08/08/2023
Gluten & Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disease where high blood glucose levels maintained over time damage other organs in our body.
Every time we eat food that contains glucose, it reaches the blood, sending a signal to the pancreas to produce insulin, which has the function of allowing glucose to enter the cells so that it can generate ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). which is nothing other than the energy we need. There are different types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes: It is considered an autoimmune disease where the production of insulin is deficient or absent since the immune system attacks the pancreas through the creation of antibodies against the cells that produce insulin, preventing glucose from entering the cells and remaining in the bloodstream. This is why people with Type 1 Diabetes need to take insulin injections. It occurs mainly in children and adolescents. It can also be suffered by older adults who have previously suffered from Type 2 Diabetes and have not taken the necessary measures and their lifestyles have caused damage to the pancreas, which is why they also begin to depend on insulin to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes: In this type of diabetes the cell becomes resistant to insulin and does not allow the entry of glucose. Insulin resistance occurs due to the abuse of the consumption of highly processed foods, simple carbohydrates, chronic inflammation and lack of physical exercise. It is closely linked to lifestyle, and is known as diabetes of the elderly people, although the number of children and adolescents who suffer from it is increasing due to their lifestyle choices.
Type 3 Diabetes: Better known as Alzheimer's. Recent studies have revealed that in many Alzheimer's patients, brain cells lose the ability to respond to insulin, so glucose cannot enter the brain cell to be used for energy. This resistance to insulin shows damage to brain cells due to neurodegeneration (neuronal death) that leads to the death of the brain cell where one of the first symptoms is memory loss. Studies show that people with Type 2 Diabetes increase the risk of dementia by 60% and the risk is higher in women than in men. Did you know that Alzheimer's is considered a type of diabetes? If you just found out please give me a like because you just learned something new.
Gestational diabetes: Diabetes that women develop during pregnancy. This type of diabetes has the same mechanism as Type 2 Diabetes. The greatest danger is that the baby grows too much, creating complications at the time of delivery.
In my previous article I told you that gluten consumption creates intestinal permeability. The passage of bacteria and undigested food into the bloodstream due to leaky gut creates inflammation, which raises our cortisol levels (the stress hormone) leading to an imbalance in insulin levels contributing to the onset of diabetes. And Voila! This is the relationship between gluten consumption and diabetes.
Gluten consumption can accelerate the process to develop Type 1 Diabetes, and there are studies that reveal the link between a gluten-free diet and the reduction of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.
My objective with this article is that you know that the daily consumption of products with gluten can lead you to suffer from diabetes even if you do not have celiac disease, nor do you have sensitivity to gluten or allergy to wheat; I do not suggest what you have to do at all, as I always say it is your decision, my mission is to inform you.
Once again thank you for reading what I write. A big kiss, a big hug and until next time.
Sources:
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/11/1746 Possible Prevention of Diabetes with a Gluten-Free Diet
https://www.mdpi.com/search?q=type+3+diabetes&journal=ijms&volume=23&issue=23
https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/39/2/300/37175/Type-2-Diabetes-as-a-Risk-Factor-for-Dementia-in
