General Description
	Testimonials
	Brochure
	Analyte List
	Turn Around Time
	Specimen Requirements
	CPT Code
	Kit Instructions
	Sample Report
	Order Test

General Description

Urinary peptides are incompletely broken down pieces of protein. The peptides from gluten and casein are important because they can react with opiate receptors in the brain, thus mimicking the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. These compounds, called neuropeptides, have been shown to react with areas of the brain such as the temporal lobes, which are involved in speech and auditory integration. Neuropeptides also decrease the ability to feel pain and affect cognitive function.

Most people that have food allergies to milk and wheat also have problems with peptides from milk and wheat interacting with their brain and causing an opiate-like effect. However, there are some people that may not show a food allergy to milk or wheat, but have the peptide problem and vice versa so it is a good idea to have both the peptides and food allergy testing done.

Click here to view the Recommendations By Disorder Chart (PDF)

What is Gliadorphin?

Gliadorphin (or gluteomorphin) is a peptide derived from the wheat protein gluten. Other related grains such as rye, barley and oats also contain the sequence of amino acids found in gluten. Gliadorphin is very similar to casomorphin. Gliadorphin has been verified by mass spectrometry techniques to be present in urine samples of children with autism. Both casomorphin and gliadorphin are composed of seven amino acids, which are abbreviated below. Both caseomorphin and gliadorphin start with the beginning N-terminal sequence tyr-pro (for tyrosine and proline) and the additional pro (proline) in positions 4 and 6 of both peptides, as indicated below.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Casomorphin	tyr	pro	phe	pro	gly	pro	ile
Gliadorphin	tyr	pro	gln	pro	gln	pro	phe

What is Casomorphin?

Casomorphin is a peptide derived from the milk protein casein. Casein is one of the major proteins in the mild of all mammals including cows, goats and humans.

Dr. Reichelt in Norway, Dr. Cade at the University of Florida, and others found that urine samples from people with autism, PDD, celiac disease and schizophrenia contained high amounts of the casomorphin peptide. We suspect that these peptides may also be elevated in other disorders such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression based on anecdotal reports of symptom remission after exclusion of wheat and dairy.

Why are These Peptides Important?

The peptides from gluten and casein are important because they react with opiate receptors in the brain, thus mimicking the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. These compounds have been shown to react with areas of the brain such as the temporal lobes, which are involved in speech and auditory integration.

Children with autism frequently seem addicted to wheat and dairy products. Presumably, people with Autism and schizophrenia incompletely digest wheat and dairy products. These incompletely digested peptides are then absorbed into the body and bind to opiate receptors, altering behavior and other physiological reactions.

Testimonials

"By just following the results of the food allergy test, where only low level of reactivity was reported in wheat and sugar, I just minimized these two elements from the environment under the supervision of our food nutritionist in Pakistan and within 15 days I have witnessed that my son has started to sit calmly for short noticeable time spans and his impatient violent movements also started to appear to have slightly eased out. Even this change has also been acknowledged by the special school.

After the receipt of the Gluten / Casein Peptide test report we plan to initiate comprehensive follow-up in the light of other reports with the help of our nutritionist and I am sure that the little progress signs witnessed in my son are quite encouraging and my son will soon be a part of normal life. Any parents of an ADHD / Autistic child in Pakistan can get in touch with me to have first hand feel of my personal experience through my cell No 0092-300-8414169."

– Father of an autistic son from Pakistan

“I just want to express my sincerest gratitude for your research and commitment to helping people.  If it were not for your work, I honestly believe that my son would not be talking, socializing nor making the remarkable progress that he has been making in the past five months since starting the GFCF diet.”

– Email to The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc.


"First of all I want to thank The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. and report on a remarkable success. In April 2003 you performed the urine peptide test for Roan C. in connection with his diagnosis of autism. He tested VERY positive to gluten and casein intolerance, so very often a part of the autism spectrum. We immediately deleted these two items from his diet. Within a week, Roan went from almost no speech, to talking, an incredible decrease in stimming and tantrums, and other remarkable progress.

His progress was so remarkable that the head of special services in our local school system indicated that if Roan could handle full days of school, five days a week in a regular class setting during the summer 2003 session, he should be able to begin kindergarten in the fall session right on time! He completed summer school with flying colors and is right on track in his current kindergarten class. The first day of school, the class was observed by five different teachers, and no one was able to pick out the "autistic child"!!!!

I thought you would like you know what a big part you have played in this little boy's life.

Obviously the gluten/casein intolerance plays a large part in autism's manifestations, at least in Roan's case. He has accidentally grabbed his brother's "regular milk" on three occasions since April with no apparent results, but eating one breaded chicken nugget off his brother's plate and being fed ready-to-eat breakfast cereals twice at his father's caused the same reaction as a drug "come down"...the first occasion with the cereal lasting for THREE days. Roan's aide at school and the school nurse both verified this behavior. We we are very, very watchful of his intake.

...We also had a 96 item food allergy scan done and Roan was allergic to apples, bananas, green beans, cabbage, egg yolks and whites and a few other things so we have also been avoiding them."

– Roan's family, United States


"I like the work of The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc., and the book and conferences by Dr. Shaw. I have sent samples of my patients (names omitted) for detection of organic acids and morphine peptides in urine and now they are improving greatly with the results you have recommended."

– Pediatrician from Barcelona, Spain

Brochure

Click here for printable brochure (PDF)

Analyte List

Gliadorphin (peptide from wheat) and Casomorphin (peptide from dairy)

Turn Around Time

The turn around time for this test is 1-3 weeks, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Specimen Requirements

5 mL of urine is the absolute minimum. 10 mL of urine is preferred. First morning urine before food and drink is preferred. The patient must discontinue soy proteins 1 week prior to collection of specimen (soy bean oil and soy lecithin are considered acceptable).

CPT Code

83519*2

Kit Instructions

For urine instructions please click here.