Gluten Can Shrink Your Brain

The long list of possible harm that gluten can cause just keeps getting longer. Two studies, one in the United Kingdom and the other in Turkey,both show that gluten, proteins found in wheat, rye and barley, can shrink your brain.

In one of the studies, when researchers examined more than 30 people with celiac, an autoimmune disease linked to gluten consumption, they found that the section of their brains that organizes the activity of their muscles had shrunk.

According to Vikki Petersen, co-founder of the HealthNow Medical Center, for anyone suffering from “headaches, imbalance problems, sensory problems or any sort of nervous system imbalance, including seizures and depression, a thorough work-up for gluten sensitivity is an excellent idea.”

She adds: “Early brain degeneration is a scary prospect. Anything that can be done to avoid perception and acuity loss is well worth it, especially when the solution is as simple as changing your diet (by avoiding gluten).”