Gluten is a generic term for the storage proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley, but it is also found in all grains to some extent. Gliadin, the protein found in wheat, is responsible for the damage to the intestinal tract in celiac disease.
Science estimates that approximately 40 percent of the population reacts poorly to gluten, and the average onset of symptoms of gluten sensitivity is 35 to 45 years of age.
There are actually 140 autoimmune diseases that we’ve identified, and the only scientifically agreed upon cause for autoimmune is gluten sensitivity. Now there are other triggers for autoimmune disease. An infection can trigger an autoimmune disease. A vitamin deficiency can trigger an autoimmune disease, particularly vitamin D. But gluten tends to be kind of that central core hub that’s always present. — Dr. Peter Osborne
An allergy to gluten causes a direct immune system response. An intolerance has more to do with an inability to digest gluten. Undigested gluten will then contribute to abnormal growth of bacteria, the byproducts of which will cause an indirect reaction by the immune system.
Another problem is that gluten causes upregulation of a protein called zonulin produced in the small intestine. Zonulin dismantles proteins in the gut that seal the gut lining creating gaps through which other food proteins may enter the bloodstream and provoke immune responses.
Peter discusses in detail how our immune system responds to gluten, the various genetic and immune response tests you can take to determine your susceptibility to gluten sensitivity or allergy, and why going completely grain-free can help you heal faster.
Total time: 44 minutes.
Interview
Click to listen to interview or right-click to download MP3 file.
Bio
Dr. Peter Osborne is the clinical director of Town Center Wellness in Sugar Land, TX. He is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, and an expert in orthomolecular and functional medicine. He has been practicing since 2001. His clinical focus is the holistic natural treatment of chronic degenerative diseases. He lectures nationally to doctors on the topics of gluten sensitivity/intolerance, celiac disease, drug induced nutritional deficiencies, and many other nutritionally related topics. Peter is the founder of Gluten Free Society, a site that educates patients and doctors about gluten.
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Very helpful overview! Thank you Peter and Joanne. Great points about other foods that gluten sensitive people may react to. Amazing that before I went gluten free, I figured I would be eating gluten free grains, but I find that I do best w/o them!
I had my genes tested. I have DQ8 and DQ7, the former being one of the known Celiac genes, the latter a gluten sensitive one, as far as I understand, although some researchers believe that DQ7 should also be considered a Celiac gene. If Peter has any thoughts on DQ7, I’d love to know. I will have a look at his site.
Is there a direct to public, dna testing facility that will check for the gluten sensitivity markers (dq7, dq8, etc) ?
When I first began eating a high fiber cereal, I had crazy gas and felt super bloated.. but with time, both those symptoms went totally away. Based on the interview though, maybe the body is acting out (badly) somewhere else that I can’t detect!
I found one lab that offers testing directly to the public, but I couldn’t find if they tested for DQ7. They do test for DQ2, DQ8, IgA, tTG, etc.: Private MD Labs.
Enterolab offers it. That’s how I found out about my genes. See the listing at the top of this page:
https://www.enterolab.com/StaticPages/TestInfo.aspx#gene_gluten
His website, http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/genetic-testing-for-gluten-sensitivity/ , also lists gluten sensitivity testing for $320.
It’s an interesting notion that all seeds use some variety of the wheat gluten to nourish the seed itself.. and by Genetically Modifiing the seed to be more resilient we may causing (digestion) resistance issues in humans!
But I wonder if all of this is only a problem with developed nations? Do third world countries, where they can’t be picky about food, do they get peanut and wheat allergies? Has there been any studies if this ‘defense mechanism against digestion’ of grains/seeds/nuts, only affects affluent countries?
Also, Dr. Osborne says alcohol breaks down the wheat gluten protein, but then beer is mentioned as an example of what a gluten sensitive person can’t consume! Why doesn’t the alcohol in beer break down gliadin?
Finally, if the body can’t digest something.. doesn’t it usually pass undigested? I’ve taken many a tablets, olestra, and even pennies (as a kid) that go straight thru… why is it with gluten that there would be collateral damage in the form of inflammation (TH1/TH2 reactions) + leaky gut (zonulin/desmosomes proteins), from the immune system’s direct/indirect response ?
BTW, this is my favorite $8 bread (gluten free, and 13 different types of beans!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_Mf-OEPGPA
Ben, I don’t know about any studies re third world countries. As for the alcohol, I would imagine you’d need a certain percentage of alcohol to break down all the gliadin, and beer has very little alcohol.
That which the body cannot digest does get passed. Think cellulose. But digestion shouldn’t be confused with absorption. Digestion is the breaking down of foods into their component molecules, which are then passed through the digestive wall for assimilation. For example, proteins need to be broken down into their amino acids, which pass the wall. However, if you have a leaky gut, these proteins pass whole into the bloodstream and start an inflammatory response.
Olestra was designed specifically to prevent lipase enzyme from breaking down the fat, so it’s too large to pass the gut wall and is excreted. Pennies are too big to pass. And some molecules from tablets enter the body.
Gluten is a protein, and as such is made up of amino acids. Our bodies recognize these as nutrients, and break down the proteins for assimilation. But for some people the protein is seen as “foreign,” like a bacteria or toxin, and an immune response is provoked.
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