How your favourite snacks could be damaging your brain – experts reveal the British staples you need to be cautious of | The Sun

WE all love to indulge in carbs.

But new research suggests gluten – found in a whole range of carbohydrates – could be causing brain damage in some people.

Scientists from the University Otago, in New Zealand, found that gluten might not only lead to weight gain, but also affect memory in mice.

Gluten is a protein that comes from wheat, barley and rye that can be found in lots of foods and drinks such as bread, cakes and beer. 

Rodents who consumed diets which included 4.5 per cent gluten – which is the equivalent of a human’s average daily gluten consumption – experienced inflammation in the hypothalamic region of the brain.

This type of inflammation can lead to brain damage, weight gain, and impaired blood glucose regulation, the experts said.

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In turn, these conditions may increase the risk of impaired memory function.

The researchers don’t know why this inflammation is occurring, but it does seem to be linked to an extreme immune system response like what’s seen in coeliac disease.

This means there’s no reason to ban the bread if you have no issues with digesting gluten.

Lead researcher, Prof Alex Tups, said: “We are not saying that gluten is bad for everyone.

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“For gluten-tolerant people to go entirely gluten free may have health implications that may outweigh potential benefits.

"Often people don’t consume wholefoods, and highly processed gluten-free products are often low in fibre and high in sugar.”

The study, published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology, involved analysing the health of mice after adjusting their diets.

Over 14 and a half weeks, the mice were fed one of four diets: low-fat diet, low-fat diet with gluten, high-fat diet, high-fat diet with gluten.

They found all mice fed diets high in gluten had increased C-reactive protein levels – a marker of inflammation.

This is the first study to suggest gluten may also have an impact on the brains of people with coeliac disease.

Although the tests have not yet been conducted on humans, Prof Alex said mice have a very similar circulatory, reproductive, digestive, hormonal and nervous system.

"So, it is quite possible that the same inflammation we found in mice could happen in humans," he explained.

People who cannot eat gluten are either gluten intolerant or have coeliac disease – both are caused by gluten but are separate conditions with different causes.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects one in 100 people in the UK.

It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues when gluten is eaten, causing damage to the lining of the small intestine.

This results in the body being unable to properly absorb nutrients from food and causes stomach pain.  

There is no cure besides avoiding gluten and potential contaminants altogether.

Having a gluten intolerance – which affects up to six per cent of Brits – means your body can't properly digest gluten.

This causes symptoms such as bloating, stomach pain, or an itchy skin rash, usually within a few hours of eating.

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Common gluten-containing foods include:

• Beer
• Biscuits
• Bread
• Cakes
• Cereals
• Gravy
• Pasta
• Sauces and dressings
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Pastries
• Noodles
• Tortillas

What is coeliac disease and what are the main symptoms?

COELIAC disease is an autoimmune condition that affects one in 100 people in the UK.

When someone who has it eats gluten, their immune system attacks their own tissues, which damages their gut.

The symptoms vary from person to person and can range from very mild to severe.

But the most common signs include:

• severe or occasional diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation
• persistent or unexplained nausea and vomiting
• recurrent stomach pain, cramping or bloating
• any combination of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency
• anaemia
• tiredness
• sudden or unexpected weight loss
• mouth ulcers
• skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
• tooth enamel problems
• liver abnormalities
• unexplained subfertility
• repeated miscarriages
• neurological (nerve) problems such as ataxia (loss of coordination, poor balance) and peripheral neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the hands and feet)

There is no cure. The only way to manage coeliac disease is with a strict gluten free diet.

This means eating no wheat, rye, barley and oats.

Potential long-term complications include osteoporosis, iron deficiency anaemia, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia, bowel cancer and fertility issues.

Source: Coeliac UK and NHS

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