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Should Patients With Schizophrenia be put on a Gluten Free Diet?

A recent research study published in the journal, Biological Psychiatry identified that schizophrenic patients have elevated antibody reactions to gliadin (a gluten protein found in wheat, barley, and rye).

Individuals with recent-onset psychosis had increased levels of IgG and IgA antibodies to gliadin compared with control subjects. Individuals with multi-episode schizophrenia also had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin...

This is not the first time research has made this connection

Additional research by Drs. Reichart and Landmark discover elevated IgA antibodies to gliadin, beta-lactoglobulin, and casein (dairy protein) in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to non schizophrenic controls.
  • The term "Bread Madness" has been coined for those experiencing psychotic events after grain exposure.
  • The chemical - gluteomorphin (found in gluten) has been shown to alter brain function
  • Gluten has been linked to leaky brain syndrome.
  • Gluten exposure has been shown to cause brain inflammation.
Source

Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 1;68(1):100-4. Epub 2010 May 14.

Gluten Free Society's Stance:


This study sheds light on the fact that most mental disorders are actually influenced by food choices. Food and food additives are the ultimate drug. Ever see a child have a hyper reaction after eating food dyes or sugar? Think about it... Pharmaceutical medications are typically derived from singular chemicals from plants and animals.

How many times have you eaten something so that you could satisfy some mental craving. Peptides in grain and dairy have been shown to stimulate pleasure centers in the brain. Most psychiatrists completely dismiss the fact that food plays a role in mental health. The late Dr. Abram Hoffer spent his life researching the correlation between schizophrenia and nutrition. He had a higher success rate at treating schizophrenia to remission than any of his colleagues.

Think about this: Schizophrenia is supposedly an imbalance in brain chemicals. Psychiatrists give drugs to try and restore this imbalance. However; to date, it is a rare occurrence for a psychiatrist to actually measure the brain chemicals they are trying to treat. It makes much better since to measure these imbalances but to also determine what is contributing to or causing these imbalances. In the case of schizophrenia, gluten and casein can play a major role in contributing to the disease.

All schizophrenic patients should have the following lab tests before blindly taking medications:
  1. HLA-DQ gene analysis to identify gluten sensitivity
  2. Vitamin and mineral analysis (spectracell.com)
  3. Neurotransmitter testing to identify chemical imbalances in serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, histamine, and other neurochemicals that influence brain function.
  4. Additional food allergy testing to identify other foods that may be playing a contributing role.
If you want to learn more about Dr. Hoffer's research his book is available below -

Dr. Hoffer's Book is available here!