What Gluten Does In Your Body

By Brandy Buro, RD, LD
October 3, 2024

Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and kamut has become a hot topic in health discussions.

For some, it’s harmless, but for others, it can wreak havoc on the body.

Let’s break down how gluten can affect you and why we often recommend a gluten free diet at Nutritional Weight & Wellness.

Four Ways Eating Gluten May Affect Your Body

1. How Gluten Can Damage Your Gut: Understanding Leaky Gut

One of the primary concerns with gluten is its potential to increase intestinal permeability, commonly known as "leaky gut."

When you eat gluten, it can cause the lining of your intestines to become more porous. This means that undigested food particles, toxins, and other harmful substances can pass through the intestinal wall into your bloodstream. This process triggers your immune system, leading to widespread inflammation.

Helpful Tip: If you experience chronic digestive issues like bloating, gas, or diarrhea, trying a gluten-free diet for a few weeks might help. Many people find relief by eliminating gluten, as it allows the gut to heal and reduces inflammation​​ for better digestive health.

2. Autoimmune Response: The Serious Consequences for Celiac Disease Sufferers

For those with celiac disease (an autoimmune disease), gluten is a major enemy.

When someone with celiac disease consumes gluten, their immune system mistakenly attacks the small intestine, leading to severe damage over time. This can result in malabsorption of essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which may cause conditions such as osteoporosis and neuropathy.

Oher common deficiencies with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (but not limited to this list) are vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, and iron.

Statistic to Consider: It’s estimated that 80-83% of people with celiac disease are undiagnosed. This means many individuals are suffering from symptoms without knowing that gluten is the cause​​.

Quick Tip: If you have persistent digestive problems or unexplained health issues, consider getting tested for celiac disease. Early diagnosis can prevent long-term damage.

3. Broader Health Impacts: It’s More Than Just Your Gut

Gluten’s effects aren’t limited to the digestive system. It’s been linked to a variety of other health issues, including skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, neurological symptoms like brain fog and headaches, and even autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Surprising Fact: Up to 25% of people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also have osteoporosis, showing just how far-reaching the effects of gluten can be​.

Actionable Advice: If you suffer from skin issues, chronic pain, or unexplained neurological symptoms, it might be worth trying a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms improve.

4. The Addictive Nature of Gluten: Why You Might Crave It

Did you know that gluten can be addictive? When gluten is digested, it can produce opioid-like compounds that cross the blood-brain barrier, creating feelings of euphoria similar to addictive drugs. This effect can make it hard to resist foods like bread and pasta, leading to overeating and potentially contributing to weight gain and metabolic issues.

Did You Know? Foods containing gluten can cause your blood sugar to spike and then crash, leading to intense cravings. This cycle can drive you to consume more gluten, perpetuating the addictive behavior​.

Tip for Success: If you’re struggling with cravings, try replacing gluten-containing foods with more balanced options like vegetables and proteins. This can help stabilize your blood sugar and reduce cravings.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease or Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

It’s important to acknowledge that you may be sensitive to gluten even if you don’t experience digestive symptoms. A gluten sensitivity may lead to any of the following:

• Headaches

• Joint pain

• Skin issues

• Mood changes, like depression and anxiety

• Mouth sores

• Fatigue

• Nutrient deficiencies like low iron, low vitamin b12, low vitamin D, etc.

• Neurological issues

 

Celiac Disease vs Gluten Intolerance

So what's the difference between celiac disease and being gluten intolerant?

Read on or check out this podcast about Gluten Sensitivity vs Celiac:

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where eating gluten causes your body to attack your small intestine. It's critical for folks diagnosed with celiac disease to follow a strict gluten free diet.

Non celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, and gluten sensitivity refers to folks who might test negative for celiac disease, but whose symptoms greatly improve when following a gluten free diet.

Some folks have a wheat allergy, where much like any other food allergy (think nut allergy), the body has a reaction to wheat specifically.

For those in any of these categories, gluten containing grains and foods can cause intestinal damage, but can also have adverse reactions causing the symptoms listed above, like brain fog, skin rash, joint pain, etc.

Why Gluten Causes These Reactions

So, what is it about gluten that makes it such a problem for some people? The answer lies in its structure and the way our bodies handle it.

1. Gluten’s Protein Structure:

Gluten is made up of two main groups of proteins: gliadins and glutenins. These proteins are what give bread its stretchy texture.

Humans lack an enzyme to completely break down gluten. It’s partially broken down, but the remaining peptides can cause some issues.

Gliadin in gluten stimulates the release of something called zonulin from intestinal cells. Zonulin causes the tight connections between each intestinal cell to separate. This results in intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, where particles from the digestive tract can leak into the blood stream, and vice versa.

Some people produce more zonlin in the presence of gluten than others. For example, research has found that people with celiac disease produce zonulin in excess when exposed to gluten, leaving the door between the GI tract and the rest of our body open longer, more often, increasing the potential for an immune response.

There are multiple peptides that are part of gluten proteins, and some people react/are sensitive to different components.

In addition, because leaky gut increases the odds that other particles from the gut can escape into the blood stream, other proteins from other foods could cause a reaction.

2. Modern Wheat and Gluten:

The wheat we eat today isn’t quite the same as what our ancestors consumed.

Over the years, wheat has been bred to have higher yields and, as a result, more gluten. Much of the wheat grown in the US is treated with pesticides that were not used 50-60 years ago (like, Round Up or glyphosate). Pesticides on food also damage the gut.

Plus, gluten is now in many more foods than ever before, especially processed foods.

This means we’re eating more gluten, more often, and in forms that are harder for our bodies to break down, leading to more people experiencing issues with it​​.

Part of the reason more people may have a sensitivity to gluten is related to our changing environment and the impact it’s had on our gut. There are other substances that can damage our gut and a damaged gut increases the risk that we develop a sensitivity to foods, including gluten.

3. Impact of Modern Diets:

Our diets today, which often include lots of processed foods and low amounts of fiber, don’t help either.

A low-fiber diet can impair gut health, making the digestive system more susceptible to the negative effects of gluten.

Processed foods, which are commonly high in gluten, sugar, and unhealthy fats, can lead to gut imbalances, making it even harder for our bodies to tolerate gluten​​.

Other substances that can damage the gut or alter the microbial balance in our GI tract:

• Pesticides on crops, fruits, vegetables

• Medications like antibiotic, pain killers, acid blockers

• Alcohol

• Toxins

• Harmful bacteria (i.e., food poisoning)

Why We Recommend a Gluten Free Diet

Given the significant impact gluten can have on the body, particularly for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, we frequently recommend a gluten-free diet at Nutritional Weight & Wellness. If you're experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned earlier, you may benefit from following a gluten-free diet.

The benefits of eliminating gluten can be profound, leading to improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and better overall health.

However, as every individual’s response to gluten is different, we encourage anyone considering a gluten-free diet to consult with a qualified nutritionist to ensure it is the right choice for their unique health needs.

Getting Started: Transitioning to a gluten-free diet can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Start by focusing on real, whole foods—fruits, vegetables, meats, and healthy fats. These are all naturally gluten free foods and happen to be part of a nutrient dense diet with many other health benefits.

If you need more guidance, consider consulting with one of our experienced nutritionists who can help create a plan tailored to your specific needs.

Testing For A Gluten Intolerance or A Gluten Allergy

The gold standard for testing for celiac disease is a biopsy of the small intestine and a Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibody (tTG-IgA) test.

There’s something called the Wheat Zoomer test that tests for sensitivity to all different peptides in wheat and gluten grains.

With almost any method of testing, you need to consume gluten daily for several weeks so that your body produces antibodies to it, otherwise you’ll get a false negative.

So for most of our clients, especially for those who suspect a gluten sensitivity, we suggest removing gluten 100% for a while (hopefully 6+ weeks), and if you feel better, your body has spoken!

Final Thought:

Everyone’s body is different. While not everyone needs to avoid gluten, those who do can experience life-changing benefits. If you’re struggling with chronic health issues, it might be worth exploring whether gluten is part of the problem.

For more personalized advice and support on your gluten-free journey, our team at Nutritional Weight & Wellness is here to help you every step of the way. Let’s work together to find what works best for your body and your health goals.

For more information on gluten intolerance and gluten free foods, check out these resources:

READ: The Gluten Connection To Compulsive Overeating - more on what gluten is and why it's addicting

LISTEN: Are Gluten Free Products Really Gluten Free? - podcast episode on who could benefit from gluten free diets and how to do it from a healthy, real food approach plus why processed gluten free products aren’t always a safe choice and actually might be doing more harm than good.

SUCCESS STORY: Anastasia worked with a dietitian and started avoiding gluten. Her digestive health improved and she lost 22 pounds*.Read her story here!