All of us are constantly aiming at being fit these days, being the fittest, strongest, best we’ve been. But with the rise of social media platforms, a multitude of influencers are shelling out advice left and right. Directionless, we tend to follow this advice with the best intentions, however, we end up following most advice blindly. One such advice making rounds is “GOING GLUTEN-FREE WILL SOLVE MOST OF YOUR HEALTH-RELATED PROBLEMS”. Insert the ‘it will, right?’ meme here.
Before understanding what gluten does to our bodies and if it really ameliorates all our health-related qualms, we must know what this magic substance is, abstinence from the consumption of which is considered to give us that much-needed physique.
Gluten is essentially a broad term for a storage protein found in wheat such as prolamin, gliadin and glutenin, and many more. It is a staple for millions of people due to the consumption of breads worldwide. Then if it’s just a storage protein, why are so many mainstream industries pumping millions of dollars into making food items with the revered “Gluten-Free” tag.
So, is this gluten the big, bad wolf? Eh, no! Gluten is an umbrella term that encompasses many proteins, out of which gliadin is one such protein that shows quite some resistance to digestion by enzymes that are secreted by the stomach, pancreas, and intestine. Gluten is used in many food items to improve the general texture and helps in retaining moisture. Not only this, but gluten is also used as a flavoring agent thereby, making it a significant component of an array of processed food items such as ice creams, butters, cakes, etc.
Gluten causes an immune response initiation in people with pre-existing gut conditions like Celiac disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and gluten sensitivity. People with celiac disease tend to be intolerant to the proline-rich gliadin or to glutenin. Thus, when a person with Celiac disease consumes gluten, their bodies elicit an immune response. The cellular intestine of such people shows atrophy of the enterocytes (intestinal cells) and a decrease in their length. This damage is a result of chronic inflammation which concomitantly, flares up further inflammatory cascades. The reason for this damage is the expression of human leukocyte antigen- HLA DQ2 and DQ8 and multiple other proteins from different genetic loci that predispose an individual to gluten intolerance. T lymphocytes that comprise our adaptive cellular immunity are activated along with other autoimmune implications.
Whew! In short, people with celiac disease, IBS, or gluten sensitivity should stay away from gluten. Following a gluten-free diet will save them from the pain of inflammation and internal cellular injuries. However, there do exist conflicting opinions on this. A study conducted in 2012 emphasized the protective effects of a gluten-free diet and how it actually helped regulate the homeostasis of glucose and adipocyte metabolism. Yet again, such studies are numbered and hold significance for a relatively short sample population. Primarily, excluding gluten in such cases may be an inexpensive and safe way to deal with such ailments. Miraculously, a few people with celiac disease do not experience any of the classic symptoms even after consuming gluten-rich food regularly. However, they notice a brief period of sensitization to gluten again after a few episodes of gluten consumption. A point to keep in mind here is although gluten is not doing any visible harm now, it might wreak havoc deep down, surfacing as deadly ailments after one or two decades.
As scary as it may sound, people without celiac disease or IBD can still develop the same symptoms, termed non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). The culprits of this case may actually be histamine, a biogenic amine found in wheat, and amyl trypsin inhibitors or ATIs. ATIs essentially stimulate the immune system to elicit a response by activating the Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) on myeloid cells. Again, refraining from consuming grains with gluten has significantly improved the quality of life while keeping all those episodes of bloating, headache, stomach ache, and irregular bowel movements miles away!
What about us non-celiac disease, histamine, and ATI-tolerant folks who enjoy eating pasta, pizza, and naans and still wake up fresh as a daisy every morning? Skipping on gluten might do us more harm than good. A 26-year-old follow-up of a study demonstrated how long-term gluten consumption has no links with the incidence of coronary heart disease, inflammation whatsoever. In fact, those who stopped consuming breads and other similar products fearing the presence of gluten actually finished lesser nutrients like iron, manganese, magnesium, B complex vitamins. Whole grains also massively impact the immune system. A contemporary study showed the effect of whole grains compared to refined grains or no consumption at all. Whole grains improved the activity of effector memory T lymphocytes. They led to an increased tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) response post-infection, thus protecting the individual. And just like asking a painter to stop painting, cutting out rotis for the Indian population will cause withdrawal symptoms because indigenous food has unprecedented benefits due to its ability to suit the native population’s nutritional needs.
And that’s all, folks! Remember that no swanky diet trends can give you those washboard abs unless you practically go to the gym and eat healthy food for it.
References:
- Biesiekierski, J. R. (2017). What is gluten? Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia), 32, 78–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.13703
- Vanegas, S. M., Meydani, M., Barnett, J. B., Goldin, B., Kane, A., Rasmussen, H., Brown, C., Vangay, P., Knights, D., Jonnalagadda, S., Koecher, K., Philip Karl, J., Thomas, M., Dolnikowski, G., Li, L., Saltzman, E., Wu, D., & Meydani, S. N. (2017). Substituting whole grains for refined grains in a 6-wk randomized trial has a modest effect on gut microbiota and immune and inflammatory markers of healthy adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(3), 635–650. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.146928
Author - Shruti More
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