What's gluten? Is gluten bad for you? Why is every person diagnosed with a disease advised to eliminate it? This article sheds light on gluten and its effects on health.
Gluten, a protein naturally found in wheat, barley, and rye, has become a controversial component of the modern diet. While many people consume it daily without noticeable issues, others experience digestive problems, fatigue, inflammation, neurological symptoms, and autoimmune responses due to gluten's complex effects on the body.
This article will explore:
- How gluten affects the gut lining and gut microbiota,
- Its connection to chronic inflammation and metabolic disorders,
- Its impact on the brain and mental health,
- The evolution of modern wheat increased gluten exposure, and
- Whether gliadin causes leaky gut in all humans.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is composed of two proteins:
- Gliadin – responsible for most of the adverse health effects,
- Glutenin – gives dough its elasticity.
During digestion, gluten is broken down into peptides, including the toxic gliadin peptide, which can trigger immune responses and inflammation, especially in individuals with a sensitivity to gluten.
How Gluten Affects the Gut Lining
1. Partial Digestion and Toxic Peptides
Gluten is resistant to complete digestion. It's a peptide, a short protein chain, such as a 33-mer gliadin peptide, which can irritate the gut lining and trigger immune responses.
2. Zonulin Release and Leaky Gut
- Gliadin binds to a receptor in the gut called CXCR3.
- This triggers the release of zonulin, a protein that opens the tight junctions between gut cells.
- The gut becomes "leaky," allowing toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles to leak into the bloodstream.
- This activates the immune system, leading to chronic inflammation.
3. Immune Activation
In Celiac Disease (CD), gliadin peptides are modified by an enzyme called tTG2 (tissue transglutaminase). These modified peptides bind to immune molecules (MHC II), triggering a severe immune attack on the gut lining, resulting in autoimmune damage.
In Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), gluten still triggers the immune system and causes inflammation, but without resulting in autoimmune disease.
Gluten and the Gut Microbiota
Gluten affects not just the gut lining but also the balance of bacteria in the gut (microbiota):
- Promotes the growth of harmful bacteria (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae).
- Reduces beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium).
- Decreases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which normally heal the gut and reduce inflammation.
- Leads to digestive issues, weakened immunity, and can even influence mental health via the gut-brain axis.
Gluten and Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation caused by gluten can lead to:
- Autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease),
- Metabolic disorders (e.g., insulin resistance, obesity),
- Nutrient malabsorption (due to damaged gut lining),
- Systemic symptoms (fatigue, joint pain, skin issues).
Gluten's Impact on the Brain (Neuroinflammation)
Gluten-related gut inflammation can affect the brain through the gut-brain axis:
- Toxins and inflammatory molecules from the gut can travel to the brain, especially when the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is weakened.
- This can cause neuroinflammation and is linked to:
- Cerebellar ataxia (balance problems),
- Peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain),
- Cognitive issues ("brain fog"),
- Mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder).
Studies show high levels of gluten-related antibodies in people with schizophrenia, depression, and ADHD, suggesting a strong link between gluten and brain health.
Hidden Sources of Gluten in Foods
Gluten is not just in bread or pasta — it's added to many processed foods for texture, thickness, and shelf life. Common hidden sources:
- Sauces and gravies (thickened with flour),
- Processed meats (use gluten as filler),
- Ice cream and dressings (gluten-based stabilizers),
- Protein bars and veggie burgers (often contain wheat gluten),
- Beer and malt beverages,
- Spice mixes and seasonings.
This widespread presence makes chronic exposure common, even for people trying to avoid gluten.
The Evolution of Wheat and Rising Gluten Problems
Modern wheat has been heavily hybridized over the past century:
- New wheat strains have higher gluten content and more toxic peptides.
- This makes them harder to digest and more likely to trigger inflammation.
- The shift from ancient grains to modern wheat has been associated with an increase in gluten-related health issues.
Neurological and Psychiatric Conditions Linked to Gluten
- Schizophrenia: Less common in societies that eat little grain. A gluten-free diet (GFD) has been shown to improve symptoms in some patients.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Children often have gut issues. A GFD improves digestion and behavior in some cases.
- Mood Disorders: Bipolar disorder is 17 times more common in people with CD. Gluten-related antibodies are found in people with depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity.
Nutrient Deficiency
Gluten-related damage to the gut can lead to severe deficiencies in vital nutrients, resulting in anemia, bone weakness, nerve damage, immune system issues, and growth problems in children. Recognizing and treating these deficiencies, alongside the removal of gluten, is critical for a full recovery.
Gluten can cause nutrient deficiencies, including those of iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, folate (B9), and vitamin B12.
Does Gliadin Cause Leaky Gut?
✅ Yes – Gliadin Causes Leaky Gut in Everyone, But to Different Degrees
- Dr. Alessio Fasano discovered that gliadin, a component of gluten, activates zonulin, which in turn opens the gut lining, leading to leaky gut syndrome.
- This happens in all people, regardless of genetics, but:
- Healthy individuals usually heal quickly.
- People with Celiac Disease have higher zonulin levels, more gut damage, and longer-lasting leaks.
- People with NCGS have a milder form of leaky gut, but they still experience inflammation and symptoms.
Blocking zonulin may become a new treatment option to protect gut health, possibly reducing the need for a strict gluten-free diet in the future.
Why is gluten linked to more than 50 Diseases?
Gluten has the potential to:
- Damage the gut lining (causing leaky gut),
- Trigger immune responses (causing autoimmunity),
- Disrupt gut microbiota (affecting inflammation and metabolism),
- Interfere with nutrient absorption (leading to deficiencies),
- Affect the brain through the gut-brain axis (causing neurological symptoms).
These effects can spread systemically, affecting many organs and triggering or worsening various diseases.
Gluten isn't just a digestive issue; it can affect the entire body through inflammation, immune reactions, and nutrient deficiencies. That's why it's linked to over 50 diseases, especially in people with Celiac Disease, gluten sensitivity, or autoimmune tendencies.
The goal of this article is to educate you about the health side effects of gluten. It's not by any means advising you to stop consuming wheat!
Conclusion
Gluten's effects on health go beyond digestion. From damaging the gut barrier to disrupting gut bacteria, triggering inflammation, and affecting the brain, gluten can be harmful for many people, especially those with Celiac Disease, gluten sensitivity, or autoimmune/neurological conditions.
Understanding how gluten, and especially gliadin, causes leaky gut, immune activation, and chronic inflammation helps explain why gluten-free diets not only improve digestion but also enhance mental clarity, energy, and mood.
You can watch the video about gluten
PS/ I help women with chronic illness reduce pain, reclaim energy, and feel like themselves again, using gut-healing food, emotional healing, and lifestyle medicine. To learn more about how I can assist you, please schedule a call.
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