THE PHENOMENON OF PERSORPTION: PERSORPTION,
DISSEMINATION, AND ELIMINATION OF MICROPARTICLES
by Prof. GERHARD VOLKHEIMER
Solid microparticles, whose diameter lies far in the micrometer range (µm), such as pollen, spores, starch-granules, cellulose particles, silicates, crystals, diatoms, soot particles and other natural and industrial dusts are regularly incorporated in a noteworthy quantity in the alimentary tract. Their paracellular translocation through transitory leaks in the epithelial cell layer has been confirmed. Mechanical factors play an important role here: The solidity of the microparticles, the constantly hammering vascular pulsation communicated to the mucosa and the motility of the muscularis propria and muscularis mucosae are causal factors for the loosening of tight junctions and for the appearance of leaks in the epithelial cell layer. The microparticles are transported from the sub-epithelial region through lymph tracts via the thoracic duct but also through veins and disseminated with the blood stream. They are to be found in the peripheral blood already within a few minutes of peroral application.
There are numerous ways in which the microparticles can be eliminated from the blood stream. Their passage into the alveolar lumen, bile, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, peritoneal cavity, through the lactating mamma into the milk and also the transplacental transfer to the foetal blood circulation has been observed. Numerous ready-to-serve foods contain large quantities of solid microparticles capable of persorption.
“The persorption of microparticles is an effect that may be constantly observed in the passage of food through the organism. The embolisation of small vessels by persorbed particles is of interest from the viewpoint of micro-angiology. The long-term deposition of microparticles that are capable of embolisation and consist of potential allergens or contain contaminants is of immunological and toxicological importance. Environmental and industrial medicine is addressed since industrial and natural dusts passing via the nasopharynx to the alimentary tract are persorbed. A noteworthy observation is the passage via the placenta of persorbed microparticles into the foetal circulation.The phenomenon of the persorption of microparticles still requires numerous supplementary studies; the heuristic value has by no means been exhausted as yet.”
Quotes by Ray Peat, PhD:
“Persorption refers to a process in which relatively large particles pass through the intact wall of the intestine and enter the blood or lymphatic vessels. It can be demonstrated easily, but food regulators prefer to act as though it didn’t exist. The doctrine that polymers–gums, starches, peptides, polyester fat substitutes–and other particulate substances can be safely added to food because they are “too large to be absorbed” is very important to the food industry and its shills.
When the bowel is inflamed, toxins are absorbed. The natural bacterial endotoxin produces many of the same inflammatory effects as the food additive, carrageenan. Like inflammatory bowel disease, the incidence of liver tumors and cirrhosis has increased rapidly. Liver damage leads to hormonal imbalance. Carrageenan produces inflammation and immunodeficiency, synergizing with estrogen, endotoxin and unsaturated fatty acids.”
“Volkheimer found that mice fed raw starch aged at an abnormally fast rate, and when he dissected the starch-fed mice, he found a multitude of blocked arterioles in every organ, each of which caused the death of the cells that depended on the blood supplied by that arteriole. It isn’t hard to see how this would affect the functions of organs such as the brain and heart, even without considering the immunological and other implications….”
“Tiny particles of insoluble materials — clay, starch, soot, bacteria — are all potential sources of serious inflammatory reactions, and the ultra-small particles are potentially ultra-numerous and harder to avoid.”
“Around 1988 I read Gerhard Volkheimer’s persorption article, and after doing some experiments with tortillas and masa, I stopped eating all starch except for those, then eventually I stopped those. Besides grains of starch entering the blood stream, lymph, and cerebral spinal fluid, starch feeds bacteria, increasing endotoxin and serotonin.”
Pathologe. 1993 Sep;14(5):247-52.
[Persorption of microparticles].
[Article in German]
Volkheimer G.
Solid, hard microparticles, such as starch granules, pollen, cellulose particles, fibres and crystals, whose diameters are well into the micrometre range, are incorporated regularly and in considerable numbers from the digestive tract. Motor factors play an important part in the paracellular penetration of the epithelial cell layer. From the subepithelial region the microparticles are transported away via lymph and blood vessels. They can be detected in body fluids using simple methods: only a few minutes after oral administration they can be found in the peripheral blood-stream. We observed their passage into urine, bile, cerebrospinal fluid, the alveolar lumen, the peritoneal cavity, breast milk, and transplacentally into the fetal blood-stream. Since persorbed microparticles can embolise small vessels, this touches on microangiological problems, especially in the region of the CNS. The long-term deposit of embolising microparticles which consist of potential allergens or contaminants, or which are carriers of contaminants, is of immunological and environmental-technical importance. Numerous ready-made foodstuffs contain large quantities of microparticles capable of persorption.
Environ Health Perspect. 1974 Dec;9:215-25.
Passage of particles through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract.
Volkheimer G.
In the normal process of digestion, not only substances in solution are absorbed. Solid, undissolved particles in macrocorpuscular form, are “kneaded” into the mucosa during their passage through the digestive tract. These particles in the micrometer size range pass between the epithelial cells into the subepithelial layer. From here they are transmitted both by the lymph vessels and by the mesenteric veins into the circulation, where they remain for a considerable time. This phenomenon, termed persorption, was investigated in detail.
Med Hypotheses. 1991 Jun;35(2):85-7.
Persorption of raw starch: a cause of senile dementia?
Freedman BJ.
Intact starch granules in food can pass through the intestinal wall and enter the circulation. They remain intact if they have not been cooked for long enough in the presence of water. Some of these granules embolise arterioles and capillaries. In most organs the collateral circulation suffices for continued function. In the brain, however, neurones may be lost. Over many decades the neuronal loss could be of clinical importance. To test this hypothesis, there is a need to examine brains for the presence of embolised starch granules. Examining tissues polariscopically clearly distinguishes starch granules from other objects of similar appearance.
Dig Dis Sci. 1995 May;40(5):967-75.
Uptake and translocation of microparticles in small intestine. Morphology and quantification of particle distribution.
Hodges GM, Carr EA, Hazzard RA, Carr KE.
The intestinal transit of large (micro-) particles to other sites of the body remains a controversial issue of relevance in various fields of study. In this report fluorescent polystyrene latex microparticles in the size range of 2 microns were used as models for nonspecifically absorbed nonbiodegradable particulates. They were administered to young adult rats as a single oral dose of 1.65 x 10(9) particles; Peyer’s patches and surrounding normal absorptive small intestinal tissue were collected at various time points. Quantification of solubilized tissue samples and fluorescence (epi- and confocal) qualitative and quantitative microscopy showed uptake of latex microparticles in all parts of the intestine sampled, but with the proximal segment the preferential site of absorption. The maximum uptake of particles occurred 0.5 hr after dosing in all three segments of the small intestine; there were progressively smaller numbers with distance from the pylorus and with time. Translocation of small numbers of particles to the mesenteric lymph nodes was also detected at 0.5 hr. Transmucosal passage of particles occurred primarily in the villous tissues adjacent to the Peyer’s patch regions. These studies give confirmatory evidence for the uptake and translocation of microparticulates across the mucosal barrier and provide new information regarding site- and time-related effects on particle uptake and the involvement of the villous epithelium in particle translocation.
J Anat. 1996 Oct;189 ( Pt 2):265-71.
Early intestinal microparticle uptake in the rat.
Hazzard RA, Hodges GM, Scott JD, McGuinness CB, Carr KE.
This time-course study investigates the early uptake and passage of microparticles across the intestinal mucosa. Single intraoral doses of fluorescent latex particles, 1.82 microns in diameter, were administered to young adult male, nonfasted rats at a dose of 1.88 x 10(9) particles. Peyer’s patch regions and mesenteric lymph nodes were collected at 5, 15 and 30 min time points for both bulk tissue and morphological analyses. Particles were found at all experimental time points in macerated intestinal and nodal specimens: particle numbers were higher in proximal than in distal intestine at all time points despite the fact that particle numbers in distal Peyer’s patch regions increased with time. Particle numbers in mesenteric lymph nodes also increased with time after administration. Detailed morphological data for several intestinal and nodal tissue compartments showed substantial early uptake of particles by villous epithelium, including goblet cells, but low involvement of follicle-associated cells. The distribution of particles in the lymph nodes confirmed that translocation occurred to all nodal compartments. These studies give confirmatory evidence that uptake and translocation of microparticles may take place as early as 5 min after administration and suggest that intestinal region may influence uptake.
