(18-03-12) Gluten attacks the brain and damages the nervous system

by Sarka-Jonae Miller


(NaturalNews) Some people are literally stumbling through life thinking they
are a klutz when really gluten is to blame. Before gastrointestinal symptoms
like upset stomach appear, neurological damage may already be done, according
to the Center for Peripheral Neuropathy. The Gluten Free Society calls gluten a
"potential neurotoxin." Gluten damage may cause everything from unexplained
dizziness to numbness in the hands and feet.

Gluten ataxia
Approximately 10 percent of people with Celiac disease develop neurologic
symptoms, according to the Center for Peripheral Neuropathy. Ataxia describes a
neurologic condition characterized by jerky movements and an awkward gait.
Gluten ataxia specifically describes a neurologic condition caused by a gluten
sensitivity that leads to a wide range of symptoms, including:

? Difficultly concentrating
? Loss of balance
? Frequent falls
? Visual disturbances
? Trouble walking
? Tremors
? Trouble judging distances

In people with a gluten sensitivity, eating foods with the gluten protein
triggers an autoimmune reaction. The body attacks the gluten with antibodies in
the same way that antibodies attack viruses. This damages the intestines.
Intestinal damage inhibits absorption of nutrients, often leading to nutrient
deficiencies.

Vitamin deficiencies could be to blame for gluten ataxia, according to an
article in the Feb/Mar 2011 issue of Living Without magazine. Another
explanation is that something in the brain is similar enough to gluten that the
antibodies released to attack gluten also attack the brain.

The exact cause for gluten ataxia is unknown, but what is clear is that eating
gluten makes it worse. A study published in the Journal of Neurology,
Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry in September 2003 found that participants with
ataxia who followed a gluten-free diet demonstrated improvement in ataxia
symptoms compared to the control group, and had significantly fewer antigliadin
antibodies, or "anti-gluten" antibodies, after one year.

Gluten neuropathy
Neuropathy, or peripheral neuropathy, describes a range of disorders
characterized by nerve damage to one or more nerves outside of the brain and
spinal cord. Often the cause of the neuropathy is unknown, though autoimmune
diseases and vitamin deficiencies are some of the potential causes, according
to the Mayo Clinic. Gluten neuropathy is when the autoimmune response is the
root cause of the nerve damage.

A study published in Muscle & Nerve journal in December 2006 found that
participants with neuropathy who followed a gluten-free diet showed significant
improvement in symptoms after one year. The control group reported worsening of
symptoms.

Treatment
People who have a gluten intolerance do not respond to simple allergy tests
like someone with a milk or nut allergy might. The gentlest way to figure out
if someone is sensitive to gluten is dietary therapy. Avoid gluten for several
weeks, then reintroduce it and observe any reactions.

Once it is known that a person has a problem with gluten there is only one
form of treatment: abstinence. People with any degree of gluten sensitivity or
intolerance must completely give it up. This means not only avoiding obvious
foods like bread and pasta, but also foods like soy sauce and licorice that
contain small amounts of wheat.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives. Pastas made with rice flour or
quinoa are gluten-free. Rice bread can replace bread made from grains
containing gluten. Buckwheat flour is gluten-free and works well for pancakes.
Some companies even make wheat-free soy sauce. It is simply a matter of reading
labels and shopping around.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17013890

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12933922

http://www.glutenfreesociety.org

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu

http://www.livingwithout.com/issues/4_12/ataxia-2366-1.html?pg=1

http://www.livingwithout.com/issues/4_12/ataxia-2366-1.html?pg=2

http://www.medicinenet.com/celiac_disease_gluten_free_diet/page3.htm

http://americanceliac.org/celiac-disease/diagnosis/

http://www.mayoclinic.com

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147963.php

http://www.naturalnews.com

News

---

In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.