Why can gluten be harmful for you?
Gluten is found in Wheat, Rye, and Barley. It is made of prolamin proteins. Gluten consumption is found to be associated with diseases like celiac disease as well as conditions that happen secondary to a gluten allergy or intolerance, which we will discuss as follows:
Composition:
The prolamin proteins in gluten are composed of two main proteins: gliadin and glutenin. These are the main proteins in wheat. There are other prolamin proteins present in oats, namely avenin; in rye, namely secalins; and in barley, namely hordeins.
Pathophysiology:
In certain patients with Celiac disease, the process occurs in the following manner:
Once consumed, the gluten produces peptides in the consumer's body that are longer than 10 amino acids—this in turn can trigger an inflammatory response, and we must note that chronic inflammation is the hallmark of most chronic disease processes.
The gliadin protein also upregulates the production of an intestinal peptide called zonulin that increases the permeability of the gut by interfering with the intestinal tight junctions, which can further cause the absorption of toxins in the gut that fuel diseases.
The presence of gluten in the gut further stimulates the immune system to have an antigenic response, similar to how diseases are tackled by the body.
This process can cause inflammatory mediators like interleukin and antibodies to be released in our body, which exert damage on the consumer's stomach cells.
Secondary to its harmful effects on the GI tract, gluten can cause leaky gut, vitamin malabsorption, anemia, calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, skin rashes, and growth retardation in the pediatric age groups.
The chronic inflammation triggered by continuous consumption of gluten can also trigger cancer over the long term.
Some patients seem to have no changes in their mucosal lining when the intake of gluten is limited to 37 mg per day. However, others developed changes with an intake of 10 mg per day. The lower the consumption, the better the possibility of no adverse effects.
Not all patients who have intolerance to gluten have celiac disease; people may also have a gluten allergy, and an elimination of gluten in the diet via a gluten challenge test may help improve symptoms in the gut that happen with gluten intake.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity can happen with gluten intake and cause symptoms like bloating, flatulence, abdominal distention, diarrhea, constipation, leg pain, and fatigue. These people test negative for the serological parameters of celiac disease.
Gluten and casein intake have been postulated as contributing to the developmental changes that happen with autism as well.
It must be noted that the exclusion of gluten from the diet can cause a deficiency of vital macro- and micronutrients, and supplementation with other foods may be needed to ensure that you are getting a good balance of nutrients for optimal health. Therefore, it is important to determine, in collaboration with your healthcare professional, if gluten is right for you! As always, I wish that you keep your health in center focus and live long and strong!
