Short-term gluten intake does not alter body composition or cardiovascular regulation in healthy rats

Gluten-free products have become increasingly popular, especially with individuals seeking weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. However, the assertion that gluten consumption leads to obesity and associated chronic illnesses is founded on inconsistent research regarding the impact of gluten on body composition and cardiometabolic health. Adverse effects were predominantly noted when metabolic stressors were also present. Therefore, we hypothesized that gluten consumption alone would not have negative effects on body composition and cardiovascular regulation. Thus, we evaluated the effect of gluten consumption on food intake, body mass, white adipose tissue (WAT) masses, IL-6 and TNF gene expression in retroperitoneal adipose tissue (rWAT), and cardiovascular function in Wistar rats.

After weaning, rats were divided into groups: Control (C) - fed with AIN93-G (a gluten-free diet), and Gluten (G) - fed with gluten-supplemented AIN93-G (diet containing 10% of wheat gluten) for 5 weeks. Then, rats underwent femoral artery cannulation to cardiovascular assessments. At the end of the protocol, body mass gain was measured. Subsequently, rats were euthanized, and subcutaneous and visceral WAT were collected for subsequent analysis of adiposity index, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the rWAT. No significant effects on food intake, body mass, white adipose tissue mass, IL-6 and TNF gene expression in rWAT, or hemodynamic and cardiovascular variability were observed between groups.

Our findings suggest that short-term gluten intake was not associated with cardiometabolic impairment in healthy rats, particularly in relation to visceral adiposity and autonomic cardiovascular regulation.