occur in trauma, burns and other protein-losing conditions, e.g. protein-losing enteropathy.

·         Liver disease.

·         Inadequate diet or malabsorption.

·         Prolonged parenteral nutrition (total parenteral nutrition usually includes trace amounts of zinc).

Presentation of zinc deficiency

Mild deficiency may cause no obvious symptoms, whereas severe deficiency may cause most or even all of the following features:

·         Anorexia, lethargy, diarrhoea

·         Growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, hypogonadism and hypospermia

·         Alopecia, dermatitis, paronychia

·         Mental retardation, impaired nerve conduction and nerve damage

·         Hepatomegaly

·         Immune disorders and susceptibility to infections

·         Iron deficiency anaemia

·         Macular degeneration, night blindness

·         Impaired taste and smell

·         Impaired wound healing

Maternal zinc deficiency may cause anencephaly in the fetus.

Any supplements of zinc should be balance with copper in a 8-10:1-2 ratio as zinc competes with copper for absorption and taking zinc without copper may lead to copper deficiency. If one has celiac or gluten sensitivity, one might already be copper deficient too,so don't take any chances and take zinc with copper.

Welcome to CeliacBrain-400% increased risk of death by age 65 in undiagnosed celiacs

Welcome to CeliacBrain.



I have been studying Celiac disease and its other manifestation, gluten sensitivity since 1995 and I have become aware of its serious, dangerous, hidden and virtually unknown consequences. I am a physician, practising since 1977, and have seen the devastating effects of celiac/gluten sensitivity and I have seen the remarkable turnaround of very seriously ill persons when they have been on a diet free of gluten.

This site is to spread the word of its serious and dangerous nature to those interested whether you are a physician, other health care professional, or a person in need of more information.

I propose to bring to you the newest in scientific research, links to other reputable celiac disease/gluten sensitivity websites, and other helpful articles or news items.


Many of the articles will focus on mental health issues as the brain seems to be the primary target of gluten's effects in the person susceptible to gluten damage.

Here is a video presentation by Dr. Murray from the Mayo clinic. which has stunning information about the shorten life expectancy of those who have gluten sensitivity (including persons with celiac disease) but are undiagnosed.  

400% increased risk of death by age 65 in undiagnosed celiacs 
Dr. Joseph Murray and his team from the Mayo clinic reported on a small but significant study they published in 2009. Not only was there an astronomically elevated death rate, but they noticed that there has been a 400% increase in the incidence of celiac disease since 1948.

Watch and listen to Dr. Murray: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKwKQ7W9qlM

Here is a biography and professional profile of one of North America's most serious researchers in celiac disease.              http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/mayo/research/staff/murray_ja.cfm

Note from Dr. Barbara Powell: all information on these pages is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Information from secondary sources should be double checked before being cited. 

Early Diagnosis of Gluten Sensitivity: Before the Villi are Gone by By Kenneth Fine, M.D.

I find the Journal of Gluten Sensitivity most helpful. It's a by subscription only journal and is mailed to you. Dr. Fine, a pre-eminent gastroenterologist, has lots of wise advice when it comes to celiac or gluten sensitivity. He believes in early diagnosis as I do.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2004 edition of Celiac.com's Scott-Free Newsletter. Transcript of a talk given by Kenneth Fine, M.D. to the Greater Louisville Celiac Sprue Support Group––transcribed by Marge Johannemann; Edited by Kelly Vogt.

Celiac.com 03/04/2004 - Gluten sensitivity is the process by which the immune system reacts to gluten contained in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. The reaction begins in the intestine because that is where the inciting antigen, gluten, is present (from food). When this immunologic reaction damages the finger-like surface projections, the villi, in the small intestine (a process called villous atrophy), it is called celiac disease (or sometimes celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy). The clinical focus of gluten-induced disease has always been on the intestine because that is the only way the syndrome was recognized before screening tests were developed. The intestinal syndrome consists mainly of diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, fat in the stool, nutrient malabsorption, and even constipation. Although the small intestine is always the portal of the immune response to dietary gluten, it is not always affected in a way that results in villous atrophy. Even though recent research has shown that celiac disease is much more common than previously suspected, affecting 1 in 100-200 Americans and Europeans, past and emerging evidence indicates that it accounts for only a small portion of the broader gluten sensitive clinical spectrum (often referred to as the “Tip of the Gluten Sensitive Iceberg”). With better understanding of how gluten triggers immune and autoimmune reactions in the body under the control of various genes, and advancing techniques of detecting these reactions, it is becoming apparent that the majority of the gluten sensitive population (the submerged “mass of the iceberg”) do not manifest villous atrophy in its classic, complete form and therefore do not have celiac disease. In these non-celiac, gluten sensitive individuals, the brunt of the immune reaction either affects the function of the intestine, causing symptoms without structural damage, affects other tissues of the body (and virtually all tissues have been affected in different individuals), or both. This is important because the commonly used diagnostic tests of clinically important gluten sensitivity (blood tests for certain antibodies and intestinal biopsies) are only positive when villous atrophy of the small intestine is present. But if only a small minority of gluten sensitive individuals actually develop celiac disease, the majority, who have not yet or may never develop villous atrophy, with or without symptoms, can remain undiagnosed and untreated for years. This can result in significant immune and nutritional consequences, many of which are irreversible even after treatment with a gluten-free diet. Some of these disorders include loss of hormone secretion by glands (hypothyroidism, diabetes, pancreatic insufficiency, etc), osteoporosis, short stature, cognitive impairment, and other inflammatory bowel, liver, and skin diseases, and cancer among others. Only with early diagnosis, can these problems be prevented or reversed.

I am here to report on a scientific paradigm shift regarding early diagnosis of gluten sensitivity based on about 30 years of medical research by myself and others. My message is that earlier and more inclusive diagnosis of gluten sensitivity than has been allowed by blood tests and intestinal biopsies must be developed to prevent the nutritional and immune consequences of long-standing gluten sensitivity. Imagine going to a cardiologist because your blood pressure is high or you’re having chest pain, and the doctor says he is going to do a biopsy of your heart to see what is wrong. If it ‘looks’ O.K., you are told you have no problem and no treatment is prescribed because you have not yet had a heart attack showing on the biopsy. You would not think very highly of the doctor utilizing this approach because, after all, isn’t it damage to the heart that you would want to prevent? But for the intestine and gluten sensitivity, current practice embraces this fallacious idea that until an intestinal biopsy shows structural damage, no diagnosis or therapeutic intervention is offered. 

You can find out more about Dr. Fine and his lab tests at www.enterolab.com and read his full article about early diagnosis at  www.enterolab.com. 

Hepatitis vaccination failure high in a person with celiac disease

The HBV vaccine is usually effective against common hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, with just 4-10% of vaccine recipients failing to respond to standard immunization. Some studies suggest that people with celiac disease may have high levels of failure to develop antibodies to HBV after immunization with the HBV vaccine, compared to the general population. The vaccine fails to take. 

The ability to respond to recombinant HBV vaccine is associated with certain gene sites. At those sites, certain HLA Haplotypes, such as B8, DR3, and DQ2 are common genetic markers among non-responders. 98% of people with celiac disease have the HLA Haplotype DQ2.

Hoping to understand this phenomenon better, a group of doctors from the Research Center for Gastroenterology  and Liver Disease at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, and with Acute Medicine at Dudley Group of Hospital in Dudley, UK  reviewed data from previous studies.

They conclude... (My bolds)…....Longer intervals between vaccination and antibody testing might be one of the reasons for significantly low protective post-vaccination HBV antibody titers even in CD patients who comply with dietary guidelines [8][14]. Therefore, revaccination is recommended when the patients are following a controlled gluten-free diet.

This study was not designed to determine the presence of HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 in both the groups. Therefore, future studies evaluating the HLA haplotypes in CD and control groups should aim to characterize the role of HLA typing in the response to HBV vaccination.

As in the case of other conditions and as indicated by the strong evidence for the protective role of GFD, early diagnosis of CD may obviously increase the percentage of patients responding to the HBV vaccine. Moreover, beginning with a short duration, strict, gluten-free diet seems to play a positive role in the development of antibody memory. Given the high prevalence of CD in the general population and a lack of response to HBV vaccine in untreated patients, we think that non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine necessitates routine assessment in patients with CD. Non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine may be a possible sign of undiagnosed CD or may suggest noncompliance with gluten-free diet.

                                                                                                                                                

The evidence indicates that early diagnosis of celiac disease, and strong recommendation and treatment with a gluten-free diet may increase the overall percentage of patients responding favorably to the HBV vaccine. 

The review team points out that the high prevalence of celiac disease in the general population and a lack of response to HBV vaccine in untreated patients, invites routine assessment in patients with celiac disease receiving the HBV vaccine, to include whether or not they are on a strict gluten free diet. Vaccinate only after a few months on GF diet.

Lastly, the review team notes that non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine should trigger some suspicion that the person may have undiagnosed celiac disease or noncompliance with gluten-free diet if the person already knows they are celiac.

And that is how we are going to get more people properly diagnosed so that they get on a strict gluten free diet and will have 10-20 more healthy years added to their lives.









Hepatitis vaccination failure high in a person with celiac disease


The HBV vaccine is usually effective against common hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, with just 4-10% of vaccine recipients failing to respond to standard immunization. Some studies suggest that people with celiac disease may have high levels of failure to develop antibodies to HBV after immunization with the HBV vaccine, compared to the general population. The vaccine fails to take. 


The ability to respond to recombinant HBV vaccine is associated with certain gene sites. At those sites, certain HLA Haplotypes, such as B8, DR3, and DQ2 are common genetic markers among non-responders. 98% of people with celiac disease have the HLA Haplotype DQ2.


Hoping to understand this phenomenon better, a group of doctors from the Research Center for Gastroenterology  and Liver Disease at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, and with Acute Medicine at Dudley Group of Hospital in Dudley, UK  reviewed data from previous studies.


They conclude... (My bolds)…....Longer intervals between vaccination and antibody testing might be one of the reasons for significantly low protective post-vaccination HBV antibody titers even in CD patients who comply with dietary guidelines [8][14]. Therefore, revaccination is recommended when the patients are following a controlled gluten-free diet.
This study was not designed to determine the presence of HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 in both the groups. Therefore, future studies evaluating the HLA haplotypes in CD and control groups should aim to characterize the role of HLA typing in the response to HBV vaccination.
As in the case of other conditions and as indicated by the strong evidence for the protective role of GFD, early diagnosis of CD may obviously increase the percentage of patients responding to the HBV vaccine. Moreover, beginning with a short duration, strict, gluten-free diet seems to play a positive role in the development of antibody memory. Given the high prevalence of CD in the general population and a lack of response to HBV vaccine in untreated patients, we think that non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine necessitates routine assessment in patients with CD. Non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine may be a possible sign of undiagnosed CD or may suggest noncompliance with gluten-free diet.
                                                                                                                                                


The evidence indicates that early diagnosis of celiac disease, and strong recommendation and treatment with a gluten-free diet may increase the overall percentage of patients responding favorably to the HBV vaccine. 


The review team points out that the high prevalence of celiac disease in the general population and a lack of response to HBV vaccine in untreated patients, invites routine assessment in patients with celiac disease receiving the HBV vaccine, to include whether or not they are on a strict gluten free diet. Vaccinate only after a few months on GF diet.


Lastly, the review team notes that non-responsiveness to HBV vaccine should trigger some suspicion that the person may have undiagnosed celiac disease or noncompliance with gluten-free diet if the person already knows they are celiac.


And that is how we are going to get more people properly diagnosed so that they get on a strict gluten free diet and will have 10-20 more healthy years added to their lives.

The Deadly side- effects of calcium supplements

I've written before that osteoporosis is linked to gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. Those with osteoporosis will get lots of help with a gluten free diet, exercise, and supplements described in detail in Dr. Gaby's book "How to prevent and treat Osteoporosis".


Many think that more calcium is better. Not so, in fact, there is increasing evidence that too much calcium is increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer. This is because there are different types of calcium and as I say often "it takes a little of a lot of substances to get a super hero team, not a lot of one thing " to get any job done. And that includes preventing and treating osteoporosis.I advocate to never take more calcium than magnesium and to never go without vitamins D and K-2.


Here is an article which goes into details about the link between calcium intake above 100 mg a day and breast cancer and heart attacks. 
And how there is poor if not absent research for calcium supplements reducing fracture risk! I know you want to reduce your risk of breaking a bone and are taking calcium as a way to that end.


The article explains why vitamin K2 ingestion is crucial if you take vitamin D and calcium. And why food is the best source of calcium.


I agree with everything Dr. Mercola suggests here:

The bottom line is, optimize your vitamin D levels through sun exposure and consume a variety of fresh, local organic whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, organic meats and eggs, unprocessed salt, and raw organic unpasteurized dairy, which will give you the bioavailable calcium your body needs along with the trace minerals and other cofactors it needs to be absorbed and properly utilized by your body.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/30/calcium-supplement-on-heart-attack.aspx?e_cid=20120130_DNL_art_1


Avoid high doses of calcium and use a combination of food, sun exposure,exercise, good food (gluten free if you are gluten sensitive) and supplements including potassium, vitamin D, and K2 to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
Dr. Barbara

Here are some ways Gluten causes Depression

In my opinion it is very important to make sure a depressed person is not celiac, or gluten sensitive as this in the most common cause of reversible depression.  37% of gluten sensitive persons have a mental disorder and 37% have a neurological problem like migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome or worse, Parkinson’s disease.

Gluten causes depression by:

 1. Causing vasoconstriction and hypo-perfusion of the brain.

2. Lowering of brain neurochemicals.

3. Causing low vitamin D3 a natural antidepressant,

4. Gluten creates antibodies to brain connective tissues (Molecular mimicry) and inflammation.

5. Gluten ingestion creates morphine like substances in the bowel which are absorbed into the blood stream in people who are gluten sensitive and leads to hallucinations.

6. Causes low cholesterol and subsequent low steroid hormones and hormone imbalances i.e. PMS

7. Causing protein deficiency and subsequent low neurochemicals and poor connective tissues AND low Glutathione (GSH) which is the major rate limiting step to detoxification (low GSH leads heavy metal and other toxicity and to hallucinations or paranoid ideas, remember the “Mad Hatter”).

8. Gluten sensitive persons have a high rate of abnormal methylation genes, (in my study, 90%, study is in the process of being published) and high HOMOCYSTEINE (greater than 8), a neurotoxin. This can be re-mediated with supplements with the added benefit of also incurring a 50% reduction in heart disease and cancer and reduction of risk of many other diseases.  

9. Reducing immune strength and making persons who are gluten sensitive immunocompromised and at risk of having multiple and serious infections. Some of these infections trigger brain dysfunction especially Lyme’s disease, streptococcus, CMV, Epstein Barr and herpes virus.

10. Causing a 10x increased rate of autoimmune disease such as hypothyroidism, which present as depression.

11. Causes malnutrition including mineral deficiencies (such as zinc, sulphur, and selenium deficiencies) linked to depression, low hormones, toxicity and immunocompromised state.

If you are gluten sensitive it’s important to never eat gluten. How do you know if you are gluten sensitive? Sometimes you have no outward signs so it’s important to do some reliable testing. I find www.enterolab.com gives me the information I need to diagnose and help people. If you are already on a gluten free diet, do the genetics test?

Even if you are well, I think the most important information you could have is your genetic status for gluten sensitivity. If you have the genes for gluten sensitivity, you have the information to make informed decisions to add 15 -20 extra healthy years to your life.

Undiagnosed celiacs and gluten sensitive persons have a 400% increased risk of dying, and live 15- 20 years less than the average life expectancy. And have about 15 years of disability. This is a public health crisis.

Add 15 -20 healthy years to your life by finding out if you have the genes for gluten sensitivity and making some healthy changes in your diet.

To your Health

Dr. Barbara