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From The July 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News
Gluten-Free Diet For Headaches
by Jack Challem
Severe gastrointestinal disturbances and nutrient malabsorption are the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance (celiac disease). However, gluten intolerance may also trigger a systemic antibody response, which can inflame brain tissue and lead to headaches. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Researchers at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, England, described 10 patients with headaches and unsteadiness who also had abnormal magnetic resonance images of the brain. The symptoms of nine patients improved after adhering to a gluten-free diet for about six months.1 It takes that long for the antibodies to be eliminated.
Jack Challem, known as the The Nutrition Reporter, has been writing about vitamin research for 25 years and is the author of Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance (Wiley, 2000).
References
1. Hadjivassiliou M, et al. Headache and CNS white matter abnormalities associated with gluten sensitivity. Neurology 2001 Feb 13;56(3):385-8.
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