Podcast: Do You Need to Be Gluten-Free?

A lot of people have gluten-free diets, but is it for you? This episode features audio from:
Visit the video pages for all sources and doctor's notes related to this podcast.

[DeviDalyYoga]

Thank you Dr. Greger for once again shining the light of science onto a clouded subject.

[Ellfman]

I begin to experience digestive issues.
Curious, I remove gluten.
My swollen belly deflates, skin issues resolve, joint pain is reduced, and I have normal bowel movements.
I explain all this to my doctor, who then writes a prescription for mental health.
I go back and forth between doctor and mental health for about 2 years, because mental health says I'm fine, but the doctor thinks I have issues.
Finally the doctor orders an allergy panel, which includes gluten.
And much to the doctor's delight I have no food allergies.
For the next 5 years I keep trying gluten foods, and each time ending up with a swollen belly, joint pain so bad I'm nearly bedridden, and extreme gas with illregular disgestive issues.
When I avoid gluten, most of my issues are reduced.
Just so I can keep seeing a doctor, I continue to go to mental health.
The doctors still see me, but they give me very little time.

[GreenTeaMe]

I have Celiac Disease so yes, I have to be Gluten Free :) I was very surprised by the dx and I did not know that you test for the antibody. I went 7 years with digestive issues before a GI doctor finally tested me for the antibodies and BOOM! I feel so much better!

[okamsug]

I went gluten-free for about two years hoping to find some relief from my arthritis. Unfortunately it made no difference.

[vi]

Dr Greger, this was so comprehensive and I learned so much. Thank you! ❤

[WalksDiana]

My ND told me to try eating spelt because its not manipulated like regular wheat...which is hybridized (GMO) Also can be having reaction to Roundup and other pesticides so I am eating as organic as I can now. I think I can tolerate spelt.

[lucretiz]

My problem with gluten and I am hopelessly addicted to it is that if I eat a good amount I break out in really bad hives. Secondly I thought the issue with gluten is people are rarely eating a bowl of gluten free oats with fresh berries but rather we're ingesting gluten as pizza, breaded deep fried chicken wing, cupcakes, bagels, packaged foods so the way people are getting gluten is in the worse possible processes forms.

[THFrenchteacher]

But could the intolerance actually be the chemicals sprayed on the food? I can eat bread in Europe. In the US it doubles me over.

[smudge]

I'm really glad Dr. Greger validates that non-Celiac gluten sensitivity is a thing. I'd love it if you could talk about Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and how underdiagnosed it is. I definitely believe that plays a role in non-allergic food sensitivities. Some studies found that 17% of the population has MCAS, although unfortunately having a diagnosis is incredibly rare due to lack of widespread access to testing and the fact it is very newly discovered.

[earthmamma]

I will say that the only gluten I can seem to tolerate is the sourdough I make at home. Anything else, I experience digestive issues within a few minutes. So maybe it’s not so much a gluten problem but rather we’re not using these grains as they historically were used… fermentation

[VOLightPortal]

Intolerance is done by dosage and ratio of nutrient concentration to calories

[kismypencek]

Very interesting info! I will have to listen again with all this packed good stuff:)

[Karen-trjo]

My son was tested for Celiac and food allergies. Turned out he had an allergy to gluten containing foods, not Celiac.

[oo-etxg]

In autoimune disease - I have Hashimoto- doctor recomends no gluten, no diary, no sugar - AIP. What to do in this situation?

[phillippinter]

I have nothing against rice but 400 calories of whole grain brown rice had about 4g of fiber, the same amount is in supermarket white bread. 400 calories of whole grain wheat has about 15g of fiber and a lot (but not all) of gluten free alternatives have next to nothing

Another very common gluten-free alternative is cassava at only about 5g of fiber for 400 calories while other common gluten Contaning grains rye and barley have about 18g and 20g for 400 calories

[jeremyvolland]

Since a gluten free diet tends to be lower in prebiotic nutrients, I wonder if the issue with at least some people isn't a component of the gluten or wheat but with a bad bacteria or bacterial imbalance that is made worse when the gut bacteria are provided with plenty of prebiotics. I guess the way to test this is to do a study using non-wheat or gluten based prebiotics and placebos on a group of people on a gluten free diet . It seems like it would be a simple study to do.

[debbiegolding]

I thought it was interesting. I have dermatitis herpetiformis which is supposed to be due to gluten. My doctor ran a blood test and said I didn't have Celiac. That was the end of that. I recently (2 months) started a gluten free diet. I can't even imagine deliberately going back to gluten just to have myself tested. What would the benefit be?

[MrBarryalan]

All I know is that if I eat anything solid of wheat, I'll puke for 2 days! That's real.
Lifetime of Heartburn since 1980, 2 years after federal approval of glycophate aka: Round Up! 2 hospital stays for diverticulitis, now Gluten free, heartburn free, and so much more.

[marcdebruyne]

is it yeast in bread that causes intestinal complaints instead of gluten

[Hyperion]

What about non-gluten wheat intolerance? You don't have to be sensitive to gluten to be sensitive to wheat!