Gluten And The Genetics Behind It

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, among other cereals. It functions as a binder, binding food together and giving it a “springy” texture — imagine a pizza maker spinning and pulling a ball of dough. The dough would simply rip if it didn’t include gluten. Wheat berries, spelt, durum, emmer, semolina, farina, farro, graham, Khorasan wheat, einkorn, and triticale are other gluten-containing grains (a blend of wheat and rye). Even though oats are natively gluten-free, cross-contamination occurs when farmed near or processed in the same facilities as the grains mentioned above. Gluten is also known as wheat gluten or seitan, a high-protein vegan food. Soy sauce and modified food starch are less visible sources of gluten. However, gluten-free versions of these goods are available and labeled to comply with the US Food and Drug Administration’s gluten-free labeling guideline.

How is gluten food for me?

Gluten is most commonly connected with grain and wheat-containing foods, widely available in our diet. Wheat and gluten have received a lot of bad press recently, which has led some people to question their place in a healthy diet. There is very little published research to back up these statements; in fact, published research contradicts them. Researchers discovered no link between long-term dietary gluten use and the risk of heart disease in a 2017 study of over 100,000 people who did not have celiac disease. In fact, the findings revealed that non-celiacs who avoid gluten might raise their risk of heart disease due to a possible decrease in whole grain consumption. Gluten may also work as a prebiotic, nourishing our bodies’ ‘healthy” bacteria. The prebiotic carbohydrate arabinoxylan oligosaccharide, made from wheat bran, has been demonstrated to increase bifidobacteria activity in the colon. In a healthy human intestine, these microorganisms are common. GI disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome have been linked to changes in their quantity or activity.

How and when can gluten be bad for me?

On the other hand, gluten has the potential to cause significant adverse effects in some people. Some people respond to gluten differently, mistaking it for a toxin and having their immune system attack it. If a gluten-intolerant individual consumes gluten, a battleground is created, resulting in inflammation. Side effects can range from mild (lethargy, cramping, intermittent constipation and diarrhea) to severe (as seen in the autoimmune disorder celiac disease, unintentional weight loss, starvation, intestinal damage). According to research, people with celiac disease have a slightly greater risk of osteoporosis and anemia due to calcium and iron malabsorption, respectively, infertility, neurological diseases, and, in rare cases, cancer. The good news is that eliminating gluten from one’s diet may reverse the effects. The primary medical treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. However, understanding and adhering to a rigorous gluten-free diet can be difficult. It may be necessary to seek the advice of a qualified dietitian to discover which foods contain gluten and verify that gluten-free alternatives provide appropriate nutrition.

Celiac disease and how your body forces you to be gluten-free

According to some research, many people of European heritage contain the genes for celiac disease, making them more susceptible to health problems caused by gluten consumption. Celiac disease is a hereditary condition that can be passed down from generation to generation. If a family member has been diagnosed with celiac disease, a parent, child, or sibling has a one-in-twenty chance of getting diagnosed as well. While celiac disease affects only about 1% of the population, the celiac disease genes, HLA DQ2 or HLA DQ8, are found in 35 to 40% of the population. HLA DQ1 and HLA DQ3 carriers, according to some clinicians, are also predisposed to gluten intolerance. Each person inherits one HLA DQ gene from their mother and another from their father. There are four types of HLA DQ genes, and the HLA DQ1 and HLA DQ3 genes are further subdivided, resulting in a plethora of gene combinations. Subsets of the HLA DQ3 gene cause celiac disease. You may get a celiac disease or have no gluten sensitivities depending on the two copies of the HLA DQ genes you receive. While more research is needed before the medical world accepts this notion, it can help you understand how your genes and family history affect your gluten sensitivity. Genetic testing can be a good alternative if you want to determine if you have a hereditary tendency to celiac disease. A dna test kit can assist in determining whether celiac disease is present in your gene.

Live a gluten-free life

Some people cut or remove gluten from their diet for three to four weeks in addition to genetic testing to observe how their bodies react. You might notice that you’re less tired or that you’re having fewer gastrointestinal problems. Alternatively, you may not experience any negative effects from ingesting gluten even if you carry the gene that predisposes you to gluten sensitivity. A gluten elimination test could be an excellent place to begin. You can still eat bread and cereal if you suspect you have a gluten intolerance. There are various gluten-free options available. You can try sourdough bread; during the fermentation process of sourdough bread, some gluten protein is broken down. You might be able to eat sourdough bread, depending on your gluten sensitivity. There is also sprouted flour; flour that has been sprouted digests like a vegetable rather than protein; some gluten-intolerant people can eat it without problems. If you have celiac disease or are extremely gluten intolerant, always check food labels to ensure that gluten has not been added. Also, hold off on gluten-free cookies, crackers, and spaghetti for the time being. Many gluten-free products have extra sugar, fat, sodium, and calories to compensate for the lack of gluten and improve flavour and texture. Learn more about how our DNA test can help you. It’s considered the most advanced DNA test in Malaysia that we can provide, so we’d like to offer you our premium DNA test. You can take advantage of this offer and reap the benefits of getting a DNA test.