A new study shows a different protein might be responsible for autoimmune disease. Gluten has been blamed for causing autoimmune disease be causing the protein, zonulin, in your gut to explode in growth and open large holes in your gut lining. Zonulin does open holes for nutrients to pass through your immune system and into your blood stream. However, these holes are microscopic in size. When the holes are larger, many more unwanted particles end up all over your body compliments of your blood stream.
A study by the United European Gastroenterology this week shows that another family of proteins (not gluten) causes inflammation inside and outside of your gut. This family is called amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATIs). Eating wheat containing ATIs leads to the inflammation of your gut, lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen, and brain. If you have an autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, asthma, lupus, etc.), these conditions can worsen. Alcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease can also worsen in the presence of ATIs.
ATIs make up only 4% of wheat proteins. Celiac disease has been thought to be caused by gluten. However, that premise is being questioned. There are people who do not have Celiac disease but benefit from eating a gluten-free diet.
Gluten-free has been a diet mantra for many years. Gluten-free can be just as bad on your health for other reasons. The insulin response to gluten-free options (rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, tapioca and others) are nearly the same as wheat. However, these gluten-free options also cause advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs create many health problems. Tomorrow’s blog will cover more on AGEs.