Let's discuss Lectins (please)

[Vegan Joe]

So little seems to be available on line about the action and interactions of the topic often used by Paleos against the use of grains and such, I was hoping to fuel my bag of knowledge with the help of the knowledgeable.

[ellaminnowpea]

Lectins serve enzymatic functions in digestion, help with blood properties and citculation, and aid in immune system functioning. Why is there argument against them? The only issue with them is taking in a huge amount (of say, sugar) to the point of "toxicity".

[Vegan Joe]

Thanks!
Sorry for being elusive in my query.
Here is one page that enters into the discussion a little deeper.
Any thoughts?

http://www.vrp.com/digestive-health/lectins-their-damaging-role-in-intestinal-health-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-weight-loss

[Vegan Joe]

Nobody knows?

[harpy]

I don't, I'm afraid, and a quick Google hasn't brought up anything very conclusive. (I noticed though that that article you linked to has some striking resemblances to this metanalysis http://scialert.net/pdfs/pjn/2009/293-303.pdf - compare the last two sections for example.)

This seems as if it would be quite a difficult topic to research given that lectins seem to be in virtually everything?

[Vegan Joe]

Seems to me that this being a major Paleo argument, vegan should be better versed.

[Korn]

Hi VeganJoe,
it would be great if you somehow could sum up your opinions or questions, or at least tell us what it is that you want feedback on. The "action and interactions of the topic often used by Paleos against the use of grains and such" part is a bit vague, and many of us don't have time to go through many other sites to find out what exactly it is that you actually are asking about or want us to discuss.

[twinkle]

Seems to me that this being a major Paleo argument, vegan should be better versed.

Why?

[Korn]

Hi all,

I had to disable Vegan Joe's account, as he kept ignoring and breaking some basic board rules - a decision I made after I received a PM from his yesterday. Just continue the discussion about ''paleo arguments' or lectins in this or other/new threads.

If you want to more know about Vegan Joe's viewpoints, I've noticed that he has posted a lot of stuff over at veggieboards.com.

[peacefulkitchen]

I thought I would shed some light on the Lectins issue, I found some information about it from Dr. Fuhrman:

Part of the things discussed about lectins is true but for the most part it has been exaggerated and distorted to promote certain diets. Not all lectins are toxic, most of them are actually nutritious and provide health benefits. There are toxic lectins in red kidney beans that must be destroyed by cooking before you can consume the kidney beans, cooked kidney beans are perfectly safe to eat.


Plant lectins actually have shown in the scientific literature to have significant health benefits including: anti-cancer and anti-tumor activity. Abdullaev, F.I. and E.G. de Mejia. 1997 Antitumor effect of plant lectins. Nat. Toxins 5 [4}: 157-63


Scientists have observed plant lectins to have an inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in abnormal or malignant cells, but not in normal cells. This could prove to be a very effective form of treatment for cancer.

Some claims about lectins sound scientific when they mention indican in the urine, however indican in the urine does not measure an antibody-antigen reaction or agglutination of the platelets and therefore is extremely unpredictable and not an accurate test of a reaction to lectins or blood agglutination. Clerc, M., F. Altglas, and J. Martine. 1974 The amount of indican in the urine and its applications. Bull. Soc. Pathol. Exot. Filiales 67 [16]: 654-62


Some proponents of paleo diets or high protein diets claim some non-scientific observations made in the blood type diet by D' Adamo prove blood agglutination. The problems with this is D'Adamo says he saw blood agglutination when blood samples on slides were exposed to lectins. This is interesting because blood is supposed to agglutinate when removed from the body and exposed to the air so it has nothing to do with the lectins at all!

Some lectins are allergens in some susceptible people and can explain some food allergies, just like some people are sensitive to gluten or lactose in dairy products. This does not mean all lectins are bad, it does not support the idea that we are not supposed to eat grains.

The arguement about lectins supporting the idea that we are not supposed to consume grains just does not hold up to the scientific literature that I have seen.