Is Gluten Bad for You? Who Should Avoid Gluten?

According to research findings, a gluten-free diet is considered effective to reduce symptoms that relate to several conditions. On the other hand, various experts have stated about its ability to prevent a couple of diseases.

What Are They?

However, several theories to date have suggested the possible reason behind gluten causing or worsening autoimmune conditions, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes, Grave’s disease, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. If we go by studies, it indicates autoimmune problems share common genes and immune alleys with celiac disease.

Now, to speak about molecular mimicry, it happens to be a mechanism where gluten contributes or worsens the autoimmune disease. That is only possible when a foreign antigen, a substance promoting immune response, shows similarities with the body’s antigens.

Therefore, when someone eats foods containing the mentioned antigens, it might result in the production of antibodies that would react with the consumed antigen along with the body’s own tissues.

Again, celiac disease has a connection with a higher risk of having additional autoimmune diseases that dominate in individuals with other autoimmune conditions. Apart from that, Gluten is said to cause bowel problems, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It should be noted that the latter can lead to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Secondly, gluten is also held responsible for altering gut bacteria besides increasing intestinal permeability among those with IBD and IBS.

To arrive at a conclusion, gluten-free diets pose benefits to people affected by fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and schizophrenia. But, the number of people who might react negatively to gluten yet remains unknown.

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