Are Grains Killing Your Brain?
A new book argues that eating wheat sets you up for Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. Should you go grain-free? Nutrition Diva reviews the evidence behind this latest theory.
In his new book, Grain Brain, David Perlmutter argues that a diet high in grains (especially modern wheat) may be a hidden cause of Alzheimer’s, dementia, migraines, and ADHD. In fact, he’s convinced that these conditions are primarily driven by dietary choices and that you can prevent or reverse them all by following his program.
Those are some pretty big promises. So I thought it would be worth checking out the evidence to support them.
Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Picturelife, the best way to protect and secure your photos and videos. Picturelife works on Mac, Windows, and iPhone, and even backs up your Facebook and Instagram pics. All for only $7 a month. For a free two-month trial visit picturelife.com/diva.
Did Cavemen Get Alzheimer’s?
Perlmutter starts out with a familiar Paleo refrain: Our digestive systems are not adapted to grains, which entered the human diet roughly 10,000 years ago. According to this theory, any food that wasn’t part of the human diet then is potentially toxic. This makes it sound as if the Paleolithic Era were a sort of magical moment in history when the human body was perfectly adapted to its environment. But that’s kind of silly when you think about it.
See also: Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet
Just like us, our Paleolithic ancestors had certain genetic traits that worked to their advantage, others that slowed them down, and still others that were (at the moment) neither helpful nor harmful. And just like us, Paleolithic humans didn’t all have the same genetic traits and didn’t all live in the same environments or have the same diets.
Is Modern Wheat the Real Problem?
Apparently, eating grains didn’t actually cause too much trouble for the first 9900 years that they were part of the human diet.
But the whole Paleo debate is really moot because, as soon as Perlmutter lays out this argument, he abandons it for a different, conflicting argument – one that you’ll recognize if you read William Davis’ book Wheat Belly. Apparently, eating grains didn’t actually cause too much trouble for the first 9,900 years that they were part of the human diet. But now, modern strains of wheat, especially the genetically modified ones, are far worse than the ancient grains.
Many of Perlmutter’s claims are based on the idea that wheat is a major contributor to inflammation in the body. However, some of his evidence comes from animal studies. For example, he cites research that shows that wheat gluten can cause inflammation in mice.
Are We Experiencing An Epidemic?
Perhaps the most dramatic claim in Grain Brain is that we are experiencing an epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease that is closely related to the increase in the consumption of grains. Perlmutter notes that Alzheimer’s was relatively rare until the mid-20th century, but he does not offer any evidence to show that grain consumption was also rare at that time.
In fact, grain consumption was on the rise throughout the 20th century. The USDA data shows that per capita wheat consumption increased by about 40% from 1960 to 2010. Perlmutter claims that in the past 30 years alone, wheat consumption has increased 30%, but there is no evidence offered to back that up.
Let’s Do the Science
So what about the evidence he presents? A good portion of the science that Perlmutter references to support his claims is based on observational studies, which can show correlation but not causation. For example, there is a lot of evidence that eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates can lead to inflammation. But the research doesn’t establish whether or not eliminating grains entirely would prevent Alzheimer’s.
In fact, there is research showing that eating whole grains has a protective effect against diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are known risk factors for Alzheimer’s.
What You Can Do
If you find that you feel better avoiding grains, then that may be the right choice for you. But I recommend being careful about eliminating any food groups altogether unless you have a clear reason for doing so.
Always remember to talk to your health professional before making any major changes to your diet.
Bottom Line: As tempting as it is to find one easy answer to the complex question of brain health, the science simply doesn’t support it.