Gluten may cause an allergic response in some people, leading to inflammation and pain in rheumatoid arthritis and related conditions. Arthritis has been linked to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease, which often involve gluten intolerance. A gluten-free diet may help reduce joint pain and inflammation in individuals with arthritis.
Gluten is a protein often found in grains, such as wheat. These proteins may play a role in some types of arthritis. The connection between gluten and arthritis suggests that the body may mount an allergic response to the protein. This response could sometimes be the cause of the inflammation and pain seen in rheumatoid arthritis and other related conditions.
Rheumatoid arthritis involves an improper immune response that affects joint tissue in the body. Some research has linked arthritis to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Both of these diseases often involve gluten intolerance. The gastrointestinal problems that result from consuming gluten can lead to activation of the immune system, resulting in attacks on the joints and connective tissue.
Individuals with celiac disease typically have problems with a gluten protein known as gliadin. In the course of celiac disease, the body creates antibodies that target gliadin. When the individual eats food with gluten, the presence of gliadin-antibody complexes causes the immune cells to “turn on” and target nearby cells for destruction. This creates damage to the intestines.
A similar mechanism involving gluten and arthritis was investigated in one study. Participants in this study had both celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Hours after eating gluten-containing wheat foods, they experienced greater degrees of pain and inflammation.
The researchers found that gluten, as well as the peptides formed from digesting these proteins, traveled from the gut to the bloodstream. Antibodies that specifically bind these proteins and peptides have created large molecular structures called immune complexes. These complexes signaled nearby cells to mount an immune response in the body.
The immune responses linking gluten and arthritis appear to start with platelets, a specific type of blood cell. Platelets release the chemical serotonin, which aids in the arrival of white blood cells that cause inflammation. Immune complexes tend to pool in joints, which is why the resulting response affects the connective tissue in these areas. Serotonin is thought to increase the chances of immune complexes reaching the joints, thereby localizing damage to these areas.
The link between gluten and arthritis has led some health experts to propose dietary changes in an attempt to ease symptoms. At least one study has found that a gluten-free diet led to less joint pain and inflammation in individuals with arthritis. Researchers believe that this reduction in symptoms may be due to the absence of the immune response related to gluten and arthritis. They also claim that this diet could cause the body to create some anti-inflammatory antibodies that could reduce symptoms.
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