Case Study 1: The Skin and how it Reflects our Gut Health

Introduction

The first case I'll cover is of an 18-month-old baby boy who had generally normal development, full-term pregnancy: a vaginal birth with no complications and no preexisting conditions. However, he did develop keratosis pilaris (bumpy red skin on cheeks, thighs, and outer arms) at 6 months( a condition that usually starts at 12 months). This condition is developed by introducing allergenic and inflammatory foods such as snacks, grains, dairy, and added sugars. At 18 months, it was worsening, so his mother brought him in. 

Key Factors

Family history: The father's side was healthy, but there was a history of breast cancer and hypertension on the mother's side. Mom also had one copy of the MTHFR C677C mutation. They had an otherwise healthy family and had a dog at home. 

Changes at 6 months: The child's mom said at 6 months, she stopped breastfeeding and started a dairy-based formula. 

Changes Made

Interventions: The first step in treating the child's skin issues was to remove all dairy from his diet and start probiotics. Across all patients and conditions, this is my most successful intervention. I additionally started the child on cod liver oil to treat inflammation and heal his leaky gut and added the agape multivitamin to address possible methylation impairment. We also did bloodwork to evaluate food allergies and confirm his MTHFR status. 

Follow-up visit: His condition significantly improved just by removing dairy and taking probiotics. His blood revealed the following: 

• Food allergies: milk, egg white, wheat, peanut, soy

• Environmental allergies: dogs, dust

• Low vitamin D, homocysteine, and MMA

• Positive for a compound heterozygous MTHFR mutation (1 copy of A1298C and 1 copy of C677T) 

Based on the patient's bloodwork, there were a couple of key areas of concern:

Leaky Gut. When a patient has more than 4-5 allergies or sensitivities, it reflects a leaky gut. This condition refers to patients with weak intestinal linings in their guts, which allow toxins(and allergenic food particles) to “leak” out of their gut and into their bloodstreams. For individuals with both allergies and leaky guts, it is vital to remove allergenic foods altogether. To prevent your gut from "leaking", it is essential to repair its intestinal lining using Cod Liver oil(since it contains omega-3). Patients with leaky guts also generally lack butyrate. This substance is produced in the colon's lining. It is responsible for creating healthy bacteria in our gut, which is involved with vitamin synthesis, immune function, cognitive development, hormone regulation, and more. As a result, it is also advisable to take a butyrate supplement.

Oxidative Stress and Methylation Impairment: Low vitamin D, homocysteine, and MMA (methylmalonic acid) indicate oxidative stress and methylation impairment, which is consistent with the indicated methylation mutation. To address these issues, I had three recommendations:

• They take methylated folate(the form of folate the body can use) and remove all synthetic forms of folate (folic acid and enriched folate foods).

• Take a Vitamin D supplement and increase sun exposure.

• Take NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) and glutathione supplements (the two most powerful antioxidants in the body), and start consuming more antioxidant-rich foods (fruits and veggies).

The issues this patient dealt with are standard problems that many face as they deal with exposure to food and environmental toxins. I intend to share these stories to highlight the importance of making lifestyle and dietary changes when necessary.