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Gluten Exposed: The Science Behind the Hype and How to Navigate to a Healthy, Symptom-Free Life – Managing Celiac Disease, IBS, and Brain Fog
The definitive book on gluten: the authors of Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic cut through the misinformation, false claims, and widespread confusion over gluten to explain the science behind the current gluten-free craze and examine the food-brain-gut triangle to reveal what’s really going on in our bodies and our brains.
A regimen once followed by those diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease (a serious autoimmune disorder), gluten-free diets have become a panacea, “prescribed” not only by gastroenterologists, but also by dieticians, nutritionists, naturopaths, trainers, psychiatrists, and neurologists. Believing that eliminating gluten is healthier or that it will help them lose weight, droves of people are adopting a gluten-free lifestyle—and the food industry has responded with shelves of “gluten-free” products.
Yet there is little scientific evidence to substantiate this trend, and the latest medical findings have shown that much of what is commonly accepted about gluten is wrong. While the gluten-free diet works for some people—and is a life-saver for those with celiac disease—going gluten free may injure our health, robbing us of essential nutrients and masking our real problems.
Dr. Peter H. R. Green, an internationally renowned expert on celiac disease and director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, and Rory Jones provide much-needed medical truths about gluten. Gluten Exposed is an inside-out examination of every symptom and condition associated with gluten, how gluten works in the body, what the gluten-free diet cures—and what it doesn’t—and which drugs, supplements, and foods often cause problems blamed on gluten alone. It offers clear, welcome guidance and specific disease-based roadmaps that can help anyone achieve a healthier, symptom-free life.
A regimen once followed by those diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease (a serious autoimmune disorder), gluten-free diets have become a panacea, “prescribed” not only by gastroenterologists, but also by dieticians, nutritionists, naturopaths, trainers, psychiatrists, and neurologists. Believing that eliminating gluten is healthier or that it will help them lose weight, droves of people are adopting a gluten-free lifestyle—and the food industry has responded with shelves of “gluten-free” products.
Yet there is little scientific evidence to substantiate this trend, and the latest medical findings have shown that much of what is commonly accepted about gluten is wrong. While the gluten-free diet works for some people—and is a life-saver for those with celiac disease—going gluten free may injure our health, robbing us of essential nutrients and masking our real problems.
Dr. Peter H. R. Green, an internationally renowned expert on celiac disease and director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, and Rory Jones provide much-needed medical truths about gluten. Gluten Exposed is an inside-out examination of every symptom and condition associated with gluten, how gluten works in the body, what the gluten-free diet cures—and what it doesn’t—and which drugs, supplements, and foods often cause problems blamed on gluten alone. It offers clear, welcome guidance and specific disease-based roadmaps that can help anyone achieve a healthier, symptom-free life.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2016
47 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 4, 2016
Okay, I have mixed feelings about this one, which is pretty much what I expected. I fit squarely into one of the main categories of people they are discussing -- people who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease but who have quit eating wheat (and other grains) in order to relieve various symptoms, and who also, frequently, are avoiding other categories of food due to additional food intolerances. As the authors insightfully note, this sort of very restrictive diet can be problematic. Old Navy's size 0 pants become baggy, and then what does one do? I will admit that, as a physician and a science writer, the authors are only being responsible when they advise their readers to visit their doctors and have their ailments properly diagnosed. It's dangerous to self-diagnose, subsisting on a very limited diet, when what ails a person may actually be something entirely un-food related. Still, I found their lack of real appreciation of the obstacles which finances can place between people and extensive medical testing to be a serious shortcoming in this book.
The authors do identify various reasons why people may Not visit their doctors for diagnosis, and one of those is a lack of health insurance. Guilty. Turns out, though, that that really isn't a problem! As they very helpfully explain, if financial reasons are keeping you from having your symptoms seen to by a doctor, “you should seek out a clinic or practice that will accommodate your needs, before an underlying condition sends you to the emergency room.” Sage advice. Honestly, their advice would seem perfectly reasonable (aside from the fact that, obviously, neither of them has ever been without insurance and possessing of only modest funds), but as an endlessly repeated refrain it becomes increasingly irksome. Each symptom one suffers and each dietary change one considers seems to call for another visit to the doctor for more tests.
My thought on reading this was that it would almost be amusing to visit the county health department and introduce myself as a person of limited means and no insurance who would appreciate it if they would kindly run a battery of tests on me so that I might determine which, if any, vitamin supplements I should take. I imagine that the look of astonishment and dismay on the receptionist's face would be memorable. Still, despite the entertainment potential of taking my various symptoms in search of philanthropic medical practitioners, I've chosen instead to take a multivitamin and a few extra supplements, and to discontinue eating foods which cause me trouble (identified in as scientific a way as I can manage, because I'm not really an idiot) and to eat in a way that makes me feel very substantially, though not completely, better. It works pretty well, the price is right, and I'm saved the trouble of new symptoms resulting as side effects of prescription drugs.
From a scientific angle their dedication to tests is perfectly logical – the human body is a complex thing, and even if a dietary change seems to fix things, you don't know for sure if it's for the reasons you think, and whether something else dreadful, which you are unaware of because you are a slacker who won't go to the doctor, is an underlying problem which, going undiscovered, is going to lead to your downfall. Of course, as many dutiful patients have found, even going to the doctor and undergoing all the advised tests does not guarantee that the real issue will be identified. The bills are a sure thing, but the rest of it is a crapshoot. This book, though, is all about a scientific approach to nutrition, and pragmatic issues need not apply.
Still, despite these complaints, which were really no more than I expected given the “serious mainstream medicine” marketing for this book, these is a lot here that made it worth reading. The issues with vitamin K (with Factor V Leiden, I'm not keen to increase my blood clotting abilities, and it turns out that about all the foods I can still eat are high in vitamin K. The universe is sometimes a cruel place.), the potential risks of too much rice, tuna, etc. Lots of valuable cautions here which were new to me and potentially quite helpful.
Also, I found the detailed exploration of the digestive system, and of the various current studies of brain/gut relationships to be very interesting. I learned a lot. The descriptions of the various disorders which most commonly lead people to avoid gluten, such as celiac disease, nonceliac gluten sensitivity, IBS, IBD, neuropathy, etc, were also very helpful. I think I do have a better handle on what's gone wrong with my digestion (they point out the nonceliac gluten sensitivity is frequently linked to lactose and fructose intolerance, which supports my experience), and what's not (the descriptions of IBS and IBD reminded me to count my blessings). Given the wide range of disorders discussed, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, diabetes, etc., there will be fair chunks of the book which many readers will skip or skim due to lack of personal relevance, but the majority of the book will likely be of interest to readers avoiding gluten due to health problems.
Like much of the book, Chapter 30, “Nondietary Therapies – the Drug Pipeline,” tends toward the speculative. Various drugs are being studied, grains are being genetically modified, therapies are being tested which may, some day, allow people felled by gluten and other troublesome proteins to consume them with impunity. I thought it was rather a nice touch to include, near the end of the book, this optimistic chapter. Perhaps before I die I will again enjoy a thick slice of deep dish pizza, slathered with tomato sauce (there will be a pill for this), rich with cheese (Lacaid will be improved by then), and topped with onions, peppers, pineapple, and bacon (pills for all these too). Given the number of pills which will accompany it, I'm sure one slice will fill me, and I will enjoy every delicious bite. Hey, Science is one the case, and it could happen!
I'd recommend this to readers who are avoiding gluten or considering doing so, who understand going in that the authors believe many people are avoiding gluten without good cause. There are repeated admonitions to visit one's doctor and have symptoms checked out before attempting to effect a cure through dietary change. Readers who have found relief from their symptoms after removing gluten from their diets may find Green's and Jones's skepticism irritating, but, given the improbably large spectrum of disorders which it is currently credited with causing, their cautions are probably well warranted and a useful addition to the conversation.
The authors do identify various reasons why people may Not visit their doctors for diagnosis, and one of those is a lack of health insurance. Guilty. Turns out, though, that that really isn't a problem! As they very helpfully explain, if financial reasons are keeping you from having your symptoms seen to by a doctor, “you should seek out a clinic or practice that will accommodate your needs, before an underlying condition sends you to the emergency room.” Sage advice. Honestly, their advice would seem perfectly reasonable (aside from the fact that, obviously, neither of them has ever been without insurance and possessing of only modest funds), but as an endlessly repeated refrain it becomes increasingly irksome. Each symptom one suffers and each dietary change one considers seems to call for another visit to the doctor for more tests.
”If you feel that your diet does not contain sufficient amounts of everything your body needs, have your doctor run blood tests for essential vitamins and minerals.” (The authors advise that people should not take vitamin and mineral supplements without medical guidance.)
My thought on reading this was that it would almost be amusing to visit the county health department and introduce myself as a person of limited means and no insurance who would appreciate it if they would kindly run a battery of tests on me so that I might determine which, if any, vitamin supplements I should take. I imagine that the look of astonishment and dismay on the receptionist's face would be memorable. Still, despite the entertainment potential of taking my various symptoms in search of philanthropic medical practitioners, I've chosen instead to take a multivitamin and a few extra supplements, and to discontinue eating foods which cause me trouble (identified in as scientific a way as I can manage, because I'm not really an idiot) and to eat in a way that makes me feel very substantially, though not completely, better. It works pretty well, the price is right, and I'm saved the trouble of new symptoms resulting as side effects of prescription drugs.
From a scientific angle their dedication to tests is perfectly logical – the human body is a complex thing, and even if a dietary change seems to fix things, you don't know for sure if it's for the reasons you think, and whether something else dreadful, which you are unaware of because you are a slacker who won't go to the doctor, is an underlying problem which, going undiscovered, is going to lead to your downfall. Of course, as many dutiful patients have found, even going to the doctor and undergoing all the advised tests does not guarantee that the real issue will be identified. The bills are a sure thing, but the rest of it is a crapshoot. This book, though, is all about a scientific approach to nutrition, and pragmatic issues need not apply.
Still, despite these complaints, which were really no more than I expected given the “serious mainstream medicine” marketing for this book, these is a lot here that made it worth reading. The issues with vitamin K (with Factor V Leiden, I'm not keen to increase my blood clotting abilities, and it turns out that about all the foods I can still eat are high in vitamin K. The universe is sometimes a cruel place.), the potential risks of too much rice, tuna, etc. Lots of valuable cautions here which were new to me and potentially quite helpful.
Also, I found the detailed exploration of the digestive system, and of the various current studies of brain/gut relationships to be very interesting. I learned a lot. The descriptions of the various disorders which most commonly lead people to avoid gluten, such as celiac disease, nonceliac gluten sensitivity, IBS, IBD, neuropathy, etc, were also very helpful. I think I do have a better handle on what's gone wrong with my digestion (they point out the nonceliac gluten sensitivity is frequently linked to lactose and fructose intolerance, which supports my experience), and what's not (the descriptions of IBS and IBD reminded me to count my blessings). Given the wide range of disorders discussed, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, diabetes, etc., there will be fair chunks of the book which many readers will skip or skim due to lack of personal relevance, but the majority of the book will likely be of interest to readers avoiding gluten due to health problems.
Like much of the book, Chapter 30, “Nondietary Therapies – the Drug Pipeline,” tends toward the speculative. Various drugs are being studied, grains are being genetically modified, therapies are being tested which may, some day, allow people felled by gluten and other troublesome proteins to consume them with impunity. I thought it was rather a nice touch to include, near the end of the book, this optimistic chapter. Perhaps before I die I will again enjoy a thick slice of deep dish pizza, slathered with tomato sauce (there will be a pill for this), rich with cheese (Lacaid will be improved by then), and topped with onions, peppers, pineapple, and bacon (pills for all these too). Given the number of pills which will accompany it, I'm sure one slice will fill me, and I will enjoy every delicious bite. Hey, Science is one the case, and it could happen!
I'd recommend this to readers who are avoiding gluten or considering doing so, who understand going in that the authors believe many people are avoiding gluten without good cause. There are repeated admonitions to visit one's doctor and have symptoms checked out before attempting to effect a cure through dietary change. Readers who have found relief from their symptoms after removing gluten from their diets may find Green's and Jones's skepticism irritating, but, given the improbably large spectrum of disorders which it is currently credited with causing, their cautions are probably well warranted and a useful addition to the conversation.
January 3, 2022
At first I thought that this book was aimed at people who are not celiac but who have decided to go gluten free for whatever reason, and it sort of is. It spends the first 50 pages lecturing about the perils of going gluten free, then another 50 pages explaining the workings of the digestive system. Here also are descriptions of a number of diseases that can affect digestion like GERD, celiac disease, autism, diabetes, etc. Then in later chapters all these problems and more are described in detail.
I found it somewhat strange that a book that seems to be trying to keep people from going gluten free would have so much information about celiac disease, the one disease that absolutely needs sufferers to avoid gluten. The book is quite tedious at times, especially the beginning 100 pages. The rest of the book is more interesting, and one could easily skip reading about the diseases that are personally of no interest.
I found it somewhat strange that a book that seems to be trying to keep people from going gluten free would have so much information about celiac disease, the one disease that absolutely needs sufferers to avoid gluten. The book is quite tedious at times, especially the beginning 100 pages. The rest of the book is more interesting, and one could easily skip reading about the diseases that are personally of no interest.
October 30, 2016
very matter of fact book. lots of examples and very thorough. bottom line - lots of conditions that can look at gluten is the culprit, but it may not be, avoiding gluten has potential negatives and unnecessary. need to have expert guidance, but not much said about how majority of physicians and mainstream dietitian may not be the best resource.
May 30, 2016
Dr. Peter Green's expertise in celiac disease is undeniable. His evidence-based book will people clarify what gluten does and doesn't do. Highly recommended.
April 13, 2018
Informative and a useful read.
June 5, 2019
This one made me smile several times. This one was written by a "real" doctor who knows how to read "real" research. He is going to save us from all the quacks and hucksters who are trying to tell us what gluten is evil and eliminating it will cure us.
Except his research corroborates everything those "alternative-types" are saying. Autoimmune is on the rise. It is often (but not always) helped by a diet with no gluten. Even when those folks don't have Celiac's. It's not a cure. There is a lot going on we don't understand and if everyone would just go to their doctor we would all be fine. Even the authors recognize that MD s don't always know the most effective strategies for relief of symptoms.
The one super funny one was the treatise on probiotics. He is convinced that not only are they not helping us,but that are actually harming us,we just don't have the research to prove it. Hmm.
It got old reading about antiquated ideas of information gatekeeping, but I understand (I think) his frustration with non-allopathic practitioners. They are not all created equal. His explanations on autoimmune and gluten intolerance were helpful to read. Although, I must say, of all the stack of books I am currently reading about autoimmune, this one is the one with the lightest Sources appendix. 😉
Except his research corroborates everything those "alternative-types" are saying. Autoimmune is on the rise. It is often (but not always) helped by a diet with no gluten. Even when those folks don't have Celiac's. It's not a cure. There is a lot going on we don't understand and if everyone would just go to their doctor we would all be fine. Even the authors recognize that MD s don't always know the most effective strategies for relief of symptoms.
The one super funny one was the treatise on probiotics. He is convinced that not only are they not helping us,but that are actually harming us,we just don't have the research to prove it. Hmm.
It got old reading about antiquated ideas of information gatekeeping, but I understand (I think) his frustration with non-allopathic practitioners. They are not all created equal. His explanations on autoimmune and gluten intolerance were helpful to read. Although, I must say, of all the stack of books I am currently reading about autoimmune, this one is the one with the lightest Sources appendix. 😉
December 27, 2017
A good look at what gluten really is and what it does (and also what it does not!) Gluten has been demonized a lot in the recent years, and this book does a good job of taking out the hype, the no-basis fear, and gives the real down low on gluten.
May 9, 2020
Unfortunately, this book raised many more questions than it answered. I did appreciate the summaries at the end of each chapter, because they allowed me to skim a bit more.
March 31, 2021
Obsessed with dieting? Wanna know their mechanisms? Searching for which one is suitable for ya and if not then why? Give it a read THEN!
August 24, 2025
Basically, don’t start a gluten free diet unless you need to start a gluten free diet.
Has some helpful information, but I don’t know that it was anything new to me.
Has some helpful information, but I don’t know that it was anything new to me.
February 14, 2017
Part VI was especially helpful as a celiac.
July 30, 2016
First of all, I will freely admit that I did not finish this book. This was not, however, because it was boring or uninformative. Written by the director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, this book dispels many gluten-related myths with science and facts. The authors explain exactly what gluten is, how it effects the normal body, and how it effects bodies with gluten sensitivities or celiac. It also discusses other digestive issues and how they can effect the entire body. The only reason that I stopped reading it is because I don't have any of these issues myself. I checked it out initially because I wanted to get information from actual doctors/scientists instead of diet gurus. I learned what I wanted to learn. It's a very good basic primer about gluten. Read it with an open mind; you might learn something that surprises you.
November 14, 2016
Excellent book. With multiple autoimmune conditions including celiac, this shed some much-needed light on things. I do think the explanations of how a gluten-free diet can be less healthy are intriguing - if all you eat are frozen GF waffles and burritos, yes, you're going to be less healthy. I guess that's the norm though. I appreciate his work in publishing these books; I don't fall into the "too lazy to get tested" category, but I have been disappointed at the way my "world-class" doctors are able to diagnose and isolate symptoms and provide useful diagnoses. A must for anyone with celiac and another autoimmune condition.
July 9, 2016
Although I like the authorship: a practicing scientist who is well-regarded in the study of celiac disease, the writing is bland and meandering. Alan Levinowitz' The Gluten Lie is much more well-written, and reaches many of the same conclusions. If you suffer from or think you might have Celiac Disease, you’ll read this book no matter what, because it addresses the state of the science on this disease, but for everyone else, including those who think they have gluten issues, skip it
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September 18, 2016I felt like this book didn't "say" anything. It mentioned that we just don't know many, many times. More research needs to be done seems to be the thesis?
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September 20, 2016Abandoned on page 89.
November 7, 2016
A very balanced, scientific, facts based book.
Read
July 21, 2023Thank You
June 19, 2017
I have never seen such a clearly written and clearly researched breakdown of gluten and the common GI conditions. If anyone is trying to understand the basics of IBS, IBD, gluten sensitivity, other food sensitivities, and more, this book will help them understand the different players and the issues that they can cause. It also covers the research that exists on gluten and describes it all in plain language. The book then guides the reader to understand what the benefits and risks are of each option, and which steps they should take to improve their GI health. The book jumps around a bit and requires the reader to pay close attention and refer back to past sections, but it's worth it!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews