Gluten, a vegetable protein commonly found in most cereal crops, is typically associated with bread made from wheat, one of the richest sources of gluten. For centuries, wheat bread has been considered both delicious and nutritious. Modern scientific studies have shown that gluten, also known as "glutenin," has numerous valuable properties for the human body. It is known to strengthen the immune system, restore stomach functions, normalize bowel movements, and promote bone tissue strength. Additionally, gluten is effective in rehabilitating the body after injuries and providing multivitamins and minerals. It even has the potential to aid in tissue regeneration, although some experts caution that it can contribute to the build-up of muscle and fat tissue.
Yet, a few decades ago, American scientists, possibly prompted by diet product manufacturers, began forcefully promoting the idea that gluten is harmful to human health. They claimed that gluten consumption could lead to serious diseases, even cancer. Celiac disease, a genetically determined intolerance to gluten, was cited as the primary culprit, causing inflammation of the small intestine's mucosa, which leads to disorders of digested food absorption. Although celiac disease has been known since ancient times as a childhood sickness, the incidence of the disease has not increased as rapidly as gluten-free products' sales, which jumped 136% in the US alone between 2013 and 2015, reaching an estimated $1.5 billion-plus.
According to US doctors, the incidence of celiac disease is growing at a much slower pace than the gluten-free product market. The World Organization of Gastroenterologists reports that only 1% of the world's population suffers from celiac disease. In comparison, 20% of Russians and nine out of ten Chinese adults cannot digest milk.
A thirty-year study by the American Heart Association, released in March 2017, revealed that people who consumed gluten-free foods were 13% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Similarly, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health, who studied the diets of one hundred thousand Americans for 25 years, found that those who consumed gluten-rich foods had the lowest incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, among those who followed a gluten-free diet, 6,000 cases of coronary heart disease were reported.
Alexei Paramonov, MD, PhD, Doctor of the "Diplomat Clinic," strongly disagrees with the perception that gluten is a health villain. He emphasizes that, along with bread, gluten is a vital source of vitamin B complex, magnesium, phosphorus, and folic acid, all of which are highly beneficial, especially for men. Magnesium and vitamin B6 aid energy metabolism, normalize the nervous system, prevent negative processes in the liver, and increase testosterone levels, making them particularly important for men. Folic acid, or vitamin B9, is even more critical for men, as it helps the body produce more sperm cells, improving the quality of male germ cells and decreasing the number of sperm cells with abnormal genetic mutations. As a result, the risk of male infertility and the birth of children with abnormalities decreases. It is no coincidence that when planning a pregnancy, doctors prescribe folic acid to both women and men.
Norell Reilly, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Columbia University in New York, has written an entire paper on the uselessness and potential harm of gluten-free diets for healthy people. Reilly and her colleagues argue that such diets usually contain foods that are high in fat and sugar, with little or no fiber. Due to the manufacturing process, these foods may contain mercury and arsenic. Sugar and fat can lead to obesity in healthy bodies, and the absence of gluten results in a deficiency of B vitamins, folic acid, and iron.
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