Do you think a complete absence of gluten in the diet helps with Afib?
Gluten: Do you think a complete absence... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Gluten
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Pommerania78
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No.
Why do you think so?
I was on a GF diet for elimination purposes (to manage longstanding GI symptoms under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian) and it made no difference to ectopics or AF. AF isn’t caused by gluten nor can it be treated by a GF diet. GF is unnecessary unless you have medically confirmed coeliac disease. If you want to develop food fears and an unhealthy relationship with food, and set yourself up for disordered eating which is a very real risk of following fad diets such as cutting out gluten just because, then go ahead. If you think you might have coeliac disease, get tested by a qualified health professional.
I had similar experience to Autumn Leaves - made no difference to AF but I did lose weight & because I had NO bread at all, no butter or spreads & that made a difference.
If you want really good information on how food can make you either ill or improve health suggest you look at all the Zoe podcasts & videos on YouTube.
I did the Zoe testing & learned a huge amount about my individual tolerances & intolerances and which foods I can take and not - but you can only do that with gut tests, blood tests and continuous glucose monitoring.
Read & research as much as you can but know that what works for one person may have the opposite effect for the next person and that goes for food, drugs, sleep, stress and exercise.
The Zoe programme is an expensive and not affordable for everyone, but the Zoe podcasts are free and the information is evidence-based from trusted sources. It’s far better to have a diet based on whole foods with as much variety and diversity as possible, rather than cutting out entire food groups on whim or a fad, and I consider the whole GF trend more as a fad, whilst acknowledging that there are people who have coeliac disease who must avoid all gluten forever. It’s not a condition that can switch on and off! My own dietary preference is a plant based diet with an emphasis on whole foods. It’s the overall dietary pattern over time that matters. I don’t consider diet as a way to control AF. My diet was good before AF happened. I actually did the Zoe diet survey during the pandemic when they had the Covid app and my score was 14/15 and that was before AF happened. I have changed nothing in my diet since AF. I don’t consider it an issue. I’m more in the camp of INclusion rather than EXclusion when it comes to food. Eating for overall health is a better idea than seeking to control AF with random food whims.
It might or might not. We all react differently. I had some luck for awhile with a low FODMAP diet, which is essentially gluten free. Not sure if eliminating gluten helped or eating lower FODMAP's, or a combination.
Jim
What is FODMAP? What do you mean by "some luck for awhile"? Thanks.
I did the low FODMAP diet for IBS under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian. It is a temporary elimination and reintroduction of high FODMAP foods in order to identify which foods — if any — are causing GI symptoms. It is not a first line therapy for IBS. It’s a lot of work and it needs careful planning, hence why it has to be done with a specialist dietitian in a healthcare setting
The low FODMAP diet isn’t a diet for life or a way of eating. It’s essentially a diagnostic process. The reintroduction phase is actually the most important part. The elimination phase should be as short as possible as many high FODMAP foods are actually beneficial for the gut microbiome. Only those that cause GI symptoms should ever be minimised and preferably not eliminated altogether.
The low FODMAP diet is not a so-called “healthy diet”. It’s a temporary diet for diagnostic purposes. Unfortunately some people get the impression that it’s some sort of way of eating that’s “good for you” but that’s not what it’s for. Long term it’s about a long term way of eating that minimises GI distress and allows for a diverse and varied diet.
FODMAP = Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Di-saccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.
As you probably know, much has been written about the afib/gut connection.
FODMAP's are a category of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the intestine by some people causing IBS like symptons such as bloating. A low FODMAP diet is an elimination diet that removes and then introduces these carbohydrates in systematic manner to see which FODMAP foods may be affecting you. A lot more information on the Monash University website.
At one point it kept me arrhythmia free for several months, so I guess that's what I meant by "awhile". I'm not on it strictly now, but still try to limit the high FODMAP foods.
Jim
Gluten per se .... No! However I followed the advice of a Nutritionist, back in the day which was a multifaceted approach to problem solving .... BECAUSE FOOD / FOOD INGREDIENTS were the triggers for my AF kicking in. So, over many years I did as I was advised, cut out as many products as I could including gluten, wheat and oats and a shedload of other food. This calmed my vagal nerve and calmed my heart ... to the point where now ( coming up to my 14th anniversary of my AF diagnosis ) I cannot remember my last AF event, definately 18 months maybe as long as 4 years ago. Who cares .... for me it's sorted ...... BUT ... I would never say cured !
I've never had cardioversion or ablation, just stuck to the drugs for life therapy ! Sorted.
But hey ho ! that's my good fortune ... not for everyone.
So you still take drugs for the AF? Which ones? Thanks.
From 2007 to 2010 - Simvastatin and Ramipril. (diagnosed with paroxysmal AF on 5/1/2010).
From 2010 to August 2023 - Simvastatin, Ramipril, Felodopine, (for Cholesterol and Blood Pressure), then Bisoprolol for HR control and Warfarin ( both prescribed when AF was diagnosed). I also take Bio-Quinone Active Q10 as a supplement. Painkillers are CoCodomol 30/500.
August 2023 to date - everything stays the same except that my GP changed Bisoprolol to Nebivolol and Warfarin to Edoxaban. Painkillers continue to be CoCodomol 30/500.
Hey ho ... onwards and upwards. Hope that all makes sense.
John
Thanks. So you only take beta blockers for AF?
yes, correct.
Thanks. Which ones and how much?
I now take 3.75mg of Nebivolol daily at night whereas previously I was taking 5mg of Bisoprolol at night.
Not necessarily. I’m pretty certain my AFIB episodes are vagal nerve related. I suffer IBS and certain foods trigger bloating which results in episodes of AFIB in the early hours of the morning after heavy meals. I followed the FODMAP diet and with the help of a nutritionist eliminated certain foods which calmed my IBS and reduced my episodes of AFIB. Most recently I’ve also given up alcohol which has reduced my AFIB episodes even further!
Why do you think food and drink have such an effect on Afib?
Because the vagal nerve is, basically, an information superhighway between the brain and the heart and the digestive system ( and it also wanders around touching on other organs too). Studies prove an increase in likelihood of AFIB increases with alcohol consumption.
Thanks. Perhaps that is why weight loss generally helps, not just Afib but lots of other things.
Totally agree on your comment on bloating. My symptoms were, intestinal gurgling, burping, diahorrea and massive, massive and painful bloating. All were debilitating, none occurred at the same time BUT the bloating would be the demon that would kick me into AF.
I have been following a Keto type way of eating including very low carbohydrate / almost Gluten free / no ultra refined seed oil for over 3 years, during this time I have lost around 70lbs / 30kgs in weight.
I no longer have inflammation in my joints including having the dexterity back in my hands that I thought had lost forever.
During this time I was chance diagnosed as having almost asymptomatic, paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.
I don’t believe that my way of eating has caused or adversely contributed to my AFib.
My Consultant has praised in writing my changes to my way of living.
Why do you feel that your eating has not not affected the Afib? Thanks.
I was diagnosed with celiac disease about 2 years prior to being diagnosed with Af
Have you eliminated gluten? Thanks.
Yes I have ,being gluten intolerant I know get vey bad stomach pains if I eat anything with gluten in,it is not a lifestyle choice
I have coeliac disease so I haven't had any gluten for 25 years. Unfortunately I still developed AFib a couple of years ago.
There's a lot of discussion these days about gluten intolerance (which is entirely different from coeliac disease which is an autoimmune disorder) which I'm inclined to think is a fad...but having said that all you can do is try it for 3 months and see for yourself if it makes any difference. We're all different and our bodies react to different things.
Autumn_Leaves in reply to
Much of what is called “gluten intolerance” is very likely due to wheat fructans which is a FODMAP but that needs to be worked out with. Registered Dietitian, because the same symptoms can also be caused by garlic which also contains a type of fructans, or it may be another high FODMAP food altogether eg avocado or mango. But cutting out gluten *just because* won’t do anything if the individual can tolerate it. In some cases they will eliminate some FODMAPS which can cause GI symptoms, but it’s not the gluten.
What are fructans and FODMAP? Thanks.
See my reply above
Gluten intolerance has proven to be such an big thing this past two decades or so and, most certainly, too, it's proven to be one of the very best marketing tools ever found.
I remain sceptical that it is as wide an issue as the internet or supermarket aisles would have us believe but it isn't all imagined. Actual intolerance to gluten, when an allergic response of IgE antibodies can be shown, is rare, perhaps at under 1%, and to connect gluten intake to vague (yet undoubtedly real) abdominal or other conditions like IBS has proven difficult. Perhaps 5% or so of people are gluten "intolerant" - maybe more so in children. It's also true that a gluten free diet is not only expensive but difficult to achieve and that it can also easily be lacking in important nutrients.
But, like taking oral magnesium, another unproven remedy that some swear by, it's surely worth trying if only because intestinal bloating seems to result easily from eating flour-based foods and that itself has been shown to spark AF episodes - not because of gluten, but by the physical disturbance caused to the heart from the gassy stomach and intestines. If it works for you, placebo or not, then that would be an excellent thing.
Steve
As I mentioned above, the non-gluten wheat sensitivity is likely due to the presence of fructans which is a FODMAP. There are many sources of high FODMAPs, including garlic, avocado, mango, asparagus and pears, all of which have a healthy image unlike wheat, but people are less keen on cutting those out. I have a friend who suffers from the laxative effects of honey (high in fructose, also a FODMAP) but refuses to accept that it might be the honey that’s causing the problem because “honey is healthy”. She also buys GF foods. Once people are convinced that GF is the “healthy” option there’s no convincing them otherwise. IBS symptoms are real and they can be controlled to some extent by identifying those fermentable food sources that create a lot of gas, distension and pain in the colon. For some, the GF approach may eliminate some of those fermentable fibre sources (wheat, barley and rye are high in fermentable oligosaccharides) so may result in some reduction in symptoms, but won’t help people whose symptoms may be caused by onions, leek and garlic.
That was a very interesting post. You really have a solid knowledge of this. I've had IBS since my mid twenties, so have suffered long although it's been a discomfort in the main. Only occasionally has it raised the fears that it might be "something else" and caused me to seek assurances via the long tube!
No foods seem to affect me at all, but I have a friend who claims he can't eat this, that or the other (and yet I've seen him do so several times with no ill effects)! The problem with diffuse pain and discomfort is locating the cause and elimination diets are hard going.
Steve
I was fortunate in that I saw a specialist dietitian at Guy’s & St Thomas’ and worked through all the stages of the FODMAP regime. My problem was excessive fermentation causing distension in the colon which was very apparent on my liver ultrasound. It’s not especially painful, strangely enough. It was very much improved by identifying the culprits which were, much to my dismay, wheat fructans. And I like pasta so that was very disappointing. It’s not the case that I can *never* have wheat products. I have a tolerance limit, so I will have some now and then in small amounts but not habitually. It is possible to slowly increase tolerance limits over time but so far I’m still triggering symptoms with a full portion of pasta. It’s thought to be due to not having the right gut microbes to break down the wheat fibre, or not enough of the desired microbes, so slow and gradual increases of the offending foods can encourage their growth, whereas exclusion diets over the long term deplete the gut microbes and if anything perpetuate the symptoms, possibly causing more problems. It’s not quite an “avoid forever” situation like coeliac disease. I also accept that the expectation of being symptom-free is unrealistic and a decrease in symptoms is still a win. Covid really affected my digestion system, upper GI, lower GI, gastritis-like symptoms, nausea, even the loss of taste and smell can be thrown in the mix. The worst of it passed but I don’t know if it disrupted the gut microbiome in the process. Antibiotics are something else that we have to watch with these gut health problems. So it’s always a work in progress.
Well, the only good news from that is that you found out what was happening. I have never known the cause of my troubles except that they all began after a business trip as a discomfort and a feeling that things weren't right. All I did, eventually, find out was that my bowel doesn't like to be distended and reacts painfully the specialist said that was a feature of people who suffer with IBS.
The growing knowledge regarding the "biome" is fascinating, but the research is, as I can read it, far away from the media reports of it. There may yet prove not to be any connection and the idea that the gut has a "brain" is far-fetched in my understanding of it. It's fairly clear that our understanding of the gut, indeed of the heart, is still far less good than people might imagine.
It's always lovely to read your posts, by the way. Your writing has a warmth and openness which appeals to me. My later career was as an English teacher and I would give you an A*! 
Steve
You charmer! 😂
I sometimes wish I had studied for an English degree, but I remember thinking at the time that I’d have to stay in every night reading Jane Austen novels instead of going to gigs and parties! 🤣
You are right to say that not much is known about how the gut microbiome may be influencing our overall health. There has been at least one study at KCL showing that exclusion diets such as the low FODMAP elimination phase reduce the diversity of microbes in the gut, and I think there is some evidence that GF diets do similarly.
There is a lot of hype about probiotics but the ones you’ll see in H&B are mostly are a waste of money. Fermented foods have limited evidence but at the very least you can have a nice condiment if you enjoy sauerkraut and at least you’re getting a good source of protein and calcium if you have kefir or yogurt. I prefer food to supplements. Speaking of H&B, they’re now selling “menopause chocolate”! Of course it costs more per gram than regular dark chocolate. 😂
I never was a party sort! Too reserved and rather shy. It took me a while to warm to Ms Austen. Hardy is my favourite author and Larkin my favourite poet.
H&B, well - they have very pleasant shops and they are the only place I can get the Sunsweet brand of prune juice that, alone of natural remedies, sorts out my "slow transit"! Other than that, what they sell is nigh on 100% placebo, and that is their percentage in profit, too, I should think!
Steve
My main gripe with H&B is that whenever I buy nuts from there they are almost always stale. I used to like their millet because it was the sticky glutinous variety but that’s been discontinued. Their dried prunes are delicious though, to the point where I just can’t have them in the house!
If you are prune connoisseur , you might enjoy trying the natural, sun dried prunes from “Bulgarian Nut” company. I get them from Amazon these days as they stopped shipping to the UK after Brexit. They need gentle stewing but, my, they are unique and almost as big as plums.
Steve
Hi
I sincerely doubt that going gluten free will make any difference. I became Coeliac 30 years ago; acquired Essential Thrombocythemia 13 years ago and AF 11 years ago that moved steadily from paroxysmal to permanent in three years and a pacemaker 7 years ago. I perceive no causal connection -I am the only common factor but they all affect me, along with the side effects of medications and the toll of my years.
If you are going gluten free be glad that the cardboard offerings that were available to us 30 years ago are long gone and you have an endless array oy gluten free foods available. It is only a magic bullet for coeliacs but thanks to raised awareness of sensible food intake gluten free is no longer a chore but a happy way of life.
Enjoy!
What is Essential Thrombocythemia?
It’s a blood cancer - unrelated to AF or Coeliac Disease - just another complication - but that’s life🤡
Sorry to hear that. You’ve certainly had plenty of challenges with your health.
I am non celiac gluten intolerant and get almost immediate ectopics if I eat any products that contain wheat. Or drink beverages containing wheat. After ablation in 2016, I continued having heart issues until a chiropractor suggested I try going gluten free to see if it helped with heart symptoms. Symptoms went away, and to this day, if I eat or drink anything with even small amount of wheat, my heart reacts. Everyone is different, but definitely has kept my heart in rhythm for years, since going gluten free. I never want to go back to the life of suffering that I had before going gf. Yes, it costs more and I hate that, but I try to mainly eat home cooked meals, not all the gf packaged food. It is easy to be gf now with so many choices. For me, stomach issues definitely affect my heart.
Why do you think you react to gluten? Thanks.
Since Gluten tends to make the gut wall more permeable, which then can allow small particles to get through into the blood; For me yes it is has helped with inflammation and especially with migraines. All depends on where the inflammation decides to create havoc and certainly it can affect the heart.
The wheat of today is completely different than the wheat of yesteryear. We have hybridized the wheat to make it more resistant and faster growing. Which has created new proteins that we can't digest, which is part of the problem. Increasing inflammation. If you can import products containing wheat from other countries you might find the original wheat. One such product is called Einkorn and it can be found and it is starting to be grown more.
My son went to Italy and few years ago and he had no problem with the pasta or bread there. Here is the USA we use so much pesticides and its is all GMOs.
I hope that gives some things to ponder. You have to experiment with yourself to know if it helps or not.
A nice side effect of not eating gluten was weight loss. I lost about 20 pounds and kept it off.
Same as Autumn and CD. I tried gluten free for almost 8 months and it did not affect my AF or ectopic episodes.
Thanks. How could you tell the difference between Af and ectopic?
Ectopics feel like a missed beat. AF for me is 180 HR that feels like a frog flipping in my chest constantly.
Thanks.
I was on a GF diet when my Afib struck - It didn't cause my Afib but didn't stop it occurring either.
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