Gluten: What’s the Story?

First, as always, talk to your doctor about any health concerns or questions about your health.

Over the years I have heard many things about gluten—gluten sensitivity, gluten allergy, gluten intolerance, and whether gluten is good or bad for you. I’ve listened to experts debate the topic, read the research, and I’ve also seen firsthand how changes in diet can affect people’s health.

I know people with autoimmune conditions such as rosacea, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, and others who have greatly reduced their symptoms by removing gluten from their diet. Their experiences raise an important question: what exactly is gluten doing in the body, and why do some people seem to react so strongly to it?

This article is the first in a short series exploring that question.

Why I’m Asking These Questions

In this first article, I want to raise a few important questions and offer some ideas to think about. In the second article, “Why Some People Tolerate Gluten in Europe but Not in the United States,” we will look at the science of gluten itself and explore possible explanations for why some people report different reactions depending on where they eat wheat products.

In the third article, “Gluten, Zonulin, and the ‘Leaky Gut’ Hypothesis: Why Gluten Triggers Autoimmune Disease in Some People,” we will look at a biological mechanism that may help explain why gluten causes inflammation in some individuals but not in others.

In the fourth article, “What Can Be Done to Reduce Zonulin and Support the Gut Barrier,” we will look at some practical recommendations for people who want to address some of the concerns raised in this series.

In the fifth article, “Gluten Sensitivity Test: How Do You Know If Gluten Is Affecting You?” we will look at how you can determine if you have a gluten sensitivity beyond celiac disease.

Not Everyone Responds to Food the Same Way

Before we go any further, I want to make a claim that most doctors and scientists would likely agree with: not everyone interacts with molecules in the same way.

We see this clearly in medicine. Two people can take the same prescription drug and experience completely different effects. One person may respond perfectly, another may see no improvement, and a third may experience unwanted side effects.

The same principle applies to food.

Not everyone reacts to the same foods in the same way. Allergies are a good example. Some people can eat peanuts without any problem, while others have severe reactions. In many cases—though not always—your genetics play a role in determining how your body responds.

Medicine often has to cast a wide net. Treatments and dietary guidelines are designed to help most people most of the time. But scientists and physicians are increasingly aware that human biology is incredibly complex. This is one reason why modern medicine is moving toward personalized medicine, which takes into account the unique biology of each individual.

Is Gluten Always Bad?

With that in mind, let me suggest an idea that might help frame this discussion.

Gluten itself is neither inherently good nor bad.

For someone with celiac disease, gluten clearly causes harm and must be avoided completely. But for someone with a healthy digestive system and the appropriate genetic background, gluten may not cause any problems at all.

This leads to an interesting question: is there something in between complete gluten tolerance and celiac disease?

In other words, is there a spectrum of sensitivity?

It seems reasonable to suggest that there might be.

Four Important Questions About Gluten

Once we consider that possibility, several important questions begin to emerge.

1. How do we measure sensitivity to gluten?
This is not as straightforward as it might seem. Outside of celiac disease, testing becomes much more complicated. In a separate article, I will explore how scientists attempt to measure the body’s response to gluten and why diagnosing gluten sensitivity remains challenging.

2. If you eat gluten and feel fine, does that mean gluten is harmless for you?
Not necessarily.

Some biological processes occur silently. It is possible—at least in theory—that gluten could trigger immune activity or low levels of inflammation that are not immediately noticeable. Over time, these small changes could potentially contribute to broader health issues.

Whether this occurs in meaningful ways is still being studied, but it raises an important point: the absence of obvious symptoms does not always mean the absence of biological effects.

3. Why is gluten a problem at all?
This is the central question of the series. Gluten is simply a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Yet in certain individuals it can trigger powerful immune reactions. The articles that follow will explore the biological mechanisms scientists believe may be responsible.

4. Could other foods be affecting your health in similar ways?
Possibly.

Food is not just fuel. Food is also information the body responds to. The molecules in the foods we eat interact constantly with our metabolism, immune system, and microbiome.

This does not mean we should become paranoid about every ingredient we consume. Quite the opposite.

My first suggestion is simple: do not overthink it. Eat a balanced diet built around whole foods and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If health problems arise, diet is one possible place to look for answers.

A Practical Approach

My suggestions are fairly simple.

First, educate yourself. The articles in this series are meant to serve as a starting point, not the final word. Science is always evolving, and curiosity is one of the most valuable tools we have.

Second, find a doctor who is willing to have thoughtful conversations about your health. Most physicians are highly intelligent professionals who understand just how complex the human body really is. After years of training and experience, many come to appreciate that biology rarely offers simple answers.

At the same time, it is important to understand the position doctors are in.

Physicians are scientists, and their responsibility is to diagnose and treat patients using the best available scientific evidence. Unfortunately, the internet is full of misinformation about health and nutrition. Some claims are so detached from reality that doctors cannot possibly address them all individually.

As a result, many physicians rely on well-established research and clinical guidelines when advising patients.

That is not a flaw in the system—it is a necessary safeguard.

Your role as a patient is to approach these conversations thoughtfully. A little information can sometimes be dangerous. Reading a few articles online does not mean you suddenly know more than a trained medical professional.

However, you can certainly walk into your doctor’s office prepared with intelligent questions.

If your doctor listens carefully, responds thoughtfully, and explains the scientific reasoning behind their advice, it may be worth reconsidering your own assumptions or continuing your research.

If you feel dismissed, unheard, or ridiculed without a meaningful discussion, it may be worth seeking another medical opinion.

Good medicine, like good science, depends on curiosity and respectful dialogue.

Where This Series Is Going

The question of gluten is far more complex than simply labeling it “good” or “bad.”

Human biology rarely works in such simple categories.

In the articles that follow, we will explore two important ideas: why some people seem to tolerate wheat differently depending on where it is produced, and how gluten may interact with the immune system and intestinal barrier in ways scientists are still working to understand. Finally, some practical recommendations for people who want to change their diet to help their gut health and gluten sensitivity.

By looking at the science carefully—and by asking good questions—we can move closer to understanding what gluten actually does in the human body.

And that understanding is far more useful than any simple dietary rule.