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    Scott Adams

    Gluten as a Proinflammatory Inducer of Autoimmunity in Everyone

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    This study sheds light on the multifaceted and far-reaching effects of gluten on the human body. It reveals that gluten is not just a concern for people with celiac disease but may also play a role in a wide range of other chronic inflammatory conditions.

    Gluten as a Proinflammatory Inducer of Autoimmunity in Everyone - Trois baguettes by adactio is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
    Caption:
    Trois baguettes by adactio is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

    Celiac.com 08/26/2024 - The study "Gluten is a Proinflammatory Inducer of Autoimmunity" explores the significant and diverse ways in which gluten, a protein found in many grains, affects human health. Although gluten is well-known for its role in celiac disease, its influence extends beyond this condition. The study reveals that gluten can trigger inflammation and contribute to the development of various autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. This summary will break down the key findings of the study to explain how gluten affects the body and why this research matters, particularly for those with celiac disease.

    How Gluten Triggers Inflammation

    Gluten is composed of peptides that are difficult to digest, and when consumed, these peptides can cause harm by interacting with the immune system in the gut. Normally, the intestines act as a barrier, keeping harmful substances out while allowing nutrients to pass through. However, gluten disrupts this barrier by weakening the tight junctions between cells, making the gut more permeable. This increased permeability allows foreign molecules, including gluten peptides, to enter the bloodstream and reach various organs. Once in the bloodstream, these peptides can cause inflammation in distant parts of the body, not just in the intestines.

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    The study also highlights that gluten can activate several inflammatory pathways in the body. One particular gluten component, gliadin, induces stress in the cells lining the gut, triggering a series of events that lead to a local inflammatory response. This response involves the activation of immune cells and the release of inflammatory molecules, which can cause further damage to the gut lining and contribute to chronic inflammation.

    Gluten and the Immune System

    Gluten is not just a trigger for inflammation; it also has a strong immunogenic effect, meaning it can stimulate the immune system in ways that lead to autoimmune diseases. In individuals with celiac disease, gluten peptides are modified by an enzyme called tissue transglutaminase (tTG), making them more likely to be recognized as harmful by the immune system. This recognition leads to the production of specific antibodies against gluten and tTG, which attack not only the gluten peptides but also the body’s own tissues, resulting in the symptoms of celiac disease.

    Interestingly, the study suggests that gluten can have similar effects even in people who do not have celiac disease. For example, gluten has been shown to elicit an immune response in individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a condition where people experience symptoms related to gluten intake despite not having the typical markers of celiac disease. This broad immunogenic potential of gluten underscores its role as a universal trigger of inflammation and autoimmunity.

    Systemic Distribution of Gluten Peptides

    One of the most concerning aspects of gluten's impact on health is its ability to affect organs far from the gut. After gluten peptides enter the bloodstream, they can travel to various parts of the body, where they may contribute to different health problems. The study provides evidence that gluten peptides can be found in tissues and organs such as the brain, thyroid, and other peripheral organs. In these locations, gluten can induce or exacerbate inflammatory and autoimmune processes.

    For instance, gluten has been implicated in neurological conditions, such as gluten ataxia, where it causes damage to the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls coordination. This condition, like many other gluten-related disorders, is thought to arise from the immune system mistakenly attacking brain tissue in response to gluten peptides. Additionally, gluten peptides have been found in the thyroid gland, where they may play a role in autoimmune thyroid diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

    The Broader Implications of Gluten Consumption

    The findings of this study have broad implications, especially for individuals with celiac disease or other gluten-related disorders. The fact that gluten can trigger inflammation and contribute to autoimmune diseases even in people without celiac disease suggests that gluten might be a more widespread health concern than previously thought. The study also highlights the potential benefits of a gluten-free diet, not only for those with celiac disease but also for individuals with other chronic inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.

    For those with celiac disease, this research reinforces the importance of strict adherence to a gluten-free diet as the only effective way to prevent the harmful effects of gluten. For others, especially those with unexplained chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases, it may be worth exploring the role of gluten in their diet and considering gluten withdrawal as a potential therapeutic strategy.

    Conclusion: Why This Study Matters

    This study sheds light on the multifaceted and far-reaching effects of gluten on the human body. It reveals that gluten is not just a concern for people with celiac disease but may also play a role in a wide range of other chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. By understanding how gluten affects gut permeability, triggers immune responses, and spreads systemically to various organs, we gain valuable insights into its role in human health. For those with celiac disease, this research underscores the importance of a gluten-free diet, while also opening up new avenues for investigating gluten's impact on other conditions. This study could be a pivotal step in redefining our understanding of gluten and its potential risks for broader populations.

    Read more at: xiahepublishing.com


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    Recommended Comments

    Russ H

    It would be interesting to look at populations that have never been exposed to gluten.

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    KDrutz

    Wondering if they tested both organic and non-organic gluten, and if herbicides or pesticides exacerbated the inflammation response.
     

    My personal experience is that I suffered with seasonal allergies and cat allergies for years until I stopped eating gluten (when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac). After six months or so, all of my allergies were gone; we currently have three indoor cats and I have no reaction to them. 

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    trents
    1 hour ago, KDrutz said:

    Wondering if they tested both organic and non-organic gluten, and if herbicides or pesticides exacerbated the inflammation response.
     

    My personal experience is that I suffered with seasonal allergies and cat allergies for years until I stopped eating gluten (when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac). After six months or so, all of my allergies were gone; we currently have three indoor cats and I have no reaction to them. 

    Hmm. You must have allergies to wheat or one of the other two gluten containing grains. Celiac disease is not an allergy but an autoimmune disorder which engages a different immune system pathway than do allergies.

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    knitty kitty

    @KDrutz,

    Celiac Disease is genetic.  All first degree relatives should be tested when someone is diagnosed.  

    It is possible that you have "silent Celiac" without obvious gastrointestinal symptoms.  High histamine levels (part of the autoimmune response) while consuming a gluten containing products can cause symptoms similar to allergies, so it wouldn't be surprising those symptoms disappeared on a gluten free diet. 

    Have you thought about genetic testing?  DNA testing for known Celiac genes does not require a Gluten Challenge necessary for antigluten antibody serum tests. 

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    KDrutz

    All Celiac tests were negative for me, but thanks for your concern.  Others with similar allergy symptoms may want to remove gluten from their diets to see if their symptoms improve. 

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    knitty kitty

    There's some of us that are seronegative. 

    Anemia, Diabetes or Thiamine deficiency each can cause false negatives on antibody tests.

    Did you have DNA testing done ?

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    Wheatwacked
    On 8/26/2024 at 5:50 PM, Russ H said:

    It would be interesting to look at populations that have never been exposed to gluten.

     

    Markedly increased intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar is associated with the rise of coronary heart disease and diabetes among the Alaskan Inuit

    Feldman et al2 suggested that the increase in the triglyceride levels in the boarding school Inuit was likely due to ‘A diet rich in carbohydrates...Gottman discovered the true incidence of cardiovascular disease in Alaskan natives by performing a large postmortem study between 1956 and 1958. He found that death due to acquired cardiovascular disease at autopsy was just 5.8%.2 3 Another large autopsy study conducted during the same time period (1955–1959) in the USA found that 30.6% of all deaths were due to morphological evidence of atherosclerotic catastrophe in the heart, aorta or brain.4 In other words, the Alaskan Inuit apparently had a fivefold lower cardiovascular mortality rate versus those in the USA at the time. Another autopsy study, this time spanning the subsequent decade (ie, 1959–1968), found a prevalence of cardiovascular disease of only 10.3% in Alaskan natives.2 Thus, even during the 1960s, Alaskan natives had a threefold lower incidence of death due to cardiovascular disease compared with that of the USA.

     

    Health Studies: KAMUT® Wheat vs. Modern Wheat

    Ten years after Norman Borlaug (1970) recieved his Noble Prize for modern wheat and the Green Revolution, Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity became an official disease.

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  • About Me

    Scott Adams

    Scott Adams was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1994, and, due to the nearly total lack of information available at that time, was forced to become an expert on the disease in order to recover. In 1995 he launched the site that later became Celiac.com to help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives.  He is co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of the (formerly paper) newsletter Journal of Gluten Sensitivity. In 1998 he founded The Gluten-Free Mall which he sold in 2014. Celiac.com does not sell any products, and is 100% advertiser supported.


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