INFLUENCE OF GLUTEN-RICH DIETS ON THE INTESTINAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
Parole chiave:
Ceiac disease, Clinical care, Diagnosis, Age-generated vulnerabilities, Non-celiac gluten sensitivityAbstract
During natural aging, a variety of complex degenerative processes occur, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, affecting both its morphology and function. These modifications in the elderly threaten nutrient absorption and intestinal permeability, promoting a pro-inflammatory environment in the aging gut, which can lead to constipation, gastroparesis and dysbiosis. Chronic inflammation can reach the brain because the gastrointestinal tract integrates signals from the gut-brain axis and induces neuroinflammation-compromising mechanisms that contribute to depression, anxiety, and progressive cognitive decline. Modern diets high in gluten may represent an underestimated factor contributing to intestinal disturbances and to the worsening of neuropsychiatric conditions, which are more severe in older adults than in younger individuals. The purpose of this integrative review was to investigate the effects of a gluten-rich diet on the vulnerabilities generated by aging in intestinal and mental health. A comprehensive search that was conducted in the PubMed and SciELO databases covering publications from 2015 to 2025. Eight studies met the exclusion and inclusion criteria and were selected for the integrative review analysis. The findings of these studies suggest that gluten may exacerbate age-related vulnerabilities and that following a gluten-free diet could potentially improve both intestinal and mental health disorders. However, further research is needed, particularly among non-celiac elderly individuals, to fully understand the impact of gluten on both intestinal and mental health.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Diálogos em Gerontologia

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