Q. Can leaky gut, gluten and milk allergies cause arthritis? -Mark

I was talking to my brother (a chiropractor in West Chester, Oh) while he stayed with me in the Columbus area while he attended a seminar. He was telling me about a link between a leaky gut and gluten-milk allergies possibly causing  rheumatoid arthritis. Could you enlighten me on the subject and if you could also point me in the direction of some credible research that would be most appreciated. I’ve got a friend that suffers from it. Thanks so much and God Bless. -Mark B.

Hi Mark,

There is a clear indisputable connection between these issues just as your brother states. Milk and wheat are the two most common and problematic food allergens there are. There are many things in our foods that destroy our gut health such as the antibiotics in milk and meat, the pesticides and herbicides, the sugar, fructose, chemical preservatives and the list goes on…not to mention stress in general. 

As the gut lining is affected then yeast growth emerges leading to leaky gut or dysbiosis. The food proteins of milk and wheat slither through the lining and right into the blood stream where they cause antigen-antibody complexes. 

These immune complexes can attach to any tissue and if they select joint tissue then you get the first stages of rheumatoid arthritis as the immune system begins it’s attack.

There are tons of credible sources such as the University of Michigan. One of the best books on probiotics and immune response is by Gary Huffnagle, The Probiotic Revolution. Michael Schmidt is a renowned research biochemist and highlights the connection in his book on antibiotics. There is literally tons of research on this topic one can find detailed in the immune literature, the bowel literature, and the rheumatology literature. 

We have dozens of rheumatoid patients in our practice that we have successfully gotten off methotrexate and other immune suppression drugs by managing their diet and immune response. Your friend needs to investigate vitamin D and plant sterols such as Moducare. Get a blood IgG test to look for other foods beyond milk and wheat. 

Happy hunting,
Dr. Gary Huber