Adding Gluten to High-Fat Diet in Mice Increases Body Weight, Inflammation, and Brain Cell Growth, Study Finds
A recent study conducted in New Zealand has found that adding gluten to the diets of male mice already consuming a high-fat regimen resulted in an increased body weight and fat content. The addition of gluten also elevated inflammation markers and prompted a growth in astroglia and microglia cells within the hypothalamus of the mice’s brains. The study, which appeared in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology, provides valuable insights into the potential effects of gluten consumption on mammal organisms.
Gluten is a protein complex present in grains like wheat, rye, barley, and oats. It accounts for approximately 75% of the total protein in wheat and is essential for providing dough its structure and elasticity. Despite its importance in baking, there have been links between gluten consumption and various health issues, including celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, dermatitis herpetiformis, gluten ataxia, and wheat allergy.
Approximately 5% of the global population is believed to be affected by gluten-related diseases. Traditionally, these conditions were primarily diagnosed in people of European origin. However, with the increased consumption of wheat-based foods globally, medical professionals have begun diagnosing gluten-related disorders in Asian and other populations. Consequently, gluten-free diets have gained immense popularity, with a quarter of Americans claiming to consume specific gluten-free products in 2015.
To explore the potential adverse health effects of adding gluten to the diet, the study’s authors, Mohammed Z. Rizwan and his colleagues, conducted experiments on male mice. The mice were separated into two main groups based on diet: one group consumed a low-fat diet (10% calories from fat) and the other group consumed a high-fat diet (60% calories from fat sourced from lard and soya bean oil). Each primary group was then split again, with one subgroup receiving wheat gluten in their food (4.5% of calories) and the other not. This resulted in four distinct dietary groups, each containing 16 mice matched for age and weight. The mice were monitored for changes in body mass, energy expenditure, and markers of inflammation.
The results showed that mice fed a high-fat diet increased their body mass much more than the low-fat diet group. Adding gluten to the high-fat diet resulted in even more weight gain. However, adding gluten to the low-fat diet did not impact weight gain. The high-fat diet group consumed more calories compared to the low-fat diet group, but gluten intake did not affect daily energy expenditure.
Furthermore, mice on a high-fat diet had higher levels of leptin in their blood, which is indicative of hunger and fat tissue quantity. The addition of gluten did not influence leptin levels but did result in raised levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation.
The study also found that the high-fat diet alone increased the count of astrocytes and microglia cells in the hypothalamus. Gluten intake further increased the count of these immune cells, regardless of the fat content in the diet.
According to study author Alexander Tups, the findings suggest that gluten-induced hypothalamic inflammation in humans could lead to adverse effects such as increased body weight and impaired blood sugar regulation. However, Tups emphasized that the study was conducted on mice, and the effects may not be the same in humans.
The study’s authors conclude that future studies need to investigate whether the findings in mice are applicable to humans and whether gluten-induced astro- and microgliosis occurs in gluten-sensitive individuals. They also caution against gluten-tolerant individuals going entirely gluten-free, as highly processed gluten-free products may lack fiber and have high sugar content.
In conclusion, the study offers valuable insights into the potential effects of adding gluten to a high-fat diet. While the findings are specific to mice, they contribute to the scientific understanding of gluten consumption and its impact on mammal organisms.