While you may take great care with the outside of your skin each day, the foods you’re eating may be doing greater damage
The
number of people with gluten sensitivity is close to 20 million in the
U.S. alone, affecting your blood glucose, insulin resistance and
triggering skin damage
Other grain products can act like wheat, increasing gut permeability and overall inflammation in your body
By Dr. Mercola
You may prudently care for your skin each day, cleansing,
exfoliating, moisturizing and hydrating. But, did you know that the
sandwich you had at lunch may be doing more damage to your skin than
skipping one of your nightly rituals?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, responsible for
temperature control, protection and excreting toxins to name just a few.
Far from being an inactive covering for your internal organs, your skin
is an intricate system of nerves, glands and cell layers that plays a
fundamental role in your overall health and wellness.
If you want to protect your skin, age gracefully and reduce problem
breakouts, it is time to care for your skin in the same way you care for
your heart, control your weight and lift your mood. In other words, pay
attention to the foods you eat every day.
Wheat is one of the grains in many of the processed foods at your
grocery store that interferes with a healthy complexion and contributes
to psoriasis and eczema outbreaks. Proteins in wheat are responsible for
inflammation and changes to your gastrointestinal tract, nervous system
and cardiovascular system.
Number of People with Gluten Sensitivity Rising
The extreme form of gluten sensitivity, celiac disease,
affects people differently. Over 200 symptoms have been attributed to
the condition. Approximately 3 million people in the U.S. suffer from
celiac disease1 and close to 20 million suffer from gluten sensitivity.2
Dr. Alessio Fasano is the director for Celiac Research and the chief of
pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Massachusetts General
Hospital. In a Celiac Disease Foundation blog, Fasano said: 3
"We also know that prevalence is rising and we're in the midst of
an epidemic. Based on our study it seems that prevalence has doubled
every 15 years in North America.
Why? I think it goes back to the microbiome. There are
antibiotics, our diet has changed, we travel more. There have been so
many changes in the past 50 years … We don't digest gluten completely,
which is unlike any other protein. The immune system seems to see the
gluten as a component of bacteria and deploys weapons to attack it, and
creates some collateral damage we call inflammation."
In the press release announcing the publication of his new book, "Gluten Freedom," Fasano said: 4
"We've shown now that gluten sensitivity actually exists. It's
moved from a nebulous condition that many physicians dismissed to a
distinctly identifiable condition that's quite different than celiac
disease. Gluten sensitivity affects six to seven times more people than
celiac disease."
5 Skin Conditions Triggered by Grains
There are several different skin conditions associated with the changes
that happen in your body when you eat wheat and other gluten-containing
foods. Whether you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, you are
at higher risk for suffering these skin conditions when you eat gluten:
• Acne: This skin condition affects nearly 80 percent of all people between ages 11 and 30 in Western cultures.5
In contrast, the condition is virtually nonexistent in primitive
societies. Hunter-gatherer communities in Paraguay were observed for
three years, during which no acne on individuals were found.6
The type of symptoms from gluten sensitivity are different from
celiac disease, but both include an increase in adult onset acne.7 Researchers have found a link between what you eat, how it affects your brain and your skin.8 • Atopic Dermatitis: Researchers
have found that atopic dermatitis is three times more likely in people
with celiac disease and two times more likely in families who have
members with celiac disease.9 • Psoriasis and Eczema: Psoriasis is uncomfortable and sometimes disfiguring, while eczema is a term applied to a wide range of different rashes that are itchy, red and dry.
One-third of the U.S. population will experience eczema at some point in
their lives. Prevalence at least doubled between 1995 and 2008. Eczema
is driven in part by an allergic response and often linked to other
allergic reactions, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and acid reflux.10
Psoriasis often affects large areas of skin and is an immune reaction
linked to grain proteins, namely gliadin. In a study published in the
British Journal of Dermatology, participants who tested positive for
antibodies to gliadin improved when they were placed on a gluten-free
diet.11
The National Psoriasis Foundation also recommends those with celiac
disease or a gluten sensitivity adhere to a gluten-free diet to reduce
or eliminate their symptoms.12 • Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS): Although they appear similar on the surface, these mouth ulcers or canker sores
are not related to cold sores caused by the herpes virus. They can be a
minor annoyance or become so painful they inhibit eating and speaking.
In a paper published in BMC Gastroenterology,13
the authors propose that RAS may be the only visual symptom of gluten
sensitivity and recommend patients presenting with RAS are evaluated
also for celiac disease. • Vitiligo: In this skin
condition, the pigment is lost, causing white patches to appear.
Although not dangerous, it can have a profound effect on an individual's
life. A case report of a 22-year-old young woman with vitiligo was
published in Case Reports in Dermatology.14
After previously undergoing medical therapy without success, she was
placed on a gluten-free diet. Partial, but rapid repigmentation occurred
in the first month and stabilized after four months of remaining
gluten-free. The authors suggest that diet modifications, including a
gluten-free diet, should be considered for treatment of vitiligo.
Wheat Proteins Cause Problems
You may have learned that whole grain foods are a healthy addition to
your dietary plan. However, according to a growing number of experts,
including Loren Cordain, Ph.D., professor at Colorado State University
and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles featured in the video above, humans are not designed to digest grains. He explains:15
"There's no human requirement for grains. That's the problem with
the USDA recommendations. They think we're hardwired as a species to
eat grains. You can get by just fine and meet every single nutrient
requirement that humans have without eating grains. And grains are
absolutely poor sources of vitamins and minerals compared to fruits and
vegetables and meat and fish."
Two of the substances found in wheat responsible for many of the associated cellular problems you face are:
• Gliadin: Gliadin
is the primary immunotoxic protein found in wheat gluten and is among
the most damaging to your health. Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy
texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal
protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight
junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).
If you suffer from celiac disease, your body will make antibodies to
gliadin, resulting in damage to the delicate, absorptive surfaces of
your intestines. Many people who have gluten sensitivities also
experience adverse effects of the gliadin protein. This may explain why
new research is clearly demonstrating an increase in intestinal
permeability after exposure to gliadin in those with and without celiac
disease. • Lectins: Lectins are a
key mechanism plants use to protect themselves and perpetuate the plant
species. They are found in highest concentration in their seed form.
When animals eat foods with lectin they may experience digestive
irritation; the degree of which depends upon through how many
generations the animal has been eating the particular plant food.
Humans have been consuming unsprouted grains for approximately 500
generations, and we suffer more than some rodents and birds that have
adapted over thousands of generations. Bread wheat has played a
prominent role in lectin-induced adverse effects since it is a
relatively new form and contains a wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), not
eliminated through sprouting and found in higher concentrations in whole
wheat.
Other Grains Act Like Wheat
If you suffer from celiac disease or have a gluten sensitivity you
may want to avoid all types of gluten to reduce your potential for skin
problems. There are other non-wheat grains, and even some vegetables,
that have similar properties to wheat. The following foods contain
chitin binding lectins that are similar in nature to wheat lectin (WGA)
described above. Chitin binding lectins and wheat lectins are
functionally identical and may cause similar responses in your body.
Gluten increases the permeability of your intestinal tract, also
called leaky gut. Gaps develop between the cells that make up the lining
of your intestines, allowing undigested food, bacteria and metabolic
waste products to leak into your blood stream. Hence, the name leaky gut syndrome. These foreign substances challenge your immune system and increase inflammation in your body.16
Research published in Gut Pathogens has theorized that an
inflammatory response that starts in your gut will spread through the
rest of your body and affect your skin.17 Researchers called it the gut-brain-skin connection.18
Glutinous proteins, called prolamines, increase the permeability of
your intestinal tract, sensitizing your immune system and contributing
to worsening acne. Leaky gut syndrome may be associated with
inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, but
even those without illness can have varying degrees of intestinal
permeability.
Blood Sugar and Insulin Spikes Affect Your Skin
Wheat affects both your blood sugar levels and your release of
insulin. Wheat is a carbohydrate and once metabolized increases your
blood glucose levels and triggers the release of insulin and
insulin-like growth factor, called IGF-1. This growth factor may
increase the secretion of male hormones, such as testosterone.
The release of male hormones is not enough to trigger growth of
secondary sex characteristics, such as hair or muscle growth, but may be
enough to increase the secretion of sebum. This is a greasy substance
on your skin that traps acne-promoting bacteria. IGF-1 may also cause
skin cells known as keratinocytes to multiply, a process associated with
acne.
Individuals who have an increase in intestinal permeability may also
experience a release of insulin when the immune system is activated by
the bacteria and protein invaders. This results in both an increase of
IGF-1 and an increase in your risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.19
However, it isn't only wheat that spikes your blood sugar and insulin release. I strongly recommend you consider focusing on eating a diet high in whole foods, with little to no processed foods.
A study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
young men who suffered from acne exhibited significant improvements in
both acne and insulin sensitivity after eating a low-glycemic diet for
12 weeks.20 Another study demonstrated that a high glycemic diet and frequent dairy consumption are also linked to acne.21
The Paleolithic Option
Controlling acne requires a whole-body approach. You can read more suggestions in my previous article, "Foods to Avoid If You Have Acne."
Removing wheat and gluten from your diet is highly recommended to
reduce inflammation and your potential for further skin damage.
Thousands of years ago, during the Paleolithic period, people were
hunter-gatherers and ate primarily the meat they could hunt and plants
from their environment. Missing from this ancestral diet was refined
sugars, high fructose corn syrup or refined wheat products — ingredients we now know are strongly associated with insulin resistance and poor health.
It was only after the introduction of these processed foods that
people began to experience the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome. Returning
to a diet made almost exclusively of whole foods including organic,
pastured meats and dairy products with non-genetically engineered
(non-GE) plants may help you become heathier and enjoy clearer skin. As
Cordain states:22
"The nutritional qualities of modern processed foods and foods
introduced during the Neolithic period are discordant with our ancient
and conservative genome. This genetic discordance ultimately manifests
itself as various chronic illnesses, which have been dubbed 'diseases of
civilization.'
By severely reducing or eliminating these foods and replacing
them with a more healthful cuisine, possessing nutrient qualities more
in line with the foods our ancestors consumed, it is possible to improve
health and reduce the risk of chronic disease."
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