Gluten Addiction Is Real and It’s Not Good

Gluten Addiction: What is it? Is there a way out?

Summary

In this transcript, Dr. Vikki discusses the phenomenon of gluten addiction and its negative effects on the body. She explains that gluten is difficult to digest fully, and for some people, it breaks down into peptides that can travel to the brain and produce opioid-like substances. This can lead to cravings, addiction, and various symptoms such as irritability, depression, and hyperactivity. Dr. Vikki emphasizes that it is important to have a zero-tolerance policy with gluten, as even small amounts can have a detrimental effect. She suggests supporting the immune system, brain function, hormone function, and reducing inflammation to help overcome a gluten addiction. 

Transcript of the video

by Dr. Vikki

I’ve heard from several people recently who are stuck in the dilemma of knowing gluten is not good for them, yet, when they try to stay away from it, they feel terrible. They’re just literally addicted, so they feel like they have to go back to it.

Or they’re so irritable, they can’t concentrate, they’re overeating, depression, hyperactivity. It’s a fairly long list.

I want to let you know this is a real phenomenon. This is not like, “Oh, just tough it out. You’ll be fine“. It’s not that.

What happens is that gluten is a big protein and it’s very hard to digest fully. As a matter of fact, nobody digests it fully, except that for some people it doesn’t have ill effects.

For other people, what happens is that the protein breaks down. That long, long, long, long string of amino acids breaks down to maybe three to four amino acids. That’s called a peptide and that peptide can travel to your brain and cause you to produce opioid-like substances.

Gluten addiction is a real thing

We’ve all heard of the opioid crisis. This opiate effect is very deleterious and the craving and the addiction to it and the reliance on it is very, very strong. Now, I’m not saying eating gluten is the same as taking an opiate, but it’s quite similar. So we know about this opioid effect. They’re called “gluteomorphins“. It was discovered over 40 years ago.

So this is not new data, but we just don’t appreciate what to do about it… and people suffer.

Again, I hear from people saying, “I know it’s not good for me. I can’t get away from it. Can I eat just a little bit?” Unfortunately, whether you’re celiac or you have gluten sensitivity, it really has to be a zero-tolerance policy with gluten because it’s not quantitative.

It’s qualitative, meaning any gluten that comes in is going to have a deleterious effect. It’s not “how much you have”, it’s “do you have any?”

I do want to let you know:

A. What you’re experiencing is not weak of will. This really is a real phenomenon, and

B. There’s a way around it.

We need to support your immune system. We need to support brain function, hormone function, any inflammation in your body so you can weather that transition. Then it goes pretty quickly and I can tell you, as somebody who is a card-carrying member, someone who gets that opioid effect (of course I haven’t eaten gluten in decades and decades)… I had that craving of you’re looking around for your next gluten fix and it becomes very much top-of-mind. You have to get your fix just like any drug addict and once you really get it out of your system and then support your system, it can be hormonally again, gut health, immune health, there are natural solutions that can be done so you don’t have this terrible craving for something that is absolutely deleterious to your health.

About Root Cause Medical Clinic

The medical team of Root Cause Medical Clinic approaches the restoration of your health from gluten addiction and gluten sensitivities from the standpoint of finding out what is at the very basis of your ailments. The symptoms are not the root cause. Treating the symptoms does not remedy the root cause. Root cause medicine considers your body has a whole system, with organs contributing to each other’s functions. Finding the root cause through thorough examination and extensive lab testing is at the core of our medical approach. Once the root cause is found, our specialists treat it in a concerted manner: internal medicine, nutrition, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. There is often some lifestyle changes required to remove the stressors preventing your body to heal itself, especially in the context of gluten addiction. If you are willing to make these few lifestyle changes, your body will regain its ability to repair itself and your health will improve.

If you suffer from a gluten addiction and truly wish to improve your health, call our front desk at 727-335-0400 to schedule a consultation.

Additional resources

• Our Gluten Sensitivity Treatment
• The opioid effects of gluten exorphins: Medical research study