Maldigestion also results in partially digested food remnants which can be involved in several pathologic reactions. First, these remnants become irritants and cause inflammation of the mucosal wall of the intestines. Many powerful enzymes and damaging chemicals are released, injuring the intestinal wall causing increased intestinal mucosal permeability. The foreign proteins of the digested food can then leak across the mucosa into the lymphatic channels of the intestinal wall and from there gain access of the circulation. Here, these absorbed proteins are recognized as foreign and attacked by cells of the immune system.
Antibodies bind to the protein, then call in macrophages and monocytes.
T-cells arrive later, releasing enzymes and using oxygen to drive the metabolic breakdown of the foreign protein. The total result is that the immune system is constantly turned on and draining down like a battery. As these allergic reactions to food breakdown products continue, the cells of the immune system wear out faster, run out of fuel and aren't reproduced in sufficient numbers. In addition to this chronic hyperimmune state, undigested food remnants provide fuel for the overgrowth of fermentative Fungal organisms such as Candida albicans as well as several types of parasites. Overgrowth of Candida in the intestines has significant effects throughout the body due to the absorption of toxic by-products of its metabolism.