In the world of nutrition sugar is now the source of all evil but it is fair to say that Gluten probably wins second place. The supermarkets shelves are filled with gluten free products and a lot of individuals are religiously sticking to this new way of eating. It is estimated that 1 in 10 of us in the UK have now gone gluten free but is this necessary?
WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is made of two different protein: glutenin and gliadin. It give food its shape and chewy texture and can be found in wheat, rye and barley but also in many processed foods such as soups and ready meal.
CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH GLUTEN
1 - COELIAC DISEASE : Some studies are showing that humans do not have the enzymes to digest and break down gluten properly and this in turn causes the immune system to attack it’s own body. This is certainly true for the 1 % of the population who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease which is an auto-immune disorder caused by a reaction to gluten. In the case of Coeliac the gluten over time destroy the villi, which are finger like little protein lining the small intestine. This often leads to inflammation and symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and anemia and an increased risk to develop other auto-immune disorders.
Anemia is always a red flag for a Nutritional therapist to recommend coeliac disease to be ruled out . The highest prevalence of celiac disease in Europe is in Ireland and Finland
One of the problem is that there could be a lot more individual suffering from CD that are undetected. The test for CD is only positive where you have complete villous atrophy which is the end stage of the disease. So if there is coeliac in your family I would get tested but if negative I would still be cautious around eating a large amount of gluten.
2 - AUTO-IMMUNE DISORDERS : Dr. Alessio Fasano is a world-renowned pediatric gastroenterologist who has done a lot of research on the immune system. He proposed that for an auto-immune disorder to develop you need 3 parameters to be present :
A genetic predisposition
A trigger or an environmental factor that is the instigator of the immune response
A breach of the intestinal barrier aka intestinal permeability
Gluten is one of the protein that has been shown in studies to contribute to what is called intestinal permeability. This can lead to what is called molecular mimicry when the body starts attacking its own tissues. If for instance the target is the brain you may develop MS, the joints rheumatoid arthritis.
There are some evidence that individual with an autoimmune disorder feel a lot better when on a GF diet and also in some cases reduce the attack on the body. Moreover, Coeliac disease will put you at higher risks to develop another auto-immune disorder. Type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto's disease-an autoimmune disorder that can cause hypothyroidism- have also been linked to Coeliac disease.
3- NGCS – NON COELIAC GLUTE SENSITIVITY
An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Up to 6% have what have been termed non-coeliac gluten intolerance. It is also now a recognized medical condition.
NGCs means that you do not get inflammation and destruction of the villi but you experience a negative reaction when you consume gluten
COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE DIGESTION GLUTEN
Digestive issues : Diarrhoea, IBS, bloating, gas and pain however it is not always showing up in the gut.
Non digestive issues :Mood disorders, Joint pains, skin issues such as adult acne, Vitamin D Deficiency, sleepiness after eating gluten, Depression and fatigue, Iron deficiency, Anemia, Brain fog.
If you are regularly experiencing any of these symptoms I would remove it temporarily from your diet and see if it helps.
UNDERLYING FACTORS
Your genes – the HLA gene is a good predictor of gluten sensitivity. 99% of those with Coeliac disease have the gene , and 60% of those with NCGS have a version of the HLA gene.
Dysbiosis an imbalance in your gut flora can set the stage for gluten sensitivities.
A compromised gut lining
SO SHOULD YOU BE AVOIDING GLUTEN ?
The answer if not black or white so it depends. If you don’t have any chronic health issues, been diagnose with coeliac, have digestive issues then there is probably no reason to avoid gluten .Some studies are actually showing that a Gluten free lifestyle can affect the diversity of your gut bacteria. Whole-wheat is also an important source of fiber so food for your gut bugs.
Also, not all gluten are the same. You cannot compare a shop bought poor quality bread with 20 ingredients and a fresh home baked bread with 3 ingredients .
Some individuals can also tolerate some Gluten but toast at breakfast, a sandwich at lunch time and pasta will leave them feeling bloated and tired. But is this down to the Gluten or the refined sugars contained in these foods ?
GOING GLUTEN FREE
Avoiding gluten often means more than giving up traditional breads, cereals, pasta, pizza, and beer. Gluten is also in many other products, including in sauces, soy sauce, some vitamin and mineral supplements, and even toothpaste. You need to eliminate gluten from your diet for 30 days to get a good idea if this is a problem for you.
A word of cautious avoid most Gluten Free products from supermarket as a lot contain fillers and binders that are not very gut friendly. As a rule, the least ingredients the better.
My advice is to follow your gut and if it makes you feel unwell cut it out or avoid Gluten. Just ensure that you include other gut loving GF grain into your diet such as GF oats and wholegrain rice.
TESTING
If you suspect you have an issue with gluten, have coeliac disease in the family or an auto-immune disorder I would recommend that you get tested for Coeliac disease . But remember that if those results are negative, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a sensitivity to it!
There is no medical test that you can do at your GP for gluten sensitivity, Buy I use a US based test that can identify antibodies to gluten.
Contact me if you want to know more on testing