Pasta make you sick? Gluten may not be the reason
Gluten has gotten a bad rap among those who get an upset stomach after having spaghetti, garlic bread and a beer for dinner. But the protein may not be the sole reason those without Celiac disease have a sensitivity to wheat products.
Gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye, can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss in those with Celiac disease. Yet some people who test negative for the autoimmune disorder still find themselves experiencing gastrointestinal distress when eating a bowl of pasta. Eighteen million Americans are estimated to have some form of gluten sensitivity, and scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University said some cases may be caused by a different protein: amylase-trypsin inhibitors, or ATIs.
Professor Detlef Schuppan said that ATIs contribute both to bowel-related inflammatory conditions as well as other immune-related chronic conditions like inflammation in the kidneys, brain, lymph nodes, and spleen.
“The type of gut inflammation seen in non-celiac gluten sensitivity differs from that caused by celiac disease, and we do not believe that this is triggered by gluten proteins,” Schuppan said. “Instead, we demonstrated that ATIs from wheat, that are also contaminating commercial gluten, activate specific types of immune cells in the gut and other tissues, thereby potentially worsening the symptoms of pre-existing inflammatory illnesses.”
Cutting out gluten can help people with ATI sensitivity feel better because the two proteins often appear together, so refusing the the tray of bagels in the office kitchen ensures the protein can’t wreak havoc on your digestive system. ATIs make about about 4 percent of wheat proteins.
An estimated 1.76 million Americans with celiac disease should avoid gluten, but an additional 2.7 million people with no clinically-diagnosed sensitivities or allergies don’t eat products with the protein. Going gluten-free has become an American dietary trend, partially because people mistakenly think cutting gluten is healthier or will help them lose weight, but doctors say there is no reason to cut out wheat if they don’t cause GI distress. Gluten-free products frequently contain more sugar or fat to help them taste more like the original, making them no better (and sometimes worse) calorie- or nutrient-wise than those with gluten.
Schuppan and his colleagues have yet to publish research in a peer-review journal or conduct clinical trials to further test the theory, which was presented this week at United European Gastroenterology Week 2016.
"We are hoping that this research can lead us toward being able to recommend an ATI-free diet to help treat a variety of potentially serious immunological disorders," Schuppan said.
This story was originally published October 19, 2016 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Pasta make you sick? Gluten may not be the reason."