Autoimmune disease is a chronic illness that attacks your immune system and healthy cells. For decades, there has been much debate about the link between gluten as a trigger for causing autoimmune diseases. Experts also say that autoimmune diseases have increased over the past forty years. If you have celiac disease, for example, you’re more likely to develop another autoimmune disease1.
Almost 50 million people in the U.S. have an autoimmune disease. This makes autoimmune disease the third most prevalent disease category after cancer and heart disease. Eighty percent of chronic autoimmune sufferers are women2.
A gluten-free diet is recommended for celiac disease and has broader benefits in managing autoimmune conditions. It is known to have improved the reduction of inflammation and promoted gut healing. In fact, as of 2017, over 3.1 million Americans were following the gluten-free diet3.
Adopting a gluten-free diet and autoimmune disease impact
Going gluten-free or eliminating wheat grains, barley, and rye found in foods like bread, rice, and pasta offers many benefits and reverses painful symptoms. Let’s delve into some below:
Reduced Inflammatory Response: Inflammation is at the basis of disease and poor gut health. Eliminating gluten can help lower systemic inflammation – the body goes into a pro-inflammatory response to defend the body. This inflammatory response is a common underlying factor in autoimmune diseases.
Better Gut Health: A gluten-free diet supports gut health, which is crucial in holistic health for maintaining overall immune function and nutrient absorption. A continuous introduction of gluten disrupts gut permeability, leading to leaky gut syndrome (a digestive condition where the intestinal lining allows bacteria and toxins into the bloodstream), SIBO (a minor bowel disorder where excess bacteria populate the lower intestine), and gastrointestinal (GI) flare-ups.
Elimination of Gluten Mimicry: Gluten protein can mimic proteins in our bodies, causing an overabundance. This response is the root cause of inflammation and autoimmune disorders. The protein in dairy, called casein, causes an inflammatory response due to its similarity with gluten. Our body recognizes these proteins as invaders and starts attacking our bodies’ tissues and cells.
Improved Secretory IGA: The decrease of secretory IGA (also known as SIGA, the dominant antibody lining the intestines and other mucosal linings in the body) is a significant factor with gluten exposure. When the body consumes too much gluten, the SIGA breaks down. SIGA is a critical immune system component in the body’s mucosal lining, such as the intestines, respiratory tract, and salivary glands. We are more susceptible to disease without a protective mucosal lining within the nasal cavities and the oral and stomach linings.
Decrease in Leaching Calcium: Gluten leaches calcium from our bones and other areas that displace gluten in the body. Kidney stones are a typical example of calcium repositioning in the body and a symptom of gluten sensitivity. Other imbalances from calcium leaching result in common joint pains, seasonal allergies, ADHD, and more.
Balanced Gut Microbiome: An overabundance of gluten can deregulate and impact the composition of the gut microbiome. This leads to dysbiosis, which is an imbalance in the gut microbes. Dysbiosis can break down the body’s immune response and create a vicious cycle that heightens our gluten sensitivity. Due to a high histamine response, this cycle also creates multiple sensitivities to many foods.
The benefits of a gluten-free diet for autoimmune diseases are numerous. Knowing where to start and if a new diet is proper for you can be overwhelming. If you want a comprehensive care approach, preventative measures to prevent chronic illness will help you remain healthy for years.
Our program offers diagnostic testing and measures the likelihood of developing autoimmune diseases in the future. Our care team helps build a custom care plan to help improve positive health outcomes. If you want to learn more about a gluten-free diet and autoimmune diseases, contact us at compass@hoag.org or (949) 557-0951.
1 Conditions linked to coeliac disease. (n.d.). Coeliac UK. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/conditions-linked-to-coeliac-disease/#:~:text=Coeliac%20disease%20itself%20is%20an,diabetes%20and%20autoimmune%20thyroid%20disease.
2 Autoimmune diseases. (n.d.). National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autoimmune#:~:text=As%20many%20as%2050%20million,significant%20role%20in%20disease%20development.
3 McCarthy, N. (2017, January 17). The number of Americans going Gluten-Free has tripled since 2009 [Infographic]. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/01/17/the-number-of-americans-going-gluten-free-has-tripled-since-2009-infographic/
