Zonulin is a protein that when it binds to its receptor it leads to a break-down of tight gap junctions in the intestines. Like a thrill-seeking outrageous underage teenager it slips past the gut bouncers at the intestinal nightclub and does a wild dance in the gut lining that tears down the body's defenses and opens all the doors to inflammation from food proteins, environmental toxins and unfriendly microbes. The gut looks like a trashed house party.
High zonulin is the hallmark of "leaky gut" and is a contributing factor in the development of celiac disease, autoimmune disorders, insulin dependent diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
High zonulin is an early marker of several diseases including: brain cancers, breast cancer, lung adenocarcinoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, schizophrenia, ankylosing spondylitis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
How can you test for zonulin? At Second Nature Care, we test for zonulin, diamine oxidase, histamine and DAO:Histamine ratios.