Gluten Sensitivity and Your Health
By Tracy Tranchitella, ND

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt and oats.  Wheat tends to have the highest amount of gluten and is the most problematic to those who are gluten sensitive.  Wheat is the grain of choice for bread, pasta and other baked goods so we can consume a lot of it in the course of a single day.  The amount of gluten in wheat today is much higher than it was a century ago due to hybridization and the preference for the doughy texture that high gluten wheat provides.  Gluten can literally be described as the “glue” that holds the flour together.  Although whole wheat and sprouted wheat are generally healthy foods, to a person who is gluten sensitive these foods can contribute to short and long term health consequences.

Diseases Associated With Gluten Sensitivity
The health conditions associated with gluten sensitivity include skin disorders (dermatitis herpetiformis, hives, psoriasis, eczema), autoimmune diseases (lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, diabetes), digestive disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac, reflux, ulcers), neurological disorders (ataxia, autism, ADD/ADHD), chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, anemia, asthma, weight loss, failure to thrive in children, nutrient deficiencies and chronic infections (bacteria, parasites, yeast). 

The main reason that gluten can have such far-reaching effects is that it promotes inflammation in the gut and other body systems.  This chronic inflammation initiates the disease process in the organ system that is susceptible.  There are certain genetic markers that predispose one to gluten sensitivity and it is our individual genetic make-up that determines which system will be the most susceptible. 

Testing for Gluten Sensitivity
The three blood tests to assess gluten sensitivity are anti-endomysial antibody, anti-gliadin IgA/IgG antibody and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody.  However, testing for gluten sensitivity may not be as easy as a simple blood test because it is measuring an antibody response to gluten.  Gluten will only be absorbed into the blood when there is significant damage to the lining of the intestine.  This may take years to occur. 

Another way of assessing gluten sensitivity is to do a biopsy of the small intestine.  However, again we are met with the same shortcomings since the diagnosis of celiac or gluten intolerance is dependent upon the presence of significant damage to the villi of the small intestine as seen on microscopic analysis.

There are also salivary tests that measure the immune response to gluten at the mucosal level (intestinal lining) but they are not widely accepted by the larger medical community.

Food Allergies and Gluten Sensitivity
Gluten sensitivity can predispose to the development of increasing food allergies due to the damage of the lining of the small intestine.  If you were to look through a microscope at a tissue sample of a healthy small intestine, you would see several finger-like projections called villi. These villi increase the surface area of our intestines which increases our capacity for nutrient absorption.  Along the surface of the villi are hair-like projections that secrete the enzymes needed to digest our foods.  In a gluten sensitive person, you see a flattening of the villi with a loss of the ability to produce enzymes.  The development of malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies and food allergies are the result of these structural changes.  Food allergies increase because of the inadequate breakdown and absorption of particular foods.

Trial Elimination of Gluten
If you suspect that you have gluten sensitivity or simply have chronic symptoms for which you or your doctors have no explanation, then do a trial elimination of gluten for 2-3 months to see how you feel.  The cure for the problem of gluten sensitivity is quite simple – eliminate gluten in all its forms.  Gluten-free grains include rice, millet, buckwheat and corn. Sprouts Natural Market carries a number of gluten-free foods from breads and baked goods to pastas and crackers. There is an abundance of information online about obvious and unsuspecting foods that contain gluten so do your research and read labels carefully. 

Resources
The following is a list of books and websites on the topic of gluten sensitivity.  Some provide extensive lists of possible gluten-containing foods and resources for gluten-free foods.  Others are meant to be more educational on the health consequences of gluten sensitivity.
“The Gluten Connection” by Shari Lieberman
“Gluten Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide” by Shelley Case
“Dangerous Grains” by James Braly
www.celiac.com
www.glutenfreeinfo.com
www.GFlinks.com

My Story
On a personal note, I have been gluten-free for 7 years and have seen a significant improvement in my own health.  I had always experienced joint pain and inflammation from a young age.  I assumed that I was just one of those arthritic types since the tendency seemed to run in my family.  Shortly after taking gluten out of my diet, my joint pain completely disappeared and has not returned.  I have tested positive for genetic markers showing a predisposition to certain autoimmune disorders.  By removing gluten from my diet as well as maintaining a low allergen, whole food, nutrient rich diet, I have significantly decreased my chances of fulfilling that genetic tendency.