What About Gluten Consumption For Non
With the recent craze of gluten-free diets and living a gluten-free lifestyle, this poor non-essential protein has completely been villainized, but should we all live in fear? This is where it gets stickyas there are conflicting opinions around every corner. Looking at recent studies, a comprehensive current review published in 2019 states that research shows gliadin may cause an immediate increase in tight cells junction permeability of the intestinal epithelial cells. What this means is that when gliadin is ingested, the connection between the cells within our digestive tractthat are usually tightly stitched togetherbegin to slowly unravel. This effect has also been linked to the release of zonulin which is a molecule that also contributes to tight cell junction disassembly. Over time, this can create gaps between cells, allowing for undigested protein and particles to escape from the digestive system and into the bloodstream. This condition is also known as leaky gut, or intestinal permeability.
Another study that involved 1,095 young adults ages 20-29, showed that increased gluten intake was directly associated with increased concentrations of plasma 2-macroglobulin, which is an important marker of inflammation. The conclusion of this study is: Gluten consumption is associated with increased plasma 2-macroglobulin in young adults, which appears to be independent of celiac disease, suggesting possible effects of gluten on inflammation.
What Foods Cause Joint Pain
For people who suffer from arthritis, the constant pain and stiffness often lead the body to be in a state of stress or inflammation. In these cases, some food may aggravate the inflammation or relieve it. Hence, along with taking medications, people must restrict some types of food.
The most common causes of joint pain are
Other causes of joint pain are quite rare and may include
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Diagnosing Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity In Adults
NYU Langone gastroenterologistsdoctors that specialize in diseases of the digestive systemare experts in diagnosing celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the digestive tract after a person consumes gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other foods and beverages. Some vitamins, medications, and personal care products such as lip balm contain gluten.
During digestion, food passes through the intestines, where nutrients are absorbed into the body. Most of this absorption occurs in the small intestine, where tiny finger-like projections along the small intestinal lining, called villi, sweep the nutrients from food into the bloodstream.
People with celiac disease, however, have a genetic susceptibility to recognize gluten differently. When someone with celiac disease eats food that contains gluten, it triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine. The body forms antibodies, or proteins, that attempt to remove gluten from the body as if it were a foreign invader. The antibodies also attack the lining of the small intestine, causing inflammation.
Over time, recurrent inflammation damages the villi in the small intestine, and the body doesnt absorb nutrients very well. This can lead to malnutrition and unwanted weight loss. The chronic inflammation also can cause abdominal discomfort.
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How Is Gluten Intolerance Treated
Theres no cure for gluten intolerance. But most people find relief from symptoms by following a gluten-free diet. You should work with your healthcare provider and a dietitian to plan your diet.
You can also ask your healthcare provider about adding probiotics to your diet. Probiotics help increase the good bacteria in your gut. They may reduce symptoms of bloating, gas or constipation.
Some research suggests that taking certain enzymes may help you digest gluten. But experts are still investigating this treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any enzymes.
Increased Intestinal Permeability And Its Association With Disease
Increased intestinal permeability is involved in the genesis of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes, asthma, chronic fatigue, and even depression. In leaky gut syndrome bits of bacteria and proteins from food enter the circulation and then interact with the immune system. The protein signatures on these sometimes confuse or trick the immune system into attacking its host . This is what happens in autoimmune disease.
Many aspects of gluten can affect human health in negative ways. These include digestive difficulty, immunological reactions, increased intestinal permeability, actions on the intestinal microbiota, increased oxidative stress and gene expression. It can also affect how long cells live and how they act. Gluten can also kill cells, induce allergy, and elicit a pro-inflammatory response in the body.
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Gluten Vs Other Potential Causes Of Inflammation From Diet
Consider that going gluten-free in and of itself doesnt guarantee youre eating a healthy diet. As a result of going gluten-free, you may shift your diet to a healthier pattern by eating more fruits and vegetables, but many people dont, says Dr. Konijeti. Theres an entire industry of highly processed gluten-free foods. In other words, gluten-free doesnt mean nutrient-dense.
Theres also the idea that the bad guy gluten may not be the real or only culprit. People may feel better removing gluten-containing foods because they are eliminating something in those foods other than or in addition to gluten.
Many foods with gluten also contain other compounds known as FODMAPs, which is an acronym for different types of carbohydrates found in dairy, certain fruits and vegetables, grains, and sugars. Lactose is a FODMAP, for example. According to review published in JAMA in 2017, the reduction of FODMAPs associated with the gluten-free diet may explain, at least in part, why some patients affected with irritable bowel symptoms may report amelioration of their symptoms after starting a gluten-free diet.
Other components of grains, called amylase-trypsin inhibitors , have also been implicated in promoting inflammation, says Dr. Konijeti.
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Avoid Foods That Contain Gluten
It is easier to identify some gluten-containing foods than others.
Foods that have a gluten-containing grain as one of their main ingredients may be easier to identify and avoid. For example:
- bread
So, if you have coeliac disease, you need to become ‘ingredient aware’. An Accredited Practising Dietitian can give you advice about how to follow a gluten-free diet.
to receive information and advice about following a gluten-free diet, including an ingredient list booklet which shows you which ingredients you need to avoid, as well as other benefits.
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Sedentary Lifestyle And Overtraining
Moderate exercise boosts beneficial gut bacteria, including anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acid -producing bacteria, thus inhibiting gut inflammation. Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle is associated with increased infiltration of inflammatory molecules into the gut.
Importantly, while moderate exercise is good, more is not necessarily better. Excessive physical activity increases intestinal permeability and negatively alters the gut microbiota. If you have a chronic inflammatory illness or are under significant psychological stress, youll want to limit strenuous exercise and focus on gentler activities such as walking, yoga, or swimming.
Does Gluten Cause Leaky Gut Syndrome
A gastrointestinal condition called leaky gut is gaining worldwide attention, particularly in the natural health community.
Some medical professionals deny that leaky gut exists, while others claim it is the root of nearly every health condition.
Leaky gut remains somewhat of a medical mystery. Scientists are still trying to determine exactly what it is and what causes it.
Some people think that gluten causes leaky gut, but the role of gluten in the condition is complicated.
This article examines the research about gluten and leaky gut syndrome.
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Why Does Gluten Cause An Immune Response
Celiac disease may be considered the most common chronic inflammatory condition with an estimated incidence in Western Countries around one per cent. CD is an autoimmune pathology of the intestine caused by an abnormal immune response to dietary gluten that occurs in genetically susceptible individuals . The well known genetic factor is the HLA-DQ region at 6p21.3 which, contributes no more than 40% of the risk with the non-HLA genes seeming to be playing a stronger determinant of CD susceptibility
The immune response occurs when increased amounts of gluten peptides can enter the intestinal mucosa to initiate the inflammatory cascade. The actual mechanism by which the peptides are transported is still not clear, but may involve a faulty mechanisms with secretory IgA.
It currently appears that different gluten peptides are involved in the disease process in a different manner, some fragments being âtoxicâ and others âimmunogenicâ. Those defined as âtoxicâ are able to induce mucosal damage and those defined as âimmunogenicâ are able to specifically stimulate HLA-DQ2- or DQ8.
Two pathways have been hypothesized to be triggered by these peptides: one is the direct effect on the epithelium that involves the innate immune response the non-specific immune system, the other represents the adaptive immune response involving CD4+ T cells in the lamina propria that recognize processed gluten antigenic detrminants.
Factors That Contribute To Leaky Gut Syndrome
Gluten may play a role in the development of leaky gut syndrome in those with celiac disease or IBS, but its certainly not the only cause.
Medical professionals are still trying to understand exactly what causes leaky gut syndrome. However, a few factors are known to contribute to the condition.
Some contributing factors are:
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Summary
Many factors contribute to the development of leaky gut syndrome. In people with celiac disease or IBS, gluten may be a contributing factor.
Gluten causes significant health concerns for some people.
For individuals with celiac disease, gluten increases intestinal permeability and triggers an autoimmune response and inflammation.
However, the relationship between gluten and intestinal permeability is complex and not yet clearly understood.
Currently, no solid evidence supports the idea that gluten increases intestinal permeability or causes leaky gut in healthy people.
If you have symptoms of gluten sensitivity, it may be beneficial to remove gluten from your diet. You can read more about eating gluten-free here.
Summary
Those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid gluten. However, theres no significant evidence that people without these conditions need to avoid gluten.
One of the keys to improving your gut health and preventing leaky gut syndrome is to improve your gut flora. That means increasing the beneficial bacteria in your gut so they far outnumber the harmful bacteria.
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Individual Health May Play A Role
Gluten does activate zonulin, but it doesnt affect everyone the same way.
Its clear that gluten can increase intestinal permeability in those with celiac disease and possibly in those with IBS. However, it appears that gluten does not increase intestinal permeability in people without these health conditions.
Summary
Gluten activates zonulin and increases intestinal permeability in people with celiac disease. Gluten does not increase intestinal permeability in people without these health conditions.
Create A Custom Diet To Heal Your Body
Lastly, the SCD framework starts out with simple foods that are easy to digest. Over time you end up creating a custom diet that expands with more foods while you heal eventually allowing foods that might not have been well tolerated earlier .
The bottom line: SCD was the only thing that finally stopped my Celiac Disease symptoms and started to reverse the damage to my body before I could even tolerate a paleo/primal diet. If youre ready to take control of your Celiac Disease I highly recommend you try SCD for 30-days to see how you feel.
We created a free quick start guide to make it easy for you to start SCD. You can get it here:
Starting a diet like SCD is the first step in reversing the damage from Celiac Disease but lifestyle and supplement changes are also critical. In the next part of this series, Ill explain the necessary lifestyle and supplement changes you need to know about to properly manage Celiac Disease.
Jordan
P.S. Please share this with friends and family dealing with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance. Thank you
About Jordan Reasoner
Jordan Reasoner is a health engineer and author. He was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2007 and almost gave up hope when a gluten-free diet didnt work. Since then, he transformed his health using the SCD Diet and started HealthyGut.com to help others naturally heal stomach problems. You can check out his story here and find him on , or .
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Celiac Diseases Cause Bone Damage And Tendon Damage
In the above study, the researchers pointed to the high risk of bone erosion and bone damage in diagnosed and untreated celiac disease. Clearly, if you have bone damage and bone loss, you will have joint and spine pain. According to other researchers, you will also have joint pain coming from the tendons. This pain too is caused by celiac disease.
Psoriatic Arthritis And Gluten
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects the joints of those with the skin-related autoimmune condition known as psoriasis. PA causes pain, stiffness, and swelling among other things.
Similar to above, PA is associated with gluten-related disorders. One study found that those with celiac disease are at a greater risk of developing psoriasis before and after their diagnosis. Another study found that psoriasis and celiac disease have some genetic and inflammatory factors in common.
In this case report, a 56-year-old man previously diagnosed with PA was experiencing debilitating pain in his feet, ankles, hands, and knees. He had trouble walking. He had psoriasis patches on his knees, behind his ears, and on his feet. Plus, he had reflux, recently gained 15 pounds, and was depressed sporadically.
Over the course of his disease, his doctor prescribed a pain killer and two immunosuppressive drugs. He was also given antibiotics on multiple occasions and he took aspirin daily. However, his symptoms continued to get worse.
His normal diet was filled with gluten and grains. He frequently ate oatmeal for breakfast and pasta for dinner. Plus, he snacked on cookies throughout the day.
Almost all of his other symptoms were gone, including migraines, reflux, and constipation. Plus, he was no longer depressed.
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Limit Your Exposure To Toxins
Environmental toxins are everywhere, but there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure and protect against gut inflammation:
- Forgo receipts when you shop to limit your exposure to BPA.
- Use stainless-steel or glass water bottles and food storage containers rather than plastic at home.
- Filter your drinking and bathing water with a high-quality water filter.
- Use organic and natural personal care products. Check out the EWGs Skin Deep Cosmetics Database for information on how to shop for healthy personal care products.
- Dont use pesticides in your yard or inside your home.
Taking these simple steps will reduce your cumulative exposure to environmental toxins, removing an important obstacle to long-term gut health and whole-body well-being.
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