Is Gluten Bad for Non-Celiacs? Expert’s Panel Advice

Should a Non-Celiac be gluten-free? This used to get you laughed out of a doctor’s office. But the idea that gluten sensitivity is real has recently received some validation in the research, which is great news for all the Non-Celiacs who have been telling their doctors this for years. This past Sunday, a gluten expert panel spent an hour covering these ideas and more common questions about gluten.

The panel was hosted by Ameer Rosic and featured Dr. Tom O’ Bryan, Nora Gedgaudas  and myself.  I don’t really consider myself as having “expert” status compared to this group because most of what I know was learned from Dr. Tom in his Gluten Practitioner Program. It was really an honor for me.

No Celiac, No Care?

Like Nora, I don’t have Celiac disease and while I eat very clean I sometimes do eat some gluten. This shouldn’t be a problem right? I mean a little bit can’t hurt… or can it? Listening to Nora tell her story has me rethinking my current ways, or at the very least I might get my own Cyrex gluten testing done to confirm it.

I’ve known since I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that wheat and grains were not my friends. But I’ve also learned that small and infrequent exposure doesn’t really impact me. However, just because I can’t “feel it” doesn’t mean that my body isn’t cursing me and struggling to get rid of the toxins.

If you’ve never taken time to read any of the research studies on gluten then this video can save you about 6 months of your life as it covers most of the highlights.

Here Are Some of My Favorites:

7:00 If you want to get pregnant don’t eat gluten. Gluten sensitivity causes zinc deficiency leading to inability of sperm to get the job done.

10:14 Dr. Tom O’ Bryan quoting Dr. Alessio Fasano “No human can digest gluten now, we can’t break down that protein, none of us can. And whether or not it stimulates an immune response, is determined by how overwhelmed our immune system is.”

13:00 Even if you’re not having an immunologic response to gluten, it still stimulates the production of zonulin which increases gut permeability and blood-brain barrier permeability.

17:28 The most common malabsorption for those who are gluten sensitive, or those with inflamed digestive systems, is fat soluble vitamins. So, a vitamin D deficiency is very common for those who are gluten sensitive. Dr. Tom says for “big picture health, I would check vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) yearly vs. Cholesterol.” (Jordan covers it here “Why Celiacs Need Vitamin D.”)

27:40 Sprouting of wheat doesn’t cancel out gluten and other proteins that the immune system reacts to. This includes Einkorn wheat and other older wheat strains.

34:35 Dr. Tom explains how carrots and onions can grow bacteria with LPS, which can then trigger permeability of the gut (I didn’t know this – fascinating)!

37:36 Dr. Tom’s emphasis for all his patients is to build the healthiest gut flora possible to protect us from all the toxins in our current world.

44:30 Want a compelling reason to not eat gluten? Nora explains why getting tested for these things is worth every penny of your investment as one of the top reasons for bankruptcy in today’s world is health problems. Should I test for Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? Dr. Tom covers both ideas very well and tells which tests to use and the limits of each test. If you didn’t know, most conventional tests won’t work for gluten sensitivity due to false negatives.

52:04 Where is gluten chewing up your body? The autoimmune part of gluten is downright scary. Jordan’s mom was part of this. Dr. Tom talks about his family and how if you have gluten sensitivity and are still not having symptoms you still might be slowly dying (faster than normal of course).

1:01:45 “The best thing you can do right now; the easiest, where you’re going to get the best bang for your buck… follow Steve’s program, the SCD lifestyle (solution) for 3 to 4 weeks. Do that program, commit to it, and watch what happens.” ~Dr. Tom O’ Bryan.

Huge Thanks to Dr. Tom for the unsolicited plugs and to Ameer for having me on the panel!

If you’re looking to read more about gluten, wheat and Celiac disease start with this article (How Gluten Causes Celiac Disease) from Jordan.

And if you are someone who thinks gluten-free is the answer I urge you to read this article:

Toxic Truth about Gluten-Free Foods and Celiac Disease

In health,

Steve