Celiac's are people who have a severe immune reaction to gluten. They are people who presumably experience the full brunt of the antinutritional properties of wheat, and their health shows it.

2% to 2.4% of Finnish have Celiac disease, and 68% of antibody-positive people have intestinal damage ^{1) 2)}. 1% to 2.7% prevalence Western countries ³⁾. Only 10% of affected people have been diagnosed ⁴⁾. Celiac prevalence in 'high risk' peoples (Type 1 diabetes, chronic diarrhea, iron deficiency, autoimmune thyroiditus, grave disease, failure to thrive) in Middle eastern and North African populations, ranges from 3% to 40% ⁵⁾. Of short children with no overt symptoms, 8.3% were found to have celiac ⁶⁾. Danish type 1 diabetic children have a 12% celiac prevalence ⁷⁾.

Prevalence of some diseases in Celiacs vs controls ⁸⁾

Timing of introduction of gluten into infant's diet associated with appearance of celiac disease¹¹⁾

gluten-sensitivity can also be associated with neurological symptoms in patients who do not have any mucosal gut damage (that is, without celiac disease). Gluten can cause neurological harm through a combination of cross reacting antibodies, immune complex disease and direct toxicity. These nervous system affects include: dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, cerebella ataxia, hypotonia, developmental delay, learning disorders, depression, migraine, and headache. If gluten is the putative harmful agent, then there is no requirement to invoke gut damage and nutritional deficiency to explain the myriad of the symptoms experienced by sufferers of celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. ¹²⁾

Of 48 epileptics, 15% were gluten sensitive ¹³⁾. A gluten-free diet adopted soon after epilepsy onset can “severly reduce or eliminate seizures” ¹⁴⁾.

• Schizophrenics have elevated circulating antibodies to giladin ¹⁵⁾
• Before and during World War 2, among 5 countries, the % change in first-time admissions for schizophrenia was significantly correlated with the % change in the amount wheat consumed ¹⁶⁾
• People in a schizophrenic ward, when given cereal and milk free diet, were discharged twice as fast as those eating high cereal, and they regressed and remitted upon cereal withdrawl and reintroduction ¹⁷⁾. 27% of schizophrenics had gliadin antibodies (18% in controls) ¹⁸⁾.
• 8 other accounts here of gluten/cereal free fixing schizophrenics ¹⁹⁾

A drastic reduction, if not full remission, of schizophrenic symptoms after initiation of gluten withdrawal has been noted in a variety of studies. ²⁰⁾

Is schizophrenia rare if grain is rare? If, as hypothesized, neuroactive peptides from grain glutens are the major agents evoking schizophrenia in those with the genotype(s), it should be rare if grain is rare. To test this, we analyzed the results of our clinical examinations (e.g., kuru) and observations of anthropologists on peoples consuming little or no grain. Only two overtly insane chronic schizophrenics were found among over 65,000 examined or closely observed adults in remote regions of Papua New Guinea (png, 1950-1967) and Malaita , Solomon Islands (1980-1981), and on Yap , Micronesia (1947-1948). In preneuroleptic Europe over 130 would have been expected. When these peoples became partially westernized and consumed wheat, barley beer, and rice, the prevalence reached European levels. Our findings agree with previous epidemiologic and experimental results indicating that grain glutens are harmful to schizophrenics. ²¹⁾

• People with recent psychosis: 5.5 times more likely to have gliadin antibodies ²²⁾.
• Gluten intolerants: 13% have an associated central or peripheral nervous system and psychiatric disorders ²³⁾.
• Celiacs: 40% present Sensorineural hearing loss (3% of controls do) ²⁴⁾. 32% sensory ganglionopathys had gluten sensitivity. Those going on gluten-free experienced remission, while those not compliant did not ²⁵⁾.
• Celiacs: 11% show neurological symptoms including, cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, seizures, and myelopathy ^{26) 27)}.
• Patients with neurological disease of unknown aetiology: 57% have high rates of gliadin antibodies ²⁸⁾.
• A subgroup of gluten sensitive patients complaining of severe headaches experienced resolution upon a gluten free diet ²⁹⁾.
• Axonal neuropathy patients: 34% have gliadin antibodies ³⁰⁾.
• Idiopathic ataxia: 32% gluten sensitive (only 13% of them reported gastrointestinal symptoms) ³¹⁾.

A 38-year-old man was admitted as to our department an inpatient for worsening anxiety symptoms and behavioral alterations. After worsening of his neuropsychiatric conditions, with the onset of a frontal cognitive deficit, bradykinesia and difficulty walking, dysphagia, anorexia and hypoferraemic anaemia…Extensive laboratory investigations gave positive results for anti-gliadin antibodies, and an appropriate diet led to a progressive remission of the encephalopathy. ³²⁾

Gluten and/or casein free diet has been implemented to reduce autistic behavior, in addition to special education, since early in the eighties. Over the last twelve years various studies on this dietary intervention have been published in addition to anecdotal, parental reports. The scientific studies include both groups of participants as well as single cases, and beneficial results are reported in all, but one study. While some studies are based on urinary peptide abnormalities, others are not. The reported results are, however, more or less identical; reduction of autistic behavior, increased social and communicative skills, and reappearance of autistic traits after the diet has been broken. ³³⁾

Autistics show high urine peptides, and some of these have a dietary origin. Significant decreases are found after 1 year of gluten/casein free. “The literature shows abundant data pointing to the importance of a gut-to-brain connection.” ³⁴⁾.

At least 10% of the population has recurrent aphthous stomatitis (canker sores) ³⁵⁾. 2.8% of canker sores patients have gluten sensitivity ³⁶⁾. 4 of 10 canker sores had raised antibodies to gliadin, and in 3 of 4 ulcer remitted on gluten free and relapsed on gluten challenge ³⁷⁾. 25% of canker sores show a favorable response to gluten withdrawal and a positive gluten challenge ³⁸⁾.

“Essentially all patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and dermal granular IgA deposits have a gluten-sensitive enteropathy as seen in coeliac disease.” ³⁹⁾. DH is strongly associated with celiac disease ⁴⁰⁾. 25% of celiacs have DH ⁴¹⁾. Lesions regress with gluten free, despite no small bowel atrophy ⁴²⁾. Recurrence of lesions occur with gluten challenge ⁴³⁾. DH can be controlled with gluten free ⁴⁴⁾.

Psoriasis patients: 60% improve after gluten free (only 16% had gliadin antibodies) ⁴⁵⁾.

Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins present in most plants, especially seeds like cereals, beans, etc., in tubers like potatoes and also in animals. Lectins selectively bind carbohydrates and importantly, the carbohydrate moieties of the glycoproteins that decorate the surface of most animal cells… When consumed in excess by sensitive individuals, they can cause 3 primary physiological reactions: they can cause severe intestinal damage disrupting digestion and causing nutrient deficiencies… Plant lectins that are not efficiently degraded by digestive enzymes and that have an affinity for the surface of gut epithelial cells, such as those present in the Leguminosae family, can be poisonous… Plant lectin may function as a natural insecticide… in the past few decades it has been realised that many lectins are toxic, inflammatory, or both; resistant to cooking and digestive enzymes and present in much of our food… Wheat gliadin, which causes coeliac disease, contains a lectin like substance that binds to human intestinal mucosa. the main antinutritive factors found in kidney beans were found to be generally the lectins, which were shown to interfere with gut and systemic metabolism and impair growth. At high dietary levels, lectins cause severe damage to the structure of the brush borders of the small intestine. Among the effects observed in the small intestine of lectin fed rodents is stripping away of the mucous coat to expose nakedmucosa and overgrowth of the mucosa by abnormal bacteria and protozoa… the copious mucus secretion normally observed from the cells when wounded, was dramatically reduced after treatment with WGA. ⁴⁶⁾

Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a kidney bean lectin, binds to the small intestinal surface, inhbits gastric acid and pepsin secretion. Rats fed PHA experienced 72% inhibition of acid output ⁴⁷⁾. PHA causes accelerated gut cell turnover, increasing the proportion of immature cells on the gut surface. A reversible and PHA dose-dependent overgrwoth of E. coli accompanied the growths ^{48) 49)}. PHA increases intestinal hyperplasia, causing a villi shortening and decrease in sugar-digesting enzymes ⁵⁰⁾. In rats PHA causes bacterial and protozoal colonization of the rat small intestine (the small intestine should not be populated)⁵¹⁾.

Given orally some lectins can interact with the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, to cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms, failure to thrive, and even death in experimental animals… Speculation exists regarding their dietary role in pathological conditions ranging from dental caries to inflammatory bowel and celiac disease. A definitive relationship exists between the poor nutritive value of raw bean (legume) diet and its lectin content. ⁵²⁾

Type 1 diabetic prone rats (BBDP) have 35-fold higher intestinal zonulin levels. Zonulin increases bowel permeability. Antibody production against pancreatic beta cells (this defines T1D) follows 25 days later. Blockading the zonulin receptor reduced T1D incidence by 70% in these rats. ⁵³⁾

A large subgroup of T1D patients have high serum zonulin that correlate with increased intestinal permeability. “Preliminary evidence” was found in T1D patients, like in the BBDP rats, zonulin upregulation precedes T1D diagnosis. Gliadin increases intestinal permeability by releasing preformed zonulin. Human intestinal cell lines exposed to gliadin released zonulin ^{54) 55)}. Gliadin increases intestinal permeability in celiacs, and to a lesser extent in normal controls ⁵⁶⁾. Gliadin increases intestinal permeability in mice ⁵⁷⁾. Gliadin caused intracellular oxidative imbalance and perturbations of cell plasma membrane ⁵⁸⁾.

• IBS patients (without celiac) in a double bind randomized placebo trial: 68% fed a muffin with gluten report inadequate relief of symptoms, compared to 40% in a group fed muffins without gluten ⁵⁹⁾.
• IBS patients: 60% on a high FODMAP (difficult-to-digest carbohydrates) diet experience moderate to severe pain (6% of those fed a low FODMAP diet report the same). Wheat contains some FODMAPs, the maldigested carbohydrates eventually being fermented upon by gut microbes ⁶⁰⁾.
• 15 healthy normal people: 20% experience diarrhea after 6 weeks of 40 grams/day of gluten, which ceased upon return to normal diet ⁶¹⁾.

Wheat germ agglutin (WGA) “is heat stable and resistant to digestive proteolytic breakdown in both rats and humans and has been recovered intact and biologically active in human feces.” ⁶²⁾. WGA fed rats have increased intestinal permeability ⁶³⁾. WGA antibodies have been found in normals and celiacs ⁶⁴⁾.

Normal rat's small intestine administered WGA:

WGA “affected the enterocytes at the base of the villi more than those at the top. The morphological findings included disarrangement of the cytoskeleton, increased endocytosis and shortening of the microvilli… In conclusion, the morphological findings in our rat model resemble early changes in patients with celiac disease, thus supporting the idea that lectins or lectin-like substances are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. ⁶⁵⁾

We studied effects of intraluminal administration of wheat germ agglutinin in normal rats… lectins caused increased shedding of brush border membrane and, at higher concentrations, reduction in surface area, acceleration of cell loss, and shortening of villi. These changes were prevented by simultaneous administration of the appropriate sugar to inhibit binding, indicating that the effects were related to binding to carbohydrate residues of intestinal cells. ⁶⁶⁾

Puppies fed diets deficient in fat-soluble vitamins, have poor bones and experience rickets. The severity of rickets can be altered by the amount of cereal in the diet. The more cereal eaten, the worse the teeth. Oatmeal and wheat germ tend to produce the worst teeth. The structure and formation of muscles are similarly influenced by the addition and removal of cereals. The toxic effects of cereals may be completely antagonized by fat-soluble vitamin contained in cod-liver oil, milk, eggs. ⁶⁷⁾

…indicate that a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium and devoid of cereals has greater inhibitory and curative effects on dental caries than any previously tested. Thus the new carious points observed to develop during the feeding period were only 0.05 per child. The figure 0.05 is so small that it probably falls within the margin of error of this type of observation, and new caries may be considered, therefore, to have been suppressed. ⁶⁸⁾

Legumes are a particularly rich source of natural toxicants including protease inhibitors, amylase inhibitors, metal chelates, flatus factors, hemagglutinins, saponins, cyanogens, lathyrogens, tannins, allergens, acetylenic furan and isoflavonoid phytoalexins. Most cereals contain appreciable amounts of phytates, enzyme inhibitors, and some cereals like sorghum and millet contain large amounts of polyphenols and tannins. Some of these substances reduce the nutritional value of foods by interfering with mineral bioavailability, and digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates. ⁶⁹⁾

Tannins, occur widely in cereals and legumes. Tannin-protein complexes can cause inactivation of digestive enzymes and reduce protein digestibility by interaction of protein substrate with ionizable iron. The presence of tannins in food can therefore lower feed efficiency, depress growth, decrease iron absorption, damage the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, alter excretion of cations, and increase excretion of proteins and essential amino acids ⁷⁰⁾

Protease and amylase inhibitors are widely occurent in seed tissues including cereal grains. They are believed to cause growth inhibition by interfering with digestion, causing pancreatic hypertrophy and metabolic disturbance of sulfur amino acid utilization. these inhibitors tend to be heat stable ⁷¹⁾

Commercially available wheat bran was given to 6 infants. After a month, the following was observed:

a decrease in blood levels of calcium, phosphate, and trace elements; an increase in fecal excretion of biliary salts and cholesterol; and an appearance of predominantly proteolytic fecal flora over the saccharolitic flora. These findings, especially the first one, indicate that bran preparations should be used in infancy with extreme caution because of possible side effect on the patient's nutritional status and growth. If bran is used, blood levels of minerals should be repeatedly checked in order to prevent the appearance of vitamin D-dependent rickets and the depletion of trace elements. ⁷²⁾

Rats fed high levels of purified alpha-amylase inhibitors from kidney bean, experienced reduced growth rate, reduced utilization of dietary starch and protein, and loss of nitrogen, lipids, and carbohydrate for an overall reduction in body weight. Starch digestion was negligible, the cecum was “practically blocked by solidified digesta”. Ensuing bacterial fermentation stimulated hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Distension was not always sufficient, and the organ “occasionally ruptured”, killing the rats. ⁷³⁾

Antinutritional factors may occur naturally, such as glucosinolates in mustard and rapeseed [canola] protein products, trypsin inhibitors and hemagglutinins in legumes, tannins in legumes and cereals, phytates in cereals and oilseeds, and gossypol in cottonseed protein products… The presence of high levels of dietary trypsin inhibitors from soybeans, kidney beans, or other grain legumes can cause substantial reductions in protein and amino acid digestibilities (up to 50%) in rats and pigs. Similarly, the presence of high levels of tannins in cereals, such as sorghum, and grain legumes, such as fababean (Vicia faba L.), can result in significantly reduced protein and amino acid digestibilities (up to 23%) in rats, poultry, and pigs. Studies involving phytase supplementation of production rations for swine or poultry have provided indirect evidence that normally encountered levels of phytates in cereals and legumes can reduce protein and amino acid digestibilities by up to 10%. D-amino acids and LAL formed during alkaline/heat treatment of proteins such as casein, lactalbumin, soy protein isolate, or wheat proteins are poorly digestible (less than 40%), and their presence can reduce protein digestibility by up to 28% in rats and pigs. ⁷⁴⁾

Of people eating diets containing 0.5 grams protein per kg body weight, of mainly white rice or brown rice for 8 days, the brown rice diet had less digestibility of energy, protein, fat, Na, K, and P. The brown rice diet had a more negative nitrogen balance. ⁷⁵⁾

Results show that despite higher nutrients contents of brown rice compared to white rice, experimental datas does not provide evidence that the brown rice diet is better than the diet based on white rice. Possible antinutricional factors present in brown rice have adverse effects on bioavailability of this cereal nutrients. ⁷⁶⁾

Phytic acid (PA) is 1% to 3% by weight of all plant seeds ⁷⁷⁾. Soybeans are 2% phytic acid by dry weight ⁷⁸⁾.

[1989] Phytates are common in western meals and many meals have a phytate content in the 10-100 mg range. In vegetarian diets and diets in developing countries, levels in the 250 mg range are not uncommon. A wheat roll made from 80 g of 70% extraction flour has a phytate content of 30 mg and a roll made from 80 g of 80% extraction flour has a content of 60 mg. The phytate content of breakfast cereals varies very much and may be in the range of 25-150 mg phytate in a portion. ⁷⁹⁾

This study shows that the mineral bio-availability of Chinese rice varieties will be <4%. Despite the variation in mineral contents, in all cases the PA present is expected to render most mineral present unavailable. ⁸⁰⁾

Phytate in grains make much of the calcium unavailable for absorption as phytate forms insoluble complexes with calcium ⁸¹⁾.

Iron bioavailability in cereals is low due to fiber and phytate content ⁸²⁾. Tannins and lectins in cereals may also inhibit iron absorption ⁸³⁾.

A village consuming 44 mg/day of iron (RDA is 18 mg/day) had a high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia, due to high intakes of phytate-rich wholemeal bread ⁸⁴⁾. Low iron absorption from cereal porridges contributes to the high prevalence of iron deficiency in infants around the world, and phytate degradation improves iron absorption ⁸⁵⁾. Anemia is present in 33% of Tanzania, it is among top 10 reasons for hospital admission. Total iron content of Tanzania diet is high, but iron bioavailability is only 1.7% in the cereal-rich diet ⁸⁶⁾.

In resource-poor communities, it has become clear that malnutrition is attributable not solely to insufficient amounts of food but also to the poor nutritional quality of the available food supply, particularly among plant-based diets containing only small amounts of micronutrient-dense animal-source foods. The low bioavailability of nutrients, arising from the presence of antinutrients such as phytate, polyphenols, and oxalate, is another factor that limits the quality of predominantly plant-based diets. ⁸⁷⁾

Iron absorption from cereals and legumes in various studies:

• 2-3% at 1 g phytic acid/100g ⁸⁸⁾.
• Complete dephytinization increased iron absorption from 1% to 12% ⁸⁹⁾.
• Adding 300 mg phytic acid to a meal reduced absorption from 22% to 2% ⁹⁰⁾.
• “Small amounts of phytate can produce maximal inhibition” ⁹¹⁾.
• 2 mg phytate inhibit aborption by 18%; 25 mg by 64%; 250 mg by 82% ⁹²⁾.
• 1% from cereals ⁹³⁾.
• 5-10 mg phytate inhibiting by 50% ⁹⁴⁾.
• Iron absorption ranges from less than 1% for wheat to 4% for rice and 5-13% for maize ⁹⁵⁾.
• Iron ~1% bioavailability in beans ⁹⁶⁾.

Mineral content of legumes is generally high, but bioavailability is poor due to phytate ⁹⁷⁾. Phytic acid strongly binds calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc ⁹⁸⁾. 1.49 mmol of phytic acid reduced magnesium absorption from 32% to 13% ⁹⁹⁾. Dephytinization improves iron and zinc bioavailability ¹⁰⁰⁾. Phytate reduces digestibility of protein and carbohydrate ¹⁰¹⁾. Adding 1% phytic acid greatly reduced rat growth and zinc, iron, copper, and maganese absorption ¹⁰²⁾.

Traditional lime-processing of corn prevents pellagra (B3 deficiency) ¹⁰³⁾. Bioavailability of B6 from animal products is near 100%, but Pyridoxine glucoside, occuring widely in cereal grains, reduce the bioavailability of vitamin B6 by 75-80% ^{104) 105)}. B6 deficiencies are commin in populations with cereals as staples ¹⁰⁶⁾. Animal foods have high B7 digestion, while cereals have low bioavailable B7, and wheat depresses overall biotin metabolism ¹⁰⁷⁾.

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There are two types of iron, heme and non-heme. Heme is found in animal products, non-heme in plant products. 15-35% of heme iron is absorbed, vs 2-20% of nonheme iron ¹⁰⁹⁾. Reducing the amount of meat in a meal by 50% decreased nonheme iron absorption by 50%, even though the nonheme iron content was reduced only 25% ¹¹⁰⁾.

Sweedes switched to a vegetarian diet, 3 months later had decreased plasma concentrations of zinc, copper and selenium by 13%, 22% and 11%. Dietary selenium intake had increased by 40% ¹¹¹⁾. Dephytinization of baby formula doubled manganese absorption ¹¹²⁾. Bioavailability of zinc, copper and magnesium in cereal is generally low ¹¹³⁾. Zinc in soy based formulas 20% less bioavailable than in milk based formula ¹¹⁴⁾ Phytic acid from soybean at low and normal levels had 89% and 70% zinc absorption, and 100% absorption from egg white-based diet ¹¹⁵⁾. Zinc absorption of 8% in oatmeal, 15% in Kellogg Bran Flakes, and 55% from meat ¹¹⁶⁾. Zinc absorption in food with 4mg/gram or less than 0.03 mg/gram phytic acid was 23% and 35% ¹¹⁷⁾. Zinc absorption from yeast leavened bread was 14%, and from wheat porridge, 7% ¹¹⁸⁾.

Wheat and white beans inactivate starch-digestion enzymes in humans ¹¹⁹⁾.

In puppies, cereals cause bone deformities at low fat-soluble vitamin intake, but not at high fat-soluble vitamin intakes ¹²⁰⁾.

WGA messes with gut digestive enzymes in rats ¹²¹⁾. Birds on a wheat/barley or maize/soybean diet given supplemental digestive enzymes gained 86 g, while those unsupplemented lost 103 g ^{122) 123)}. 5% raw soybean meal protein caused nearly maximal growth retardation in chicks, and supplementing a protein-degrading enzyme fixed this ¹²⁴⁾.

Mean malabsorption of fermented material after 100 g carbohydrate meals, in humans: 20 g for baked beans, 9 g for wheat, oats, potatoes, and corn, 1 g for rice. Whole oats and wheat had 2-5 times more hydrogen production than refined flours. ¹²⁵⁾. Wheat produces highest peak hydrogen compared to corn, oats, potatoes, beans, rice ¹²⁶⁾. Hydrogen indicates starch was not absorbed in the small intestine, moved to the large intestine, and was fermented upon by bacteria, which produced the hydrogen.

Soybean fed rats had significantly heavier pancreases and lighter livers ¹²⁷⁾. Kidney bean lectin induced gallbladder contraction in a dose-dependent fashion; the highest dose reduced volume to 65% basal volume ¹²⁸⁾. Some lectins deposit themselves in organs distant from the gut ¹²⁹⁾. Calves receiving 30% of their protein from cooked soybean flour experienced diarrhea, lost 75 g body weight daily, and several pancreatic ducts became obstructed ¹³⁰⁾. 10% of rats fed raw soya flour for a year develop pancreatic cancer, and all rats become more susceptible to pancreatic cancer-causing agents generally ¹³¹⁾. Of rats fed iodine deficient diets, gluten-protein fed rats had thyroid stimulating hormone levels of 5 ng/ml vs soybean-protein fed's 126 ng/ml ¹³²⁾.

WGA interferes with growth factors ¹³³⁾.

Of 600 heart transplant patients, 1.9% had antibodies indicating celiac disease, compared to 0.35% healthy controls ¹³⁴⁾.

WGA found deposited in the walls of blood and lymphatic vessels, in rats ¹³⁵⁾.

Soy protein “significantly decreased” dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and DHT/testosterone in healthy young men¹³⁶⁾. In healthy adults fed 30 g soybeans a day for 3 months, thyroid stimulating hormone rose significantly, and 50% of subjects experienced goiter (swelling of the thyroid) or symptoms such as malaise, constipation, sleepiness ¹³⁷⁾. 60 g daily soy protein for 1 month significantly delayed menstruation, caused a significant 47% increase in estradiol (growth hormone for reproductive organs) during one stage of the menstrual cycle, a significant 67% decrease in luteinizing hormone (triggers ovulation and testosterone production) during midcycle, and a significant 47% decrease in follicle stimulating hormone during midcycle ¹³⁸⁾.

In pigs, a paleolithic diet confers higher insulin sensitivity, lower C-reactive protein and lower blood pressure than a cereal-based diet ¹³⁹⁾.

WGA binds to human immune system cells, and reactive oxygen spieces (normally reserved for destroying bacteria and fungi) are inspired ¹⁴⁰⁾.

Inhalation of cereal flours cause 'baker's asthma', and allergy with high prevalence in the baking industry. Alpha-amylase inhibitor proteins are responsible ¹⁴¹⁾.

Lectins can provoke antibodies causing food allergies and other immune responses ¹⁴²⁾. Under certain circumstances lectins may be highly allergenic ¹⁴³⁾.

Coughing children with increased wheat antibodies, 2 years later, were 2.2 times more likely to have developed antibodies to mite, dog, or cat ¹⁴⁴⁾.

Wheat inspires auto-antibody generation http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=882

Wheat enables allergies http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=911

Lectins stimulate antigens to cells that do not normally display them, such as pancreatic islet and thyroid cells ¹⁴⁵⁾.

“Lectins which are transported across the gut wall into the systemic circulation can modulate the body's hormone balance, metabolism and health, and are capable of eliciting specific and high antibody responses” ¹⁴⁶⁾. More here on lectins messing with immune system ¹⁴⁷⁾.

Feeding wheat gluten to rats genetically predisposed to type 1 diabetes, increases expression of the disease ¹⁴⁸⁾. 'These data support a link between dietary wheat and barley proteins and the development of autoimmune diabetes.' ¹⁴⁹⁾. 'This study raises the possibility that in some individuals, type 1 diabetes may be induced by wheat proteins.' ¹⁵⁰⁾.

In these rats, a casein and wheat free diet had the lowest rate of diabetes development at 37%. A diet of 5% wheat had 71% diabetes prevalence, and 5% corn had 57% prevalence ^{151) 152)}. “In conclusion, diet [soy beans, flour] can…modify the incidence of diabetes and age of onset” ¹⁵³⁾. 11 of 19 type 1 diabetics produce and deposit anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies in the small intestine, which is a marker for celiac disease ¹⁵⁴⁾. Early introduction of gluten to children at high risk for T1D produces T1D associated islet autoantibodies ¹⁵⁵⁾.

Arthritic patients have elevated antibody levels for gliadin ¹⁵⁶⁾. Gluten free diet reduced arthritic symptoms in celiac patients ¹⁵⁷⁾. In rheumatoid arthritis, a two week diet free from beans, cereals, milk, and non-vegetarian protein foods, 71% showed “significant clinical improvement” ¹⁵⁸⁾. “We have provided extensive evidence linking dietary substances [lectins] to the development of rheumatoid arthritis.” ¹⁵⁹⁾. Of 151 children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, 6.7% found to have celiac compared to 0.6% of controls ¹⁶⁰⁾. Of arthritic peoples adopting a vegan but gluten-free diet, 41% had a 20% improvement, compared to 4% of the non-vegan group. Gliadin and beta-lactoglobulin antibodies decreased in the responder groups, but not in others ¹⁶¹⁾. More on arthritis here ¹⁶²⁾

Nuclear accumulation of Vitamin D receptor is entirely blocked by pretreatment with wheat germ agglutin ¹⁶³⁾. Cereal grains induce vitamin D deficiencies in animals ¹⁶⁴⁾. A healthy group given a diet with 20g wheat bran, had a plasma vitamin D half-life of 19 days, significantly shorter than the normal diet's 27.5 days. Wheat bran caused them to go through their Vitamin D 30% quicker ¹⁶⁵⁾. 35% of untreated celiacs are vitamin D deficient ¹⁶⁶⁾.

Wheat is addictive. The best evidence would come from your own observations of the world probably (e.x., favorite foods: pizza, pasta, bagel, cereal, doughnut, brownie, buns, cake, beer? etc; all wheat based)

Gluten exorphin B5 is an opioid peptide from digests of wheat gluten. It stimulates prolactin secretion in rats, and this effect is abolished by preadministration of a opioid receptor antagonist. Brain neurotransmitters are modified without a crossing of the blood-brain barrier ¹⁶⁷⁾. A japnese study found four opioid peptides from enzymatic digests of wheat gluten ¹⁶⁸⁾. opioid peptides from wheat, administered to rat brain tissue, sometimes evoked a respone equivalent to 1 nM morphine ¹⁶⁹⁾. Some peptide fragments of gluten do reach the brain. Exorphines may normally reach opiate receptor

Peptides with opioid activity are found in pepsin hydrolysates of wheat gluten and alpha-casein… Thus, some peptide fragments of gluten do indeed reach the brain…Finally, we have presented evidence that the exorphins will bind to brain opiate receptors as well as to those of peripheral organs. In summary, exorphins may normally reach opiate receptors in the central nervous system and trigger their function…Wheat gluten has been implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia. Our experiments provide a plausible biochemical mechanism for such a role, in the demonstration of the conversion of gluten into peptides with potential central nervous system actions. ¹⁷⁰⁾

Urine peptides are increased in autism, and some of these peptides have a dietary origin. ¹⁷¹⁾

2,000 British men who had experienced a heart attack split into 3 control groups, one being a 'double your grain fiber intake' group ¹⁷²⁾. “Those randomised to fibre advice were encouraged to eat at least six slices of wholemeal bread per day, or an equivalent amount of cereal fibre from a mixture of wholemeal bread, high-fibre breakfast cereals and wheat bran. Cereal fibre intake in the fibre advice group was 17 g per day and 9 g per day in those not given fibre advice.”¹⁷³⁾. See pics.

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5 healthy people adding 20g wheat bran to their diet induced a postprandial glucose response reduction and a relative hyperinsulinemia during the initial 24 days, and a significant hyperinsulinemia after 45 days ¹⁷⁶⁾. In vitro, WGA mimics the metabolic effects of insulin, even enhancing the specific binding of insulin to receptors of fat cells ¹⁷⁷⁾. WGA is as effective as insulin in enhancing the rate of glucose transport and in inhibiting fat-burning ¹⁷⁸⁾. Oral administration of gluten exorphins increased insulin levels, and the effect was reversed by opioid-receptor blockers ¹⁷⁹⁾. Compared to a 'mediterranean' (cereal containing) diet, a paleolithic diet improved glucose tolerance more ¹⁸⁰⁾.

Mice eating wheat gluten gained 25% more body weight and 33% more abdominal fat ¹⁸¹⁾. Mice fed wheat rather than rye supplements, had higher body weight, adiposity, leptin, cholesterol, and triglycerides ¹⁸²⁾

In a randomized trial of ad libitum consumption of a Paleolithic diet vs calorie controlled Mediterranean diet ¹⁸³⁾ lower intake of cereals was correlated with greater decreases in leptin, and this correlation remained significant when changes in weight, but not waist, were controlled for, indicating that cereals may be linked with leptin through effects on visceral fat ¹⁸⁴⁾:

12 week controlled dietary intervention trial of sweedish males with ischemic heart disease with large waists and increased blood glucose, or known diabetes type 2. The paleo group were advised to increase their intake of lean meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and to avoid all kinds of dairy products, cereals, beans, sugar, bakery products, soft drinks and beer. Intake of food was not restricted. Mediterranean dieters given standard coronary care unit dietary advice (including calorie restriction) (see pics):

Average kcal intake was 1,386 vs 1,816 for paleo ad lib vs mediterranean calorie-controlled. Leptin decreased significantly by 31% in the paleo group, only 18% in the mediterranean group. Strongest correlation for relative changes in leptin was with intake of cereals excluding rice.

Chinese diets were assessed and categorized into 4 groups ¹⁸⁵⁾:

• Meat, alcohol
• Rice, vegetables/traditional
• Sweet stuff, cake, dairy, various drinks.
• Vegetable rich with wheat, veggie, fruit, tofu.

Only the vegetable-rich pattern was independently associated with obesity. The highest quartile of the vegetable-rich pattern were twice as likely to be obese as those in the lowest quartile of the vegetable-rich pattern. The lowest ate 7.3 times more rice than wheat, whereas the highest ate 1.2 times more wheat than rice. The highest also has more leisure-time exercise.

In a 5 year followup to the above study¹⁸⁶⁾:

After adjustment for age, sex and baseline weight, the ‘traditional’ dietary pattern was inversely associated with weight gain, while the ‘vegetable-rich’ pattern was positively associated with weight gain… No significant associations of the ‘macho’ and ‘sweet tooth’ patterns with weight gain were found… A large difference in the intake of rice and wheat flour was found across quartiles of the ‘traditional’ dietary pattern. It represented two different sub-patterns with two different staple foods in inverse proportions, i.e. rice and wheat…

The 'traditional' i.e. primarily rice group consumed 10,207 kJ/day while the 'vegetable-rich' i.e. primarily wheat consumed 10,157 kJ/day. Wheat eaters consumed less calories per day than rice eaters but gained much more weight.

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