Wheat,
the staple diet of over half the world’s population, could paradoxically be the
cause of several of our vexing health problems. A recent study in the journal
‘Nutrients’ points out that proteins in this cereal could be triggering a wide
a range of disorders from autistic behaviour in children to liver cirrhosis in
adults.
Wheat
does not seem to go down well in 5% of its consumers. In its most well
recognized form called Celiac Disease, one of its proteins called gluten evokes
an immune reaction from the small intestines, typically causing diarrhoea,
malabsorption and growth failure in children. Funnily, despite having literally
grown up on chappatis all through childhood, Celiac Disease often appears
suddenly in adulthood with loose motions, weight loss, weakness, anaemia and
fatigue.
Celiac
Disease can also masquerade and present in atypical forms such as delayed
puberty, weak bones, deficient dental enamel, neuritis, diabetes, itchy skin
rash or an abnormal body movement called ataxia. A simple blood test called IgA
TTG often leads to the correct diagnosis.
Wheat
Allergy (WA) is another form. Many people who complain of gas, bloating,
abdominal cramps, urticarial and itching often overlook the all-too-familiar wheat
as being the culprit. In fact, food allergy testing, which has come into vogue
these days, throws up wheat as one of the commonest allergens. The IgA TTG is negative in this condition.
A
third form of wheat sensitivity that has recently arrived on stage is called
Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS, and seems in fact to be the commonest
form. The symptoms are usually those of flatulence, abnormal bowel movement and
gas and characteristically respond when one goes on a gluten free diet (GFD).
In fact 30 % of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, who have often been
told that “it is all in the mind”, seem to get an impressive relief of symptoms
by shunning wheat.
The
effect of wheaton the mind is emerging as a hot topic for research. Few recent
studies have linked NCGS with autistic behaviour in children. Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD) are one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities in
which children below 3 years of age demonstrate a range of stereotyped
repetitive behaviour, hyperactivity, aggression, anxiety and depression, and
often show impaired language and social skills.
What
has come up as a surprise is that many of these children improve remarkably as
soon as they are taken off wheat! While scientists are still grappling to
elucidate the reason, it appears that wheat proteins make the intestines
‘leaky’, allowing large quantities of natural peptides to enter the circulation
and then find their way to the brain. In an extended observation on the effect
of wheat and our brain, some patients of schizophrenia got better when the
cereal was eliminated from their diets.
These
fascinating studies are pushing us to re-explore the pivotal role that our
diets may be playing in not just shaping our bodies but in nurturing
our brains and emotions as well.
As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times) dated 26th January, 2014.
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