Gluten Withdrawal: How Do You Function?

[laura1959]

Here's an abstract from an old 1984 study that talks more about the opioid-gluten metabolic link.  I am running out the door but will do another pubmed search a little later to see if there's something more recent.  

 

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[AlwaysLearning]

I suppose I don't get how so many people can understand that extracts from poppy plants can affect pain and pleasure sensors in our brains, but refuse to believe that extracts from other plants could affect these same sensors.

I can't help but wonder if they don't realize that the gluten peptide studies aren't stemming from suppositions on the internet or a book, but from two studies conducted at the National Institutes of Health, both of which looked at actual brain chemistry. 

[laura1959]

It certainly seems to have a solid basis.  I just googled "gluten opioid peptide" and a whole bunch of scholarly articles came up.  Here's one:  

 

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And the search is here:  

 

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So I'm going with the idea that there is, in fact, a "real" opioid-like withdrawal component to this.  

 

I'm not going to try to taper off of gluten, though, for reasons already noted (I want bone healing to begin).  My back hurts, and now that I know I have osteoporosis, that worries me.  I do think that for someone who has less systemic damage than I apparently do it could be an option but I would think most people would want/need to get their digestive system functioning as soon as possible.  

 

Interestingly, today is day three without gluten for me (again) and, while I'm feeling a little fuzzy, it's not quite as bad as it was when I did this before.  Hoping I can get through it with a positive attitude and holding out the hope of feeling better as the days go by.