What is gluten and why would it affect me?
You might have heard of the “Gluten-Free” movement and are wondering.
Read on if you or a loved one has lost their get-up-and-go, or has any of these symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Eczema
- Headache
- Foggy brain
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Joint pain
- Numbness in the extremities
Gluten and Where it is Found
Gluten is a protein found in:
- wheat
- kamut
- spelt
- rye
- barley
- semolina
- triticale
- malt
And often other grains, such as oats can be contaminated with gluten in processing.
Gluten is found in many processed foods, because of additives derived from wheat, often as a thickener or stabilizing agent.
For a full list of gluten-containing items, see celiac.com.
Actually, what is called gluten is developed by creating molecular linkages between the two proteins glutenin and gliadin. This happens in breadmaking through fermentation, chemical reactions and/or through kneading. You may be familiar with kneading bread dough, which develops an even linking of these proteins in all directions so that it can capture in tiny pockets the gas bubbles yeast produce. This creates the lightness and also the strength of bread.
Who needs to be concerned with Gluten?
The symptoms listed above can be common to several conditions with slightly different causes.
The one thing they have in common is that they are triggered by eating or being exposed to something with gluten in it. That something is often food, but it may even be a cosmetic, vitamin supplement or even glue on an envelope.
Celiac Disease is on the Rise
The most well-known medical diagnosis is Celiac disease, which is where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues, specifically the lining of the digestive tract, losing the absorptive folds known as villi. Diarrhea and malabsorption are inevitable, as well as a propensity to other serious diseases.
Based on a genetic variation, it could be potential, lying in wait to be triggered, “silent” meaning it manifests in symptoms other than the digestive system, or full-blown symptomatic with destruction of the villi lining the digestive tract, diarrhea and malnutrition.
Silent Celiac disease can be insideous, it may manifest as:
- Dematitis herpetiformus
- Anemia
- Autoimmune disorders
- Hashimoto’s hypothyroid
- Diabetes type 1
- Sjogren’s
- Systemic Lupus Erythematus
- Rheumatoid arthritis (joints)
- Addison’s disease (adrenals)
- Infertility / Subfertility
- Neurological disorders
- Epilepsy
- Neuropathy
- Cerebellar ataxia
- Chorea
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Osteoporosis
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
So, besides those scarey-sounding diseases, you could also have an different immune response to gluten. Specifically, your immune system could be attacking the gliadin itself, with transient or milder intestinal aggravation. The part of the immune system doing this is not the same as creates an allergy, and not the same as creates an auto-immune attack. Nevertheless, it is activated and can result in some of the symptoms listed previously.
Wheat Allergy
An allergy involves a yet different immune response. And it can involve different body systems. Wheat allergies can manifest as:
- respiratory – coughing after wheat ingestion
- food allergy
- contact urticaria (skin) – redness and irritation after touching gluten
A Universal Reaction?
The fact is that scientists have never found an enzyme in the human system that breaks down gluten.
That has spurred supplement manufacturers to make a gluten-digesting enzyme to help those who are sensitive to it to have some recourse if they are inadvertently exposed.
Since the human system is really a community of human cells with microbes, it is the microbes to the rescue!
There are specific microbes that live in the mouth that make an enzyme which will break down gluten. A study identified who they are – Rothia bacteria. That emphasizes the role of chewing in making sure the gluten grains are digested.
But more than that, it points to the importance beneficial bacteria in a healthy digestive environment. The truth is that most people have been messed up by taking antibiotics, responding in their gut to stressful situations, and eating a poor diet. They might not have this particular bacteria left to break down the gluten. They might not be very effective at all in digestion.
Then there is this study which shows that everyone could be affected by gluten. It showed that the gliadin component triggers the release of a mediator that regulates intestinal permeability.
What this means is that the digestive system lining opens up, letting bigger than usual molecules in, including gluten, which then are recognized by foreign invaders by the immune system. A healthy immune system will take care of it easily before much damage is done. But, in this age of unrelenting stress, whose immune system is operating optimally? The result is a mild degree of those same symptoms listed above – bloating, fatigue, brain fog . . .
Wow – it is conceivable that gluten could be doing damage and causing constant, low-grade inflammation without you even knowing it.
The gluten elimination/challenge described below is a good idea to check it out. When you give up wheat and other gluten-containing grains, you may then feel the real effects. You may get more symptoms or notice the symptoms more.
That means the reaction was probably always there, but you never knew what you were feeling until it was removed and then reintroduced.
How Do I Find Out if I Am Affected?
The medical gold standard happens to be the easy way to find out if gluten affects you or not. Simply go without gluten-containing food in your diet for 30 days or so, then re-introduce it and see how you feel.
That said, there are some lab tests which measure gluten antibodies or other markers of sensitivity. Cyrex labs are one; I have kits available in my office. In addition, in my Diagnos-Techs complete salivary adrenal test, we measure secretory IgA and anti-gliadin antibodies, but a negative results still does not rule it out, especially if the symptoms are there.
My Own Story
When I studied with my Homeopathic mentor, Dr. Gueniot, I also sought homeopathic treatment from him. When I asked him how I should eat, he simply said, “Gluten-free.”
Now, he had given us a lot of information in class about avoiding processed foods, and which foods were essential. I understood that was part of it.
What is more, he taught us about the homeopathic idea of Reactional Modes, which have to do with how well a person eliminates on the cellular level.
Part of that teaching was that the Reactional Modes which do not eliminate well do best to avoid gluten. And, Dr. Gueniot had diagnosed me in one of those Reactional Modes!
So, I really got it when he told me to eat gluten-free. And I started right then.
It has been easy for me to make that choice because I understand the consequences plus I respect my revered mentor when he tells me to do something!
This was doubly reinforced when I was studying with Dr. Karrazzian about auto-immune thyroid conditions and treatments. I found out that gluten (as well as many other things) can instigate or flare-up a thyroid auto-immune attack! And I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease years before. There is no mystery why I had an aggravation when I worked in a bakery!
If you are wondering if YOU are affected by gluten, do the challenge! Then come and talk to me about what has happened.
