One specific gluten related symptom piqued my interest: Several non-celiac individuals attempting a gluten-free diet claimed stomach pains after re-introducing foods containing wheat into their diet. I have experienced the same thing and wondered if I was affected by a gluten intolerance. Every now and again after I eat wheat based cereals, my stomach becomes upset.

Jessica Bruso, a writer for SFgate, has a Masters of Science in food policy and applied nutrition. She states in an article on digesting grains, “Eating more fiber can cause digestive complaints, including bloating, gas and constipation, until your system gets used to it” (Bruso. Healthyeating). Whole grains contain gluten, along with fiber, so which is to blame?

Consider this: When January 1^st comes around, many people make resolutions to hit the gym and lose that extra weight they have been lugging around. A common complaint is how sore they feel the morning after. Does this mean anyone who feels sore after working out is allergic to it? Certainly not. The body is simply not accustomed to exerting that kind of effort and needs time to adjust. Likewise, a diet including fiber is proven to be healthy and beneficial, but the body needs an adjustment period.

Regarding any food topic or trend there is the money to be made. Frequently, diets that spread by word of mouth rather than credible, evidence driven sources, are more about marketing than improving health. The gluten-free diet has revolutionized the food industry. “Sales of gluten-free products are estimated to hit $15 billion by 2016 — that’s a 50% jump over 2013’s numbers!” (Pomeroy).

I have noticed at stores and restaurants that gluten-free labels are proliferating. At a recent business convention I attended there was a non-gluten section in the buffet. Companies are starting to capitalize on this trend. In fact, “The Food and Drug Administration clarified its rules on what qualifies as gluten-free, which could lead more marketers to start labeling products that way — including those that have never contained gluten” (Schultz). Later in this article, the author E.J Schultz stated that “Betty Crocker gluten-free chocolate- brownie mix costs 38¢ per ounce, compared with 16¢ per ounce for regular fudge-brownie mix, according to prices posted on NetGrocer.com” (Schultz). Clearly, promoting gluten-free products is very lucrative right now.

Journalist Kiera Butler described a visit to her chiropractor, “A few months ago, I visited a well-meaning but ineffective chiropractor: I was seeking relief for pain in my hip, but she seemed much more interested in my mental health. ‘Do you ever feel stressed?’ she asked. ‘Uh, yeah,’ I said. ‘Doesn’t everyone?’ ‘Well, I think you should try a gluten-free diet for that,’ she said. She then pulled out a prescription pad and wrote down the names of a few specialty food manufacturers” (Butler).

While I am sure this chiropractor was well meaning, could it be possible she was getting paid to recommend certain food brands? That extra money on the side would certainly be an ulterior motive for prescribing a NCGS diagnosis. Overall, it is wise to be cautious about spending the extra money on gluten-free products if there is no hard evidence backing the claims.

I am very sympathetic to those who believe they are non-celiac gluten sensitive. I have yet to meet someone who likes having diarrhea, low energy, or joint pain. But after researching and looking at the facts, I am skeptical. To me the answer to the question, “Does gluten adversely affect those without celiac’s disease?” The answer is no. If you choose to follow the gluten-free diet, just know that the claims are unsubstantiated and you and your wallet might need to look elsewhere for answers. Hopefully these blogs of given you food for thought. Pardon the pun, I couldn’t help myself!  

Ben Fager

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We all want to understand why there are conflicting views of gluten and as a result, doctors and scientists have set out to clear the air.

In 2011, Peter Gibson, Professor and Director of Gastroenterology at Alfred and Moash Univeristy and a team of other doctors performed a study, concluding that Gluten causes gastrointestinal symptoms in subjects without celiac disease. 34 subjects, with irritable bowel syndrome, but without celiac disease, were selected for the study. 19 of the patients were given two slices of bread, and one muffin containing gluten. The other 13 subjects were given gluten-free foods. This trial was double-blind, meaning none of the participants knew which group they were in. After six weeks on these diets, the results were significant enough to show an increase in stomach issues for those individuals consuming the gluten-laden muffins and bread. However, the evidence was far from decisive. The doctors came to the conclusion that, “’Non-celiac gluten sensitivity’ (NCGS) may exist, but no clues to the mechanism were elucidated” (Gibson 2011 study). This means the process which leads to these gastrointestinal problems was not revealed by the study, leaving room for question. As a result, two years later, Gibson conducted another experiment.

Gibson had noticed that, “reports of NCGS have not taken into account the presence of other components of wheat, particularly fructans, that might have been pathogenically responsible for the symptoms” (Biesiekierski JR). These fructans are referred to as “FODMAPs”, or in layman terms: sugars, more specifically carbohydrates, found in foods such as pastries, sodas, and other foods with high sugar content. “These types of carbohydrate are rapidly fermented but poorly absorbed in the small intestine, leading to functional gastrointestinal symptoms in sensitive individuals. Evidence suggests that a reduction in high FODMAP foods leads to an improvement in GI symptoms (Zubek, J).

This second study found that when pills containing gluten, but devoid of FODMAP’s were consumed under the pretense they were gluten-free, patients showed no significant signs of gluten sensitivity. Interestingly enough, the patients complained they had symptoms of gluten sensitivity when they were given pills with no gluten, but were under the pretense gluten was included. As a result, Gibson found that gluten sensitivity was a “nocebo” effect. The “nocebo” effect is the negative counterpart to the placebo effect, “The same reaction that prompts some people to get sick from wind turbines and wireless signals, was at work here” (Pomeroy).

Even with this new found evidence, many doctors, dietitians, and parents still blame gluten for ADHD, headaches, and even depression. However, after looking at many different government sponsored and academically based articles on the symptoms of celiac disease, none mention headaches, depression, or behavior related issues such as ADHD. For example, eatright.org, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, includes a list of symptoms of those with a gluten intolerance on their website. Mentioned are: “Diarrhea, stomach pain, fatigue, joint pain, weight loss, and itchy skin rash” (eatright.org). If these are symptoms for those with an intolerance, a list for those with reported non-celiac gluten sensitivity should be close to identical. Because of this, I am skeptical when gluten is pegged for causing behavior issues, amongst other villainous claims.

Though logic may be faulty, it is hard to dispute anecdotal “evidence” that people have experienced. Sometimes personal experiences seem like empirical data when truly, we might not understand the science or process behind it. Conflict, specifically regarding gluten is due to misinformation and lack of knowledge.

Ben Fager

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Jimmy Kimmel, a late night television show host, also noticed the trending gluten-free craze. Curious about people’s understanding, he did a street poll by randomly stopping strangers to ask them about gluten. The vast majority did not know what it was, or what specifically it was in. A select few could place it in “breads and cereals”.

For being such a buzz word – what is gluten? Celiac.org defines it as, “a general name for the proteins found in wheat… rye, barley and triticale. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together” (Celiac.org). The name gluten comes from the base word “glu”, simply meaning a glue-like substance that creates and maintains form. So what about this glue-like protein causes so much pain for those with celiac disease?

Gluten is made up of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin (livescience.com). Gliadin is the main culprit for the adverse reaction in individuals with celiac’s. The damaged villi in the small intestines are unable to absorb crucial nutrients, but “symptoms may vary among different people:” One person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. Some patients develop celiac symptoms early in life, while others feel healthy far into adulthood” (celiaccentral.org).

Thus, a diagnosis of gluten intolerance can happen at any time of life. If a person is consistently feeling sick from eating food containing gluten (and does not mistake it for the bellyache after a half-pound, double bacon cheeseburger), he or she should be tested for Celiacs’s.

Emilee, a young girl, tells her true story of being diagnosed with Celiac’s: “I am 13 and I was diagnosed 2 years ago (2012). I am currently living a gluten-free life….Two years ago I got a stomach virus. All the symptoms went away except my stomach pains. I was on the couch almost every night curled up in a ball clenching my stomach. It was to the point I could put nothing in my stomach. Not even water. After more trips to the hospital, I went to a different one. They took my gluten count and the numbers were through the roof. So I went through more testing and a biopsy. After my biopsy results came back it was confirmed. I had celiac disease. We suspect my stomach virus kick started my dormant gene. I was put on a gluten-free diet right away.” (celiaccentral.org).

The number of reported gluten related problems is skyrocketing. Until just recently, diagnosis of celiac disease was about 1 in 133 people (niddk.hig.gov) but now gluten has become a house hold term. I find this perplexing – with better science and technology, testing for gluten intolerance has become easier, however, if gluten sensitivity is an actual condition, why was it not nearly as prominent a few decades ago, as it is now? Why is gluten a hot-button topic? In my research, I noticed that genetically modified organisms (GMO), are a very popular scape-goat amongst all the finger pointing.

Layla Katiraee, a Doctor in Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto, noticed the same pattern, and stated, “The Internet is exploding with stories about the supposed dangerous link between gluten allergies and genetically modified foods” (Katiraee). An obscure essay, written by Stephanie Seneff and Anthony Samsel, scientists from MIT, attributes to this new found blame on GMO’s. The essay focused on the correlation between glyphosateand rise in modern disease. Glyphosate the proper name for berbicides like Round-up, is sprayed on many crops that are sold commercially.

Dr. Katiraee noted that, “Anti-GMO campaigners postulate two primary hypotheses as to how GMOs cause gluten sensitivity. The first is that glyphosate may kill the healthy bacteria in the gut, leading to a bacterial imbalance. The second is that the Bt-toxin, found in Bt-resistant GM crop, punctures holes in human cells (in this case, the gut), leading to a leaky gut” (Katiraee). The Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) challenged these hypotheses, calling them pure speculation: “The scientists at CDF pointed out that patients with Celiac Disease or gluten-sensitivity feel better when they cut gluten out of their diets. If the cause of their sensitivity were GMOs or glyphosate, then they’d have to cut out a lot more than just gluten.” Glyphosate is used on a wide spectrum of crops reaching much further than just wheat, barley, or rye.

Katiraee goes on to point out that the most convincing evidence against these hypotheses is that genetically modified wheat is not even on the market. Wheat is not glyphosate resistant, and is being tested to become so, but GM wheat is currently not commercially available (Katiraee). Katiraee states that the essay written by Seneff and Samsel, “cherry-pick data from global statistics to support their claims…Neither has any known expertise in genetics or toxicology” (Katiraee). 

In the world of increasing “gluten sensitive” individuals, Doctor Stefano Guandalini, director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, concludes, “These patients absolutely do exist… They do have real symptoms” (webmd.com). Many doctors and even registered dietitians will gladly prescribe a gluten-free diet for those who have what is known as non-celiac’s gluten sensitivity (NCGS). However, there is a very real conflict in the medical and dietary world on the topic. Why?

Ben Fager

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As a young boy, I  remember countless dinner conversations where my mother, a registered dietitian, would playfully quiz my siblings and me on the vitamins and nutrients in our meal. I quickly became aware of the need to treat my body with respect and to eat the right foods. I have always trusted my health to my mom because she loves me, continues her education thoughtfully and meticulously, and applies those principles in our family life.

Like everyone else, I’ve faced the revolving door of diets.  Every time a new way of eating came my way, I would process it and then share what I had heard with my mother. Without fail she would break down the faulty reasoning behind each fad diet. The latest fad  I have encountered is the gluten-free diet.  It is trendy and it is  catching on quickly. I am sensitive to the fact that many people are afflicted by celiac disease or gluten intolerance.  It is a real condition.  One of our family members died because of it. So what is the difference between gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity?  Does gluten sensitivity even exist?

According to celiac.org, “When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small finger-like projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body”.

Celiac disease is the most common form of a gluten intolerance, affecting nearly one in every 141 Americans. Whereas, “A diagnosis of gluten sensitivity is confirmed when you are not diagnosed with celiac disease…, and your symptoms diminish after starting a gluten-free diet, followed by a return of symptoms when gluten is reintroduced into your diet” (celiac.org). Scientifically it seems the only difference between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity is that the body does not attack the villi in the small intestines when gluten is consumed by someone who is gluten sensitive. Interestingly enough, “Research estimates that 18 million Americans have gluten sensitivity. That’s 6 times the amount of Americans who have celiac disease” (celiaccentral.org). It seems that gluten is causing millions of people significant discomfort.

Despite the emphatic testimonials and anecdotes, I am a little wary of gluten-free fad for two reasons. First, gluten is pegged with causing symptoms such as “foggy mind”, depression, ADHD-like behavior, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, bone or joint pain, and chronic fatigue” (celiac.org). These symptoms seem far too wide-spread to be attributed to substance that is primarily dealt with in the gut.  Second, from ages 2 to 7 my parents believed that I had a gluten intolerance. I never had a biopsy, but I was showing a few of the tell-tale symptoms.  For years I sporadically ate gluten-free. I ate rice bread, and avoided many of my favorite treats, pretzels being the main sacrifice. In the end, my family and I discovered that gluten was not the culprit.  My discomfort was simply an over sensitive stomach which I still have.

I have an aunt who has celiac disease as a standard against which to compare my experience. When I was taken off gluten, symptoms did not change dramatically for me.  When my aunt began eating gulten-free, she left behind constant gut pain and relentless diarrhea.

Based on this experience, I feel that gluten does not harm the general population only those afflicted with celiac’s disease. While this is empirical data for myself, I do recognize my own personal experience is far from conclusive for society.   In future blogs, I will show the science to substantiate my claims.

Ben Fager

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