"If you ever read food labels you've no doubt seen the word "carrageenan." This food additive is an extract of red seaweed (sounds healthy, right?) that gives foods a richer texture and acts as a stabilizer. It is found in many low and non-fat dairy…"
May 1, 2013
Should You Worry About Carrageenan in Food? (Probably) - LifeGoesStrong
April 23, 2013
STUDY* » Anti-inflammatory effect of a sulphated polysaccharide fraction extracted from the red algae Hypnea musciformis via the suppression of neutrophil migration by the nitric oxide signalling pathway.
J Pharm Pharmacol. 2013 May;65(5):724-33
via pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23600390
METHODS: The anti-inflammatory activity of PLS was evaluated using inflammatory agents (carrageenan and dextran) to induce paw oedema and peritonitis…
*The purpose of this blog is to document about Carrageenan causing inflammation—not to copy scientists work, so only include a small snippet about Carrageenan is posted on this blog. Click 'via pubmed link' to read actual study on their own site.
via pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23600390
METHODS: The anti-inflammatory activity of PLS was evaluated using inflammatory agents (carrageenan and dextran) to induce paw oedema and peritonitis…
*The purpose of this blog is to document about Carrageenan causing inflammation—not to copy scientists work, so only include a small snippet about Carrageenan is posted on this blog. Click 'via pubmed link' to read actual study on their own site.
How I decided that Carrageenan hates me
I told my 3rd GI that I knew it sounded a bit crazy, but the only pattern I picked up on from my numerous rule-out diets was commercial foods. He responded that it didn't sound crazy at all, for he himself suffered from food-additive sensitivities.
He advised me to eat only 100% whole foods for a few days to see if I didn't suffer an IBS attack, then challenge myself with one commercial food, then revert back to whole foods again for a few days. It might take a few different commercial foods before it was noticeable, but it would be easier to detect patterns with just one commercial food at a time.
I did as he advised, did have an IBS attack after eating a commercial food, and wrote down the ingredients. Over many months, I was finally able figure out that Carrageenan was my very worst IBS trigger. Oh the pain and inflammation it caused, usually starting about 20-60 minutes after eating a food with carrageenan, then swelling and hurting more and more over the next 12'ish hours. The ONLY thing that relieved the pain and swelling was to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep while in so much pain. I ended up taking mild narcotics just to get to sleep, although stronger narcotics might have been better for sleeping, but most narcotics nauseate me—nothing worse than throwing up when your gut is already super-swollen and burning.
I did notice some minor IBS triggers too: Annatto and Nitrates, and something in commercial broths/bouillons. Carrageenan, Annatto, and nitrates are listed as excitoxins, so maybe there's something with that, but I'll have to study more before I decide if that matters to my body.
He advised me to eat only 100% whole foods for a few days to see if I didn't suffer an IBS attack, then challenge myself with one commercial food, then revert back to whole foods again for a few days. It might take a few different commercial foods before it was noticeable, but it would be easier to detect patterns with just one commercial food at a time.
I did as he advised, did have an IBS attack after eating a commercial food, and wrote down the ingredients. Over many months, I was finally able figure out that Carrageenan was my very worst IBS trigger. Oh the pain and inflammation it caused, usually starting about 20-60 minutes after eating a food with carrageenan, then swelling and hurting more and more over the next 12'ish hours. The ONLY thing that relieved the pain and swelling was to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep while in so much pain. I ended up taking mild narcotics just to get to sleep, although stronger narcotics might have been better for sleeping, but most narcotics nauseate me—nothing worse than throwing up when your gut is already super-swollen and burning.
I did notice some minor IBS triggers too: Annatto and Nitrates, and something in commercial broths/bouillons. Carrageenan, Annatto, and nitrates are listed as excitoxins, so maybe there's something with that, but I'll have to study more before I decide if that matters to my body.
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