Immune system is supposed to fight against foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, while leaving the body’s tissues harmless.
So, when this process goes awry, allergies and other autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes can develop.
According to study conducted by scientists at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa, it was found that almost half of the type 1 diabetic patients have an abnormal immune response to wheat proteins.
Dr. Scott, a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa clearly shows that certain immune cells called ‘T cells’ present in type 1 diabetics are more likely to over- react to wheat.
“The immune system has to find the perfect balance to defend the body against foreign invaders without hurting itself or over-reacting to the environment and this can be particularly challenging in the gut, where there is an abundance of food and bacteria,” said Dr. Scott.
Read more at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute