Thursday 19 April 2012

Salicylate Part 1 - Salicylate Sensitivity

What is salicylate?

What does salicylate do? What is its function?

Where is salicylate found?

What can it do to people who are salicylate sensitive?

I found myself asking all these questions after I had an anaphylactic attack due to an over-accumulation of salicylates in my system. It scared the shit out of me. My life was never going to be the same again. I could not tolerate even small amounts of it. And the worst part was that it exists in FOOD! Especially fruits and vegetables! My FAVOURITE! And synthetic salicylate is found in almost EVERY day-to-day products! How was I going to live my life?

Salicylate

Salicylates are chemicals which are found naturally in some plants, which are stored in the bark, leaves, roots, skins and seeds. Salicylate protects the plants against insect damage and disease which are caused by bacteria, fungus and viruses. Salicylate is often concentrated just under the skin of fruits and in outer leaves of vegetables. Salicylate is at its highest in unripened fruits. But the level decreases as the fruits ripen.

The History of Salicylate

Salicylic acid is an acid which is derived from the bark of the willow tree. The willow tree bark has been used since the early times (especially by the Native Americans) as a remedy for pain, inflammation and fever. The first documentation of the medicinal use of salicylic acid was by the ancient Greeks at about 500 BC.

The History of Aspirin

A German man, by the name of Johann Buchner who was working at the University of Munich was the first to distill from willow bark the substance he called 'salicin' after the Latin name for the willow tree, 'Salix alba'. In 1829, a French chemist, Henri LaRoux, perfected the extraction technique. And in 1853, Charles Gerhardt, invented aspirin, though it wasn't marketed until the Bayer company patented the formula in 1899 (click here for Aspirin's history)

Salicylate Today

Salicylic acid is a very popular treatment for acne and is used in chemical peels to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, to help keep pores clean and prevent acne and sun damage.

Salicylic acid is also used as a treatment for skin conditions like psoriasis, warts and calluses. Because salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory properties, it can sooth the skin while exfoliating it.

Coming soon: Salicylate in Everyday Products




17 comments:

  1. In your research, have you ever come across any connection to Hashimoto's thyroiditis and salicylates? I find it really odd the diet I must be on for Hashimoto's and the diet I must be on for Factor Five are both HIGH salicylate diets. There must be some kind of connection. It can't be just coincidental.

    Sorry you can't do salicylates. I wish I could eat gluten, sweeteners, diary, soy, peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes and mushrooms! We always envy what we cannot have....

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    1. I have never come across that. Well, I'll eat gluten, soy, potatoes and occasionally tomatoes for you and you eat salicylates for me! :)

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  2. Funny, I was actually wondering the opposite -

    Do you know if it's possible for a salicylate sensitivity to cause hashimoto's? I know it's widely accepted that gluten intolerance can be a cause, or at least an agitator, or hashi's. I figured out a couple years ago that I have a salicylate sensitivity, and since about a year ago, I started cutting salicylates out of my diet (goodbye, favorite foods). That was a little bit before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The past 6 months or so, I have been becoming more and more sensitive to them, I assume because I have been eating less and less of them, and a couple months ago I got a thyroid panel run which showed very high thyroid antibodies levels - indicated probable hashimoto's. I do not have a gluten problem, in fact I was only just tested for it a few months ago.

    Wow this is so long, I'm sorry! I am just trying to find anyone with an answer to this, salicylate sensitive is so unknown by so many still, including the medical community, that it's hard to find this kind of information.

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    1. Hi Kristen!

      I found someone who has Hashimoto and is salicylate sensitive too on the Yahoo support group. I'll ask her and get back to you. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, salicylate sensitivity is still VERY unknown.

      Take care!

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  3. Gluten can damage the thyroid and also the small intestine. The ileum is the third part of the small intestine and it has been noted that people who are sensitive to salicylates have a damaged ileum.

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    1. True - everything starts in the gut. Heal the gut first of all.

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  4. Hi Evelyn,

    What a scary experience for you. I hope you have been able to reduce your salicylate levels in your body and find a way to heal.

    Stay well, Eileen.

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  5. This is very interesting - I am too allergic to Gluten, Dairy and Salicylates and I Have Hashimotos. There must be a connection. Anybody else suffering from this?

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  6. Do you know if there is a link between salicylic acid and citric acid? My daughter has a known allergy to salicylic acid but recently had a severe reaction to a soap that contained citric acid. I'm trying to figure out which chemical in the soap caused the issue.

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    1. I'm very sorry as I have no idea. Have you gone to see an allergist/immunologist?

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  7. I have Hashimoto's and am salicylate sensitive. My thoughts are that Hashimoto's has many different etiologies and as I understood very common. I think the etiologies of Hashimoto's which are seldom known are what is not understood which is why there isn't really in dots to connect.

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    1. I am sorry to hear of your condition. It's truly a mystery to how to connect the dots. But with much research, perseverance and careful experimentation, I'm sure we can obtain a glimpse of a better life! Good luck to you.

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  8. My salicylate intolerance is really getting to me. I wear a Respro breathing mask that allows me to be close to people outdoors but indoors I am so sensitive that my best friend was totally clean salicylate wise had come over with socks on he had wash'd in detergent and I started having muscle spasms, headache and nausea all within 15 minutes.
    What do you people do for work? I'm struggling and not to mention I'm single so this makes it really hard to date. I've only been this way for a short period of time as my sensitivity was caused by doctors mega dosing me with salicylic acid, Accutane and Retin A for my breakouts that were caused by salicylates.
    Anyone with any more answers please contact me by email.
    Beaumontsfinest@yahoo.com

    Thank you...
    Judd Robertson

    ReplyDelete
  9. My salicylate intolerance is really getting to me. I wear a Respro breathing mask that allows me to be close to people outdoors but indoors I am so sensitive that my best friend was totally clean salicylate wise had come over with socks on he had wash'd in detergent and I started having muscle spasms, headache and nausea all within 15 minutes.
    What do you people do for work? I'm struggling and not to mention I'm single so this makes it really hard to date. I've only been this way for a short period of time as my sensitivity was caused by doctors mega dosing me with salicylic acid, Accutane and Retin A for my breakouts that were caused by salicylates.
    Anyone with any more answers please contact me by email.
    Beaumontsfinest@yahoo.com

    Thank you...
    Judd Robertson

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you'll find some relief and will get better as time goes by.

      I have come across many people who are on disability and some work from home - away from people.

      All the best and stay strong.

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