The Gluten-Endo Connection: Separating Fact from TikTok Trends

That gluten-free life is all over your FYP, with claims it can help everything from endometriosis pain to fertility. But before you ditch the bread basket, let's look at what's actually going on.

Who Actually Needs to Avoid Gluten?

Let's be clear: For people with celiac disease (about 1% of the population) or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten is medically necessary. These aren't trends—they're health requirements.

But for everyone else? There's little evidence suggesting gluten itself is harmful when consumed in moderate amounts, especially from quality sources.

What Science Really Says

There's no solid evidence that gluten directly impacts fertility—even for those with endometriosis. While some small studies suggest going gluten-free might help with endo pain (with one showing 75% of participants experienced less pain after 12 months), researchers haven't confirmed any direct link to improved fertility outcomes.

A major study in ScienceDirect found that Western dietary patterns high in processed foods and red meat were directly linked to increased endometriosis risk, while eating more fruits and vegetables was protective.

A major 2024 study from the University of Edinburgh recently surveyed over 2,800 people with endometriosis about their dietary habits. Around 45% of respondents who eliminated gluten reported pain reduction—along with similar results for those who cut out dairy, while alcohol reduction showed the highest benefit at 53%.

Importantly, even with these new findings, medical researchers aren't concluding that gluten itself is the problem. The study was survey-based, meaning it relied on self-reported improvements without controlling for other dietary changes that typically happen simultaneously when people cut out gluten (like reducing processed foods overall).

The Plot Twist

It might not be about the gluten at all. When people cut gluten, they're often:

• Eating fewer processed foods (goodbye, inflammation-triggering additives)

• Consuming less sugar and refined carbs

• Paying more attention to their overall nutrition

These changes—not necessarily the absence of gluten itself—could be what's helping with symptoms and overall reproductive health. Recent research has specifically identified trans fats and inflammatory compounds in processed foods as key factors in endometriosis development.

The Pesticide Factor

Here's something not enough people are talking about: Many conventional wheat crops in the U.S. are sprayed with glyphosate (a pesticide) to dry the plant before harvest. While regulatory agencies consider these levels "safe," there are legitimate concerns about how these chemicals might affect:

• Hormone balance

• Gut microbiome health

• Systemic inflammation

Going Back to Basics: Our Fertility-Friendly Sourdough

Opting for organic wheat products or exploring ancient grains like spelt or einkorn could be a smart move to reduce your chemical load. We actually make homemade sourdough spelt bread that is simply delicious. To take it a step further, we even cultivate our own sourdough starter that we grow ourselves—adding another layer of gut-friendly probiotics to our bread while avoiding commercial additives.

We boost the nutritional profile even further by adding seeds that support reproductive health:

• Pumpkin seeds (rich in zinc, which supports egg and sperm quality)

• Flaxseeds (contain lignans that help balance hormones)

• Sunflower seeds (high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that may support fertility)

• Sesame seeds (excellent source of calcium and zinc)

Spelt is very easy to cook with and bake with—a great alternative that doesn't require completely giving up the foods you love. Want to try it yourself? Check out two of our favorite fertility-boosting sourdough spelt bread recipes here (Substitute white flour in recipe with organic spelt):

📖 Prefer to Read? Check out the Step-by-Step Seedy Spelt No Knead Bread Recipe

🎥 Prefer to Watch? Watch the New York Times Popular No Knead Bread Recipe

Smart Moves for Anyone TTC

Rather than jumping on a restrictive bandwagon:

• Focus on adding nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods (leafy greens, berries, healthy fats)

• Reduce processed and sugary foods

• If you don't have celiac or sensitivity, consider choosing organic wheat products instead of eliminating gluten entirely

• Document how different foods affect YOUR symptoms

• Partner with a healthcare provider who understands reproductive nutrition

Studies have found that anti-inflammatory diets show measurable reductions in inflammatory markers in endometriosis patients, often providing relief without the need for total gluten elimination.

The takeaway? Your body isn't following a trend. What works for the endo influencer you follow might not work for you—and that's completely normal. Nourishment, not restriction, is the key to supporting your fertility journey.

Want to learn more about evidence-based approaches to fertility nutrition? Join our WOVA community where we cut through the noise with science-backed strategies.

References:

1. Marziali M, Venza M, Lazzaro S, et al. Gluten-free diet: a new strategy for management of painful endometriosis-related symptoms? Minerva Chir. 2012;67(6):499-504.

2. Myers JP, Antoniou MN, Blumberg B, et al. Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and risks associated with exposures: a consensus statement. Environ Health. 2016;15(1):19. doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0117-0

3. Dougan MM, Fest S, Cushing-Haugen K, et al. A prospective study of dietary patterns and the incidence of endometriosis diagnosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024;231(4):443.e1-443.e10. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2024.04.030

4. Missmer SA, Chavarro JE, Malspeis S, et al. A prospective study of dietary fat consumption and endometriosis risk. Hum Reprod. 2010;25(6):1528-1535. doi:10.1093/humrep/deq044