Written by: Leslie Parran, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
There is a lot of information about gluten out there. It’s one of those substances that gets a totally bad rap from some sources, and yet others more moderate reviews. Of course, those people who are gluten proponents…aka…gluten-containing food product manufacturers and gluten-food lovers will tout its healthfulness and goodness and naysay its bad or ugly effects. The intent of this article is to review the characteristic qualities of gluten and its potential impacts on the body.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 spaghetti western about three main characters in the film played by Clint Eastwood (the good), Lee Van Cleef (the bad), and Eli Wallach (the ugly). It is considered one of the greatest and most influential western movies ever made. Looking at specifically wheat gluten from all 3 perspectives—the good, the bad, and the ugly--can help us better understand its benefits as well as when and why it may be important to eliminate gluten from our diets.
How is gluten good?
Grains are the seeds of grass-like plants called cereals. Some of the most common varieties are corn, rice, and wheat. Gluten-containing whole grains have good properties because they contain fiber and provide nutrients including vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, magnesium, and iron.
Is all gluten bad?
Well, let me say that all gluten is not bad. In fact, not all gluten is the same. There are different forms of gluten, such as wheat (gliadin), barley (hordein), and rye (secalin) as well as related species such as spelt, green spelt, kamut, oats, farro, and einkorn. While it is true that all grains contain gluten, many are well-tolerated and often not the type of gluten found in wheat which we typically associate with problems.
It is the wheat gluten that is particularly important to discern from other forms of gluten. Aside from wheat gluten, corn, rice, quinoa, oats all have their own forms of gluten. Wheat, barley, and rye are the primary bad gluten culprits, and individuals are often unaware the gluten sensitivity symptoms may be lurking. That said, people can also develop sensitivity to other forms of gluten. For purposes of this review, we will refer to the effects of wheat gluten in the body.
What are the ugly effects of gluten in the body?
There are many symptoms that relate to gluten intolerance including pain, skin rashes, GI symptoms, joint pain, headaches/migraines, stiff muscles, mouth sores, fatigue, anxiety, and more. There are a wide range of diseases associated with gluten sensitivity.
So how do the ugly effects of gluten result in disease and symptoms? Wheat gliadin causes immune-mediated damage to the intestines. Gliadin is a wheat storage protein high in the amino acids proline and glutamine. The type of immune response may be either an innate response (immediate) or an adaptive response (specific, long-lasting).
The enzyme tissue transglutaminase activates immune cells, called T-cells, leading to autoimmune destruction of intestinal villi in Celiac Disease (CD) individuals. This is an adaptive immune response. It is important to note, however, that all people who ingest gluten experience activation of an innate immune response through activation of Interleukin 15 (IL-15).
Interestingly, gliadin does not need to activate an autoimmune response disease to damage intestinal tissue. In fact, every time gluten is ingested, it causes holes in the intestinal lining through the innate immune response. Because the intestinal lining is most often able to repair quickly, most people don’t feel the effects of the damage.
Gliadin upregulates the production of a protein known as zonulin, which modulates intestinal permeability. Too much zonulin creates a chronically leaky gut, which can result in undigested food particles leaking into the circulation, activating the immune system, and leading to autoimmune disease as well as potentially other diseases associated with leaky gut, such as cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and diabetes.
Wheat also contains a lectin known as wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) which causes direct, non-immune effects on our intestines, allowing leaking and entry into the bloodstream, resulting in damage to distant organs in our body. WGA can cause direct damage to many tissues in the human body without pre-existing genetic susceptibility causing inflammatory, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, or cytotoxic reactions. This type of damage may explain why chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are growing in wheat-consuming populations even when allergies or intolerances to wheat gluten appear to be rare. One example of its effects is that WGA can cause hormonal imbalances such as "leptin resistance", blocking this appetite-satiating receptor in the hypothalamus within the brain, leading to obesity.
Consumption of medications such as NSAIDs, aspirin, antibiotics, or other foods that an individual may be sensitive to, can also trigger an adaptive immune response, leading to Celiac Disease in susceptible individuals.
Another effect of wheat gluten is that it is known to have opiate-like properties, which shows in how people can become very addicted to bread products, experience cravings, as well as have difficulty going gluten-free.
What are the factors in developing wheat sensitivity or wheat-related disorders?
Your genes-Genes can predispose you to sensitivity. With continued exposure to wheat gluten in a person genetically sensitive, the genes of inflammation can be turned on. HLA-DQ2 and 8 genes are linked to CD, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), as well as other autoimmune conditions. HLA-DQ1 and 3 are associated with NCGS but not celiac disease.
Environmental triggers-the most common being what you eat. Some medications can actually accelerate the development of gluten sensitivity including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and over-the-counter antacids.
Dysbiosis & Inflammation-Constant exposure to gluten can trigger inflammatory cytokines, activate zonulin, and upset your normal gut microbiome.
Intestinal permeability/Leaky gut-When undigested food particles leak from the gut and into the circulation, antibodies can develop to food, leading to food sensitivities, such as NCGS and potentially autoimmune disease.
Systemic Inflammation-The results of chronic activation of the immune system from gluten intolerance can lead to wide system inflammation and the development of a wide range of diseases such as osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.
Who should avoid Wheat gluten? Those individuals with:
Wheat allergy-This is a true allergy associated with the release of IgE antibodies.
Celiac Disease
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
Gluten Ataxia- A rare neurological autoimmune disorder activated through gluten exposure.
How to Know if You Have Gluten Sensitivity
When you have the loss of oral tolerance, meaning you cannot tolerate gluten, this is due to both immune and non-immune mediated responses. While gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is not a disease, it is a predisposition of your genetics that in some cases triggers CD or other diseases.
To know if you have a wheat-related disorder, whether it is CD or NCGS, it is very important to test, don’t guess. There are different tests that can be helpful. Genetic testing can identify genetic susceptibility to wheat-related disorders. Serum tests may be helpful to identify CD; however, a biopsy is needed to confirm CD. It is important to know if you are negative for CD, it is still important to test for NCGS.
It is also important to understand that there are many forms of gluten so just testing for anti-gliadin antibodies is not enough. The standard test for gluten sensitivity is anti-gliadin antibodies. Gliadin is only one of the peptides of poorly-digested wheat, so therefore it is not a comprehensive gluten test. A Wheat Zoomer™ aids in the specific recognition of antibodies to wheat peptides – including gluten and non-gluten components, along with antibodies that indicate the presence of intestinal permeability. It is also a highly sensitive peptide-based array designed to detect autoimmune reactions to gluten. Testing can help individuals find out if those substances may be triggers for untoward symptoms such as joint pain, headaches, abdominal issues, depression, anxiety, or even disease such as autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, infertility, or other neurological disorders.
What You Can Do To Improve Your Health
Change Your Diet: Consider a wheat-free diet and incorporate pseudo-grains that are labeled gluten-free. If you have not tested for gluten sensitivity, you can try a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms start to resolve, although this may take a couple of weeks and symptoms may not entirely resolve for months.
Try eating food with pseudograins which are plants and seeds that resemble grains like quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice, and amaranth. Flours made with almonds, hazelnuts, coconut, and hemp seeds are better than whole grain flours, but still are not whole foods, which are preferred. So limit these, as they are often used incorporating sugar. If relying on corn or rice flour, make sure that they are non-GMO. Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat is a newer ancient grain containing natural anti-inflammatories. This flour is 100% organic, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and Non-GMO.
Unfortunately, if you have an autoimmune disease, you should go gluten-free permanently. If you are gluten sensitive or have CD, there is no such thing as having a little gluten as this sensitivity does not reverse, unlike some other food sensitivities. Even having a minute amount will trigger inflammation.
Also, many supposed gluten-free products have been shown to not be truly gluten-free. A proponent of a grain-free diet, Dr. Peter Osborne indicates that a truly gluten-free diet eliminates all grains, looks at the potential of gluten in dairy-based on an animal’s diet, considers processed food cross-contamination, and considers food additives, GMO’s and pesticides as well as consider foods difficult to digest, including health restoration and maintenance.
When eliminating wheat from the diet, it is important to ensure a diet that will support adequate pre-biotic fibers and probiotics and replace the common nutrients provided by wheat grains including B vitamins, magnesium, and iron. Incorporating fermented foods, homemade applesauce, and root vegetables are examples of good foods to replace wheat-containing foods with. Don’t get sucked into replacing wheat with gluten-free packaged products, which often do not have good nutrient value and can contain a lot of sugar.
Remember that even a very small exposure to gluten can cause inflammation with symptoms that last for several days, and potentially autoimmune reactions that can last several months. While most individuals who are gluten sensitive may feel better within a couple of weeks to one month after accidental exposure, those with autoimmune disease may find that their disease symptoms don’t entirely resolve until 18 months.
Consider supplementation-Supplements can be used to help heal the gut as well as provide essential nutrients along with the gluten-free diet. They can help to promote healing a leaky gut and reducing inflammation. When gluten is removed from your diet, you may want to consider supplementation with:
Vitamin D
Glutamine
Fish Oils,
Probiotics
Zinc Carnosine
Colostrum-Colostrum is derived from the milk of humans, cows, and other mammals. It can be purchased as a supplement intended to help heal a leaky gut.
Vitamin B
Gluten-assisting digestive enzymes-Taking these at meals where you may potentially be inadvertently exposed to gluten may be helpful. It is important to note, that you should not intentionally eat gluten if you are gluten sensitive, there are digestive enzymes that can help to break down gluten. E3 Advanced Plus and GlutenEase™ are just 2 examples, which are intended for those sensitive to gluten, who are already following a gluten-free diet but may need help breaking down gluten proteins that are unintentionally ingested.
Avoid exposure to other gluten-containing cosmetics, utensils, or other substances.
Access resources to help you understand how to avoid gluten exposure and follow a gluten-free diet. While you can try eliminating gluten on your own, as a Certified Gluten-Free Practitioner, I do help clients to get tested for wheat sensitivities and support them with resources and coaching to heal their gut and reduce their symptoms through following a gluten-free diet.
Review this checklist for gluten-sensitivity symptoms.
In summary, wheat gluten represents the good, the bad, and the ugly depending on the individual. While at its best, its good properties include that it contains fiber and several important nutrients. The bad news is that it always negatively affects the gut lining, although, many individuals continue to be tolerant of gluten, and their gut relatively quickly repairs after intake. With repeated chronic exposure, genetic predisposition, and other factors, an individual can lose oral tolerance of wheat and the ugly effects of gluten can appear including disease, autoimmune disease, and untoward symptoms.
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Leslie Parran, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Leslie Parran is a leader in natural holistic healing from inflammation and pain. As a nurse for 40 years with advanced nursing certifications, Leslie helped patients with chronic diseases and pain. Now as a Board-Certified Functional Wellness Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner with several other holistic and functional practitioner certifications, she helps active and motivated people with chronic inflammation and pain move from pain to peace so that they feel better, move better, and live better. Leslie is the Owner and Champion Peacemaker of Peace x Piece Wellness Coaching. As a functional practitioner, she uses in-home lab testing to uncover hidden metabolic healing opportunities such as food sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, gut pathogens, and toxins that can sometimes, unknowingly, lead to inflammation, pain, and chronic health conditions. As a health coach, she uses positive psychology and personalized holistic healing protocols including diet, rest, exercise, stress management, and supplementation to help her clients make their bodies work the way they are supposed to and achieve their wellness goals.
References:
Hollon J, Puppa EL, Greenwald B, Goldberg E, Guerrerio A and Fasano A. Effect of Gliadin on Permeability of Intestinal Biopsy Explants from Celiac Disease Patients and Patients with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Nutrients: 2015, 7, 1565-1576; doi:10.3390/nu7031565.
Ji, S. The Dark Side of Wheat: A Critical Appraisal of the Role of Wheat in Human Disease. https://www.greenmedinfo.com/page/dark-side-wheat-new-perspectives-celiac-disease-wheat-intolerance-sayer-ji
Ji, S. Opening Pandora's Bread Box: The Critical Role of Wheat Lectin in Human Disease. https://www.greenmedinfo.com/page/opening-pandoras-bread-box-critical-role-wheat-lectin-human-disease.
Hyman, M. The Pegan Diet: 21 Practical Principles for Reclaiming Your Health in a Nutritionally Confusing World. New York: Little, Brown Spark, 2021
O’Bryan, T. The Autoimmune Fix: How to Stop the Hidden Autoimmune Damage That Keeps You Sick, Fat, and Tired Before it Turns Into Disease. Rodale Books, Inc., 2016.
Osborne, P. No Grain, No Pain: A 30-Day Diet for Eliminating the Root Cause of Chronic Pain. New York: Touchstone, 2016.
