Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity have been steadily on the rise in the U.S. and Europe over the last decade. Experts suggest that as many as 18 million people may be affected, yet there is no way that we can realize the full extent at this time due to limitations in current testing methods.

Many people self-diagnose gluten sensitivity after experiencing symptoms, such as GI distress, skin rashes, or brain fog, and then, removing gluten from their diets for at least 30 days to see if the symptoms go away.

Last year, researchers found that children with autism – a disorder that has increased by 600% over the last 20 years – are more likely to have elevated antibodies to gliadin, a class of proteins present in the gluten of wheat and several other grains. Many parents of autistic children report significant improvements in both speech and behavior after removing gluten from their child’s diet. At the Amen Clinics, we often find that the same is true for children with ADD.

Related:

Gluten Sensitivity Linked to Autism: The Brain-Gut Connection

Why Gluten Sensitivity?

In this review article published last year, researchers propose that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide, Roundup ®, is responsible for the widespread gluten sensitivity epidemic, along with increasing trends of many other diseases.

Roundup ® has been the #1 herbicide used in the U.S. since 1996 – primarily on GMO corn, soy, cotton, and canola. Its manufacturers assert that although the product kills weeds, it should be considered “harmless” to humans and other forms of life.

Dr. Stephanie Seneff, one of the review authors, states that glyphosate in Roundup® triggers inflammation, compromises gut bacteria, and thereby inhibits an enzyme involved in synthesizing tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine – three essential amino acids that are critical for healthy brain function.

In the slideshow presentation below, we took the graphs from the aforementioned review article, which depict major health issues in correlation to glyphosate application to crops over time, and compiled them.