Gluten and Cancer – Should I Avoid Gluten?

In every supermarket aisle, many foods, from cereals to peanut butter, pasta, soups, and other products, have gluten-free labels. Many stores even have gluten-free sections. However, do not assume that gluten-free foods are always better for you.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

It helps dough rise, prevents bread from crumbling, provides chewiness, and enhances flavor. It is often added to other foods, such as cakes, cereals, and pasta, to improve consistency.

Should I Avoid Eating Gluten?

Most people can consume gluten. Unless you have a genuine medical reason to avoid it, you can choose from a wide range of foods to eat a balanced diet .

However, some people, such as those with confirmed celiac disease , should avoid gluten. For these people, gluten can damage their intestines. According to research, celiac disease affects %1 or less of the population.

People with gluten allergy / sensitivity / intolerance or the skin condition dermatitis herpetiformis may also benefit from avoiding gluten. A gluten-free diet may also help some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the neurological disorder gluten ataxia, type 1 diabetes, and HIV -associated enteropathy.

THE NOCEBO EFFECT – Is Gluten Allergy Exaggerated?

Placebo is an effect everyone has heard of. The placebo effect is when a person given a tablet that looks like medication but contains no active ingredient experiences positive effects regarding the condition being tested. The nocebo effect is a similar but less well-known concept. The nocebo effect means that a person’s negative expectations about a situation adversely affect that person.

Recently, many people have been trying to control symptoms such as gas, bloating, and irregular bowel movements by eliminating many food groups. Two well-known examples are lactose and gluten. For example, even when a person has lactose intolerance, it is accepted that they can tolerate up to 12 grams of lactose daily.

In a study examining the nocebo effect regarding lactose, among people who were not actually lactose intolerant, almost half the participants showed responses as though they had lactose intolerance when consuming dairy products. This was thought to be due to the nocebo effect—negative expectations adversely affecting the person.

In other words, believing that one has intolerance / sensitivity / allergy to a food and forming such an expectation can cause reactions as if intolerance were present, even when the person has no such intolerance.

Pseudoscientific content being shared as though it were scientific has created a period in which everyone appears to have intolerance to lactose, gluten, and many other things. If you consumed milk or gluten-containing products for years without problems but recently noticed a sudden reaction after misleading information circulating online or on television, it may be useful to remember the nocebo effect and consider this possibility.

Scientific Studies on the Relationship Between Gluten and Cancer

Studies conducted so far have found no clear relationship between gluten and cancer risk. However, there are studies suggesting an increased risk of intestinal cancer in people with celiac disease or genuine gluten intolerance.

Studies on this subject include:

• In 2007, cancer incidence and causes of death were examined in people living in Northern Ireland with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The study of 13 thousand participants found higher mortality (death) rates in those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. This persisted for 1 year or more after diagnosis. Interestingly, however, breast cancer was significantly less common in people with gluten intolerance [source 1]. Researchers suggested that the lower breast cancer risk in women could be mediated by the immune system .
• In 2012, a study involving 28 thousand patients with celiac disease, 12.860 patients with inflammation, and 3705 patients with latent celiac disease found an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer in celiac disease, inflammation, and latent celiac disease during the first 1 year after diagnosis, but no increase in risk thereafter.

The two studies had conflicting results. However, gluten intolerance was defined differently in each. Questions about gluten intolerance and cancer risk therefore remain unanswered.

Are Gluten-Free Foods Healthier?

Being gluten-free does not automatically mean that a food is healthier. Some gluten-free foods may be higher in fat, sugar, and total calories and lower in fiber and vitamins than regular versions. In developed countries, most wheat products are fortified with vitamins such as folate, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Foods made with gluten-free flours are not.

In conclusion

, there is no clear scientific evidence on the relationship between gluten and cancer. People with genuine gluten sensitivity should, of course, reduce gluten consumption. However, it is useful to remember that this is quite rare in the population, that gluten intolerance is exaggerated today, and that negative beliefs about it can also adversely affect people. Those with a health condition requiring gluten avoidance should read food labels to find the most nutritious choices. Gluten-free whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, teff, millet, corn, and rice contain good natural sources of folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and iron, as well as protein and fiber.