Consuming Gluten May Raise The Risk Of Developing Type 1 Diabetes

The type of microorganisms you have growing in your digestive tract help to determine whether or not you’ll develop type 1 diabetes.

Research has shown that consuming gluten alters the microbes in a potentially harmful way. Researchers were able to show that mice fed a gluten free diet were significantly less likely to develop type 1 diabetes. When gluten was added back into their diet, their risk of developing the disease rose again.

According to Govindarajan Rajagopalan, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic immunologist and study author, “These changes suggest that the presence of gluten is directly responsible for the diabetes-creating effects of diet and determines the gut microflora”.

Although this is only animal research, most research begins on animals and the effects on humans are usually very similar. The researchers plan to conduct similar studies in humans.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and its incidence is dramatically rising. Gluten has a number of detrimental effects on the digestive system and immune system and has been implicated in all autoimmune diseases.

For detailed information about my recommendations for autoimmune disease, see the book Healing Autoimmune Disease: A Plan to Help your Immune System and Reduce Inflammation.

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