"Mucoid Plaque"

Edward Uthman, M.D.

Question

I am looking for information about something called "mucoid plaque", which is alleged by some health information sources to be a thick mucus-like substance that builds up on the intestinal walls as the body attempts to protect itself from various toxic substances.

Answer

This concept is promoted used by some advocates of "detoxification" and "intestinal cleasning." I have seen several thousand intestinal biopsies and have never seen any "mucoid plaque." This is a complete fabrication with no anatomic basis. The small and large intestines normally secrete mucus for lubrication, but it does not form into any type of "plaque."

Dr. Uthman, a practicing pathologist, is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Texas School of Medicine.

This article was posted on January 7, 1998.