Gluten May Contribute to Development of Type 1

By Diane Fennell The dietary protein known as gluten may contribute to the development of Type 1 diabetes, according to a new animal study from researchers at Mayo Clinic. An estimated three million people in the United States have Type 1. Gluten is the name for a family of proteins found in certain grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. Both human and animal studies have indicated that gluten may play a causal role in the development of Type 1 diabetes, but the research has not shown the mechanisms by which this might happen. To investigate this question, researchers used nonobese diabetic mice, or mice that are specially bred to be at high risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. The mice were raised on either a gluten-containing diet or a gluten-free diet. The mice's blood glucose levels were measured, and their bacterial flora were monitored to detect changes in their intestinal microbiome, or the composition of bacteria living in their gut. The researchers found that the mice raised on the gluten-free diet had a significantly lower rate of Type 1 diabetes than the gluten-eating mice. After this was established, the scientists then added gluten into the diets of the gluten-free mice and found that the protective effect was lost and these mice began developing high blood glucose levels. The addition of gluten also had a noticeable impact on the bacterial flora of the mice, indicating one possible way in which gluten may impact the risk for diabetes. "Whil...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - Category: Diabetes Authors: Source Type: blogs