NEWS Fitness and Nutrition News No Need to Restrict Gluten for Brain Health, Study Shows By Cara Rosenbloom, RD Cara Rosenbloom, RD Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON. Learn about our editorial process Published on June 08, 2021 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Nicholas Blackmer Fact checked by Nicholas Blackmer LinkedIn Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact checker, and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in consumer-oriented health and wellness content. Learn about our editorial process Print Gluten is found in wheat-based bread. Dougal Waters/Getty Images Key Takeaways: Many people avoid gluten unnecessarily, based on what they have read in diet books.A new study tested whether there is truth to the idea that gluten hinders cognition or negatively affects memory or attention span.Researchers found that in the absence of celiac disease, restricting gluten to maintain cognitive function is not necessary. A gluten-free diet is necessary for people diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. However, popular culture has convinced many people to avoid gluten for other conditions, including improved brain health and cognition. A new study published in JAMA Network Open aimed to see if there was any science behind the popular claim that gluten is associated with poor cognitive function for the general population. Gluten is a protein that’s found in wheat, rye, barley, and foods made with these ingredients, including bread and pasta. The Popularity of Gluten-Free Diets Over the last few years, the popularity of the gluten-free diet soared because of best-selling diet books such as "Grain Brain" and "Wheat Belly", which cherry-picked data to support their claims about the detriments of gluten. If you’ve read these books, you’ll have seen a gluten-free diet touted as the treatment for everything from asthma to mental health issues to joint pain. Gallup data shows that the gluten-free diet became so popular in 2015 that about 20% of consumers avoided gluten, even though just 1% of people have celiac disease and about 6% may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Researchers have spent years using science to refute some of the spurious claims in these anti-gluten diet books, including the idea that modern wheat is higher in gluten, and that gluten-free diets are healthier than regular diets. Taking a Closer Look at Gluten In this new cohort study, researchers wanted to see if there was any scientific validity to the claims about gluten affecting cognition, memory, and attention span. Researchers gathered dietary intake information using a food frequency questionnaire and looked at cognitive test scores of 13,494 women (average age 60.6 years) without celiac disease. Gluten intake varied from 4.45 to 8.34 grams per day and was categorized into five quintiles. The researchers looked at standardized cognitive scores for these three categories, in which higher scores indicate better performance. Psychomotor speed and attentionLearning and working memoryGlobal cognition Gluten-Free? Learn Which Foods Have Gluten, So You Can Avoid Them What Did the Study Find? The researchers noted that gluten intake was not associated with cognitive scores in middle-aged women without celiac disease. After adjusting for various behavioral and health risk factors, the researchers observed no difference in psychomotor speed and attention score, learning and working memory score, or global cognition score across all five quintiles of gluten intake. This led the researchers to say, “our results do not support recommendations to restrict dietary gluten to maintain cognitive function in the absence of celiac disease or established gluten sensitivity.” "The results of the study are not surprising to me,” says Emma Backes, a dietitian in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. “It is expected that a normal part of very common foods [gluten] does not cause any adverse outcomes to those who do not need to avoid it.” 7 Mistakes People Make When Going Gluten-Free Some People, But Not All, Require a Gluten-Free Diet “Anyone with celiac disease, wheat allergy, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity needs to avoid gluten,” says Vandana Sheth, registered dietitian and author of "My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian Recipes." Sheth says if you don’t have one of these conditions, "you can enjoy gluten-containing foods without worrying about it negatively affecting your brain health." In short, there is no reason to avoid gluten unless it’s medically necessary. If you do have celiac disease, it’s vital to follow a gluten-free diet for life. Celiac is an autoimmune disease in which gluten triggers an immune reaction linked to digestive issues and cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety. Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND If you don't have celiac disease, wheat allergy, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you can enjoy gluten-containing foods without worrying about it negatively affecting your brain health. — Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND Studies on brain health and celiac disease are likely why the link between gluten and cognition is often discussed. But it’s important to note that these studies are only conducted on people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity; the findings are not generalizable to people without these conditions. What to Expect When You Follow the Gluten-Free Diet A Nutrient-Dense Gluten-Free Diet Gluten-free versions of bread, crackers, noodles, and baked goods are often made with rice, corn, tapioca, or other flour. Several studies have shown that some gluten-free foods are lower in fiber and protein but higher in saturated fat compared to their gluten-containing counterparts. For this reason, try not to avoid gluten-containing foods unless it's medically necessary. Whole-grain rye, wheat, and barley, are high-fiber, nutrient-rich options. Sheth tells her clients that many gluten-free products are heavily processed. She recommends gluten-free whole grains such as amaranth, millet, teff, and quinoa for clients who can't eat gluten. “We discuss the importance of having a balanced diet that included a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, heart-healthy fats, and whole grains,” says Sheth. It’s great when science can provide clearer answers about health and nutrition, especially when food myths can be quashed. This new research on gluten uses science to debunk theories in books like "Grain Brain." “Working with clients that have read ‘Grain Brain’ or have similar thoughts really brings forth my passion of eliminating food fears,” says Backes. “I teach how all foods fit into a healthy lifestyle and find that teaching where these misconceptions came from really helps to combat negative food thoughts.” What This Means For You: If you’re restricting gluten for the purpose of maintaining or improving cognition, it may be time to add bread back into your diet, unless a gluten-free diet is indicated for medical reasons. Data does not support the idea that gluten has any negative effect on brain health or cognition. Dirty Dozen List of Fruits and Vegetables Updated - Should You Use It? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 7 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Wang Y, Lebwohl B, Mehta R, et al. Long-term intake of gluten and cognitive function among US women. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(5):e2113020. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.13020 Gallup. One in five Americans include gluten-free foods in diet. Igbinedion SO, Ansari J, Vasikaran A, et al. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: all wheat attack is not celiac. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(40):7201-7210. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i40.7201 Hucl P, Briggs C, Graf RJ, Chibbar RN. 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