Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat. Like other proteins, it gets digested by protein-digesting enzymes called proteases. Each protease typically recognizes a certain amino acid pattern. However, gluten has an odd structure consisting of a lot of glutamine and proline, which makes it difficult for any protease other than DPP-IV to digest ^[3].

Practicing gluten free diet involves cutting out breads, cereals, pasta, regular oats, and all foods that contain gluten. Gluten is found in gluten containing grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. It can also come hidden in sauces, salad dressing, marinade, alcoholic drinks, or as thickeners. You will need to learn to read food labels to identify components that may contain gluten. Celiacs and people who are very sensitive have to make sure that all of their foods are made in gluten-free facilities and have never touched gluten, because even parts per million of gluten can provoke symptoms. We recommend working with a certified gluten-free practitioner.

If gluten has been causing you inflammation, you’ll likely experience less bloating, lowered inflammation, clearer skin, more energy, and less brain fog. However, keep in mind that a gluten-free diet is not for everyone or a cure-all. You should check with your healthcare practitioner to address your health issues.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition found in genetically predisposed people. When people with Celiac disease consume gluten, their immune system attacks the gut lining. This typically results in severe digestive symptoms and nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorption. People with Celiac disease are at a higher risk of developing other autoimmune disease, both due to their genetics, inflammation, and leaky gut ^[7]. Also, many people with obscure inflammatory symptoms or other autoimmune disease have undiagnosed Celiac disease. The only way to manage Celiac disease is to strictly avoid gluten. Celiacs can become very sick if their foods have touched a gluten-containing food or cooked in a container that used to have gluten.

Gluten Guardian^® is not a replacement for strict gluten avoidance to manage gluten intolerance disease. However, many Celiacs find that Gluten Guardian® Supplement helps them with occasional low-dose gluten exposure, such as when they eat out. It also helps them feel safer to have Gluten Guardian® as a safety net. Even so, individual responses may vary, so you should consult with your physician.

Although Gluten Guardian^® can potently break down the immunogenic parts of gluten, it may not fully keep gluten from the gut lining. Therefore, we do not advise that Celiacs use Gluten Guardian^® to liberally eat bread or pasta.

Celiac disease is associated with the following conditions, although they’re not always caused by Celiac disease or gluten. Therefore, if you have these conditions that don’t respond to any other treatments, speak to your doctor about a possible gluten intolerance disease diagnosis:

• Fatigue
• Constipation, Diarrhea, or alternating
• Bloating and gas
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss or inability to lose weight
• Brain fog
• Headache
• Inability to focus or ADHD
• Hormone imbalances
• Infertility and miscarriage
• Skin problems
• Joint pain
• Other autoimmune conditions

Symptoms of severe nutrient deficiency may also be caused by Celiac disease:

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Loss of bone density
• Mouth ulcers
• Tingling of hands and feet

A Celiac diagnosis may require blood tests for antibodies against gluten, genetic tests for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes, and colonoscopy. Visible damages to the small intestine lining on colonoscopy would confirm Celiac disease^[8].

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (also called Gluten Sensitivity or Intolerance) refers to any other inflammatory symptoms caused by gluten consumption that are not caused by autoimmunity^[9]. It is a less-defined and less recognized condition than Celiac disease.

If you are gluten-sensitive rather than Celiac, you may not have antibodies against gluten or visible damages in your gut lining through endoscopy. However, you will experience significant relief of some inflammatory symptoms when you go gluten-free, and the symptoms will return once you start to eat gluten again.

Gluten allergy is one of the most common food allergies that can be diagnosed with the presence of IgE antibodies in the blood. Like other food allergies, it can result in acute and severe allergic symptoms such as runny nose, hives, asthma, headache, stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, or anaphylaxis.

In all of these cases, the best way to manage it is to strictly and completely avoid gluten.

There are 3 components that trigger Celiac disease:

Genetic predispositions, such as the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes, and family history of autoimmunity.

A life event that triggers autoimmunity, such as infections, stress or trauma, pregnancy, or surgery

Gluten consumption

Gluten-containing foods may include (may not be exhaustive list):

• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley
• Einkorn
• Spelt
• Semolina
• Beer
• Malt
• Brewer’s yeast
• Wheat starch
• Farro
• Graham
• Kamut
• Bread and all baked goods
• Pasta
• Breakfast cereals
• Pancakes, waffles, crepes, and biscuits
• Croutons
• Flour tortillas
• Soy sauce
• Salad dressing and marinade*
• Soup*
• Starch
• Grain alcohol*

*Depending on the ingredient. Best to choose the certified gluten-free option.

Casein is a protein that comprises 82% majority of milk protein. Like gluten, it is very difficult to digest with normal digestive enzymes due to its structure. Cow’s milk in North America tends to be A1 milk, with digestion resistant fragments that can act like opiates (casomorphins). A1 casomorphins can provoke inflammation, causing digestive problems and inflammatory health conditions^[10]. Therefore, A1 milk can cause milk intolerance that is not caused by lactose intolerance^[11]. There is no medical test that can diagnose casein intolerance other than elimination-challenge.

Casein allergy is a food allergy that can be diagnosed with the skin prick test or blood test for IgE antibodies against milk. People with milk allergy will experience allergic symptoms such as hives, asthma, or anaphylaxis.

The DPP-IV enzyme in Gluten Guardian® can help completely break down the casein in your diet, thus reducing its immunogenicity. Other enzymes in Gluten Guardian® also help ensure optimal digestion for occasional indulgence^[12]. However, Gluten Guardian® is not approved to treat dairy intolerance or allergies.

Proteolytic (proteo = protein, lytic = break) enzymes or proteases digest proteins into peptides and eventually into amino acids. Pepsin is secreted in the stomach, whereas most other proteases are produced by the pancreas and secreted in the small intestine. These enzymes are important because incompletely digested proteins means less amino acids available for your body. It also means that some of these protein fragments could contribute to food allergies or other food-related inflammation. Incompletely digested proteins and unabsorbed amino acids will further get fermented by the gut bacteria. The protein and amino acid fermentation process tend to create unhealthy byproducts, so it is best to ensure that most of the protein you eat is available to you rather than your gut bacteria^[13].

Proteolytic enzymes are also important for wound healing, resolution of inflammation, and exercise recovery. When consumed with foods, proteolytic enzymes help digest food in the gut. However, when consumed on an empty stomach, plant proteolytic enzymes, such as those in AstraZyme, can be absorbed into the bloodstream. These plant enzymes can also support your natural healing processes from injuries, inflammation, or exercise training.

Amylases are enzymes that digest starch into maltose and subsequently glucose. Glucose is the sugar that can be absorbed and used as fuel every cell in your body.

If you have some ongoing imbalances in your gut bacteria or don’t usually eat a lot of carbs, a high-carb meal can cause bloating due to inflammation and bacterial fermentation. Gluten Guardian® contains three different types of amylase, which function at a full-spectrum of pH, to ensure that all the carbs get broken down into glucose.

Proteolytic (proteo = protein, lytic = break) enzymes or proteases digest proteins into peptides and eventually into amino acids. Pepsin is secreted in the stomach, whereas most other proteases are produced by the pancreas and secreted in the small intestine. These enzymes are important because incompletely digested proteins means less amino acids available for your body. It also means that some of these protein fragments could contribute to food allergies or other food-related inflammation. Incompletely digested proteins and unabsorbed amino acids will further get fermented by the gut bacteria. The protein and amino acid fermentation process tend to create unhealthy byproducts, so it is best to ensure that most of the protein you eat is available to you rather than your gut bacteria.

Proteolytic enzymes are also important for wound healing, resolution of inflammation, and exercise recovery. When consumed with foods, proteolytic enzymes help digest food in the gut. However, when consumed on an empty stomach, plant proteolytic enzymes, such as those in AstraZyme, can be absorbed into the bloodstream. These plant enzymes can also support your natural healing processes from injuries, inflammation, or exercise training.

Proteases are important to dissolve blood clots (they thin the blood also), and plant proteases help dissolve blood clots or adhesions that result from initial wound closures. Plant proteases in supplemental form do not help with cell division, unfolded protein responses, or autophagy.

The acid-alkalinity of the blood is very narrowly regulated. Any more than 0.1 change in pH can result in near-death sickness or death. The acid/alkalinity that's discussed in health is actually the acid/alkalinity of the urine. However, the theory that either one is healthy has been debunked. There is no scientific basis behind alkalinity of the blood leading to anxiety or insomnia.

Lipase is an enzyme that helps break down fat into glycerol and three fatty acid molecules.

DPP IV or DPP 4 stands for prolyl dipeptidyl peptidase IV. It is a family of enzymes that cut behind proline and alanine. Proline is an odd amino acid that has a rigid ring structure and introduces a kink into the protein, making it impossible for most proteases to digest proteins that contain a lot of proline. The DPP IV group of enzymes is present throughout the human body, helping to activate some peptide hormones, other enzymes, inflammatory substances, and neurotransmitters.

Some drugs, and incompletely digested peptides of gluten and casein can overwhelm and block the natural DPP IV enzymes that participate in these other biological processes. For example, Substance P is a 10 amino acid neuropeptide that controls pain sensation and anxiety, and is deactivated by a DPP IV. For sensitive people, consuming dairy and gluten on a regular basis can block DPP IV and increase substance P, leading to increased pain^[16].

People who suffer from elevated substance P may benefit from supplementing with a high-dose digestive DPP IV on a regular basis to reduce any food substance that may inhibit their own natural DPP IV. However, Gluten Guardian® is not approved to treat any disease and you should consult your physician, especially if you are taking medications.

The DPP IV in Gluten Guardian® comes from a fungus Aspergillus, which is used in oriental cultures to ferment soybeans.

The Aspergillus DPP IV has been shown to digest gluten in the gut of healthy people.^[12] People who took the enzyme had no trace of gluten left in their stomach at 1 hour, compared to 3 hours with the placebo. Also, the combination of DPP IV with pepsin (a stomach protease), such as found in Gluten Guardian®, can significantly reduce more gluten peptides than either enzyme alone^[13].

The other DPP IV family enzymes found in your body are present on the surface of the linings of the gut and kidneys, blood vessels, liver and pancreas, glandular cells, and white blood cells.^[14]

Digestive enzymes exist within your body and digestive enzyme supplements are generally safe. However, you should avoid digestive enzymes if you have gastritis or ulcer in your digestive system. Also, digestive enzymes may interact with diabetes medications and blood thinners, so you should always consult your doctors if you are on any medications.

Peptidase DPP IV is generally safe. Also, a randomized clinical trial demonstrated that the gluten-digesting enzyme can significantly digest most gluten in the stomach before the food reaches the small intestine.^[3] While gluten-digesting enzymes are not treatments for Celiac disease, it helps with digesting gluten and casein in the gut.

There are many reasons why gluten is bad for you. Plants can’t run away, so they create proteins that are toxic to animals who eat them. Gluten is one such protein that always stimulates your immune system and opens your gut barrier.

People who are optimally healthy have the immune systems that can ignore the wheat component and control disease-causing inflammation. However, suboptimal conditions, such as having high stress, unhealthy gut, dysbiosis, unhealthy diets, low enzymes, and poor sleep will allow gluten to become a problem.