The gluten-free craze that has swept across the country over the recent years may have some drawbacks – a higher intake of the toxic metals of arsenic and mercury.  This news is according to a new study published online in the journal Epidemiology. 

Gluten-free diets are only recommended for individuals with celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten is ingested.  Other groups of people who may also benefit from a gluten-free diet are those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity which produces similar symptoms but it not considered to be celiac disease. 

Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye and is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.  Individuals with celiac disease can’t tolerate gluten as it will trigger an immune response damaging the lining of the small intestine.  This can interfere with the absorption of nutrients from food and can lead to other problems such as osteoporosis, infertility, nerve damage, and seizures. 

Only 1 percent or 1 in every 100 people has celiac disease whereas up to 18 million Americans have some non-celiac sensitivity to gluten.  But in 2015, nearly 25 percent of Americans reported eating a gluten –free diet, meaning many of us are going gluten-free when we don’t need to. 

Researchers for this study looked at the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data that include thousands of Americans, aged 6 to 80.  Only 73 people were identified who stated they ate a gluten-free diet.

What the study showed was that those who ate a gluten-free diet had nearly twice the levels of arsenic in their urine and 70 percent higher levels of mercury in their blood.  Arsenic and mercury occur naturally in the environment but high accumulation of these toxic metals may raise the risk of heart disease, cancer, and neurological issues at certain levels. 

The reason why gluten-free diets may contain higher levels of toxic metals is that gluten-free products often contain rice flour as a substitute for wheat, barley, and rye.  Rice is grown in flooded fields and it is known to accumulate more arsenic and mercury from water, soil, and fertilizers.  In the United States, there are regulations on levels of arsenic in water but not on the amount found in rice flour.  In Europe, there are regulations for food-based arsenic exposure.

Many people, who don’t need to, have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon in belief it will either reduce inflammation, help with weight loss or is used as a quick fix for various health issues.  But there is no scientific proof supporting that going gluten-free does any of that.  The only people who must follow a gluten-free diet are individuals who have received a diagnosis from a doctor verifying they have celiac disease or those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

The study did emphasize that it was not able to show a direct cause-and-effect relationship between eating a gluten-free diet and higher levels of arsenic and mercury.  For individuals who with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity who must follow a gluten-free diet, they should discuss with their doctor and a registered dietitian who can help them find other alternatives of gluten-free foods that do not contain rice flour.