William Davis

[[File:William Davis.png|right|thumb|165px|William Davis]]
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{{cquote|Wheat is addictive in the sense that it comes to dominate thoughts and behaviors.|||William Davis<ref>[https://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/04/wheat-is-an-opiate/ Wheat is an opiate]. William Davis.</ref>}}

'''William R. Davis''' {{lived|1957}} is an [[American]] cardiologist, [[Statin denialism|cholesterol denialist]], [[low-carb diet]] advocate and anti-wheat campaigner, best known for his stance against modern wheat which he believes is a "chronic poison".<ref name="CBS 1">[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/modern-wheat-a-perfect-chronic-poison-doctor-says/ Modern wheat a "perfect, chronic poison," doctor says]</ref>

Davis advocates the elimination of all grains from the American diet.<ref>[https://nationalpost.com/health/wheat-belly-author-goes-even-further-in-campaign-against-grains-saying-seed-of-any-grass-is-no-good Wheat Belly author goes even further in campaign against grains, saying seeds of any grass are no good]</ref> He has been widely criticized by medical experts for making false assertions about wheat, unsupported by [[scientific]] [[evidence]].<ref name="CBC 1">[https://www.cbc.ca/news/wheat-belly-arguments-are-based-on-shaky-science-critics-say-1.2974214 Wheat Belly arguments are based on shaky science, critics say]</ref><ref name="Jones">Jones, Julie. (2012). [https://aaccipublications.aaccnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/CFW-57-4-0177 ''Wheat Belly—An analysis of selected statements and basic theses from the book'']. ''Cereal Foods World''. 57 (4): 177–189.</ref><ref name="Kealey">[http://www.sheilakealey.com/nutrition-experts-shouldnt-trust-2/#Davis Nutrition & Health “Experts” You Shouldn’t Trust]</ref><ref name="Forks">[https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-smoke-and-mirrors-behind-wheat-belly-and-grain-brain/#gs.1ovycd The Smoke and Mirrors Behind Wheat Belly and Grain Brain]</ref><ref name="Daily Beast">[https://www.thedailybeast.com/war-on-science-gluten-free-madness-needs-to-end?ref=scroll War On Science: Gluten-Free Madness Needs to End]</ref><ref name="Brouns">Fred JPH Brouns; Vincent J van Buul; Peter R Shewry (September 2013). [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0733521013000969 ''Does wheat make us fat and sick?'']. ''Journal of Cereal Science''. 58 (2): 209–215.</ref> 

==Wheat Belly==

{{cquote|There is no good evidence that wheat causes disease or weight gain, but actually very good evidence that WHOLE grains are health promoting. Wheat Belly links wheat to just about any ailment you can imagine. If you follow this diet you will exclude many nutritious foods for no reason. The diet is also very low in carbohydrates, which might be a problem if you are an endurance athlete.|||Public health scientist Sheila Kealey‏ on William Davis.<ref name="Kealey"/>}}

Davis has authored ''Wheat Belly'', which became a [[New York Times]] bestseller in 2011. Davis believes that by eliminating all grains from the American diet there will be "transformations" in health.<ref name="CBS 1"/> He argues that modern wheat has killed more people than all wars combined and is the cause of many diseases and ills including arthritis, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, Crohn's disease, [[obesity]] and [[schizophrenia]].<ref name="Interview">[https://www.betternutrition.com/health-experts/wheat-free-health William Davis Interview]</ref><ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/03/grain Against the Grain]. The New Yorker.</ref> The medical community rejects these views due to lack of evidence. Medical experts pointed out that the book made false assertions, made statements that were not backed up by case studies and misrepresented scientific data.<ref name="CBC 1"/><ref name="Jones"/><ref name="Forks"/><ref name="Daily Beast"/> Physician Paul A. Offit noted that the book does not have a "shred of evidence" proving the authors contentions correct.<ref name="Daily Beast"/>

Physician Yoni Freedhoff commented:

{{quotebox|The kindest way for me to describe Wheat Belly is as the [[Atkins diet]] wrapped in one physician's broad sweeping, yet not particularly well backed up by evidence theory, that wheat's modern genetic modifications are responsible for the majority of society's ills. The harshest would be that Dr. Davis has eschewed his medical responsibility to ensure that the information he conveys to the public while wearing his MD hat is firmly supported by and grounded in science (or at the very least point out when a view is highly preliminary and theoretical), and instead, uses his MD platform to push his own personal theory onto a trusting, vulnerable, and desperate public, as nearly irrefutably factual and scientific.<ref>[http://www.weightymatters.ca/2013/02/diet-book-review-wheat-belly.html Diet Book Review: Wheat Belly]. Yoni Freedhoff.</ref>}}

Davis has stated that modern wheat is "created by genetic research in the '60s and '70s" leading to the inclusion of a [[protein]] in our wheat called gliadin.<ref name="CBS 1"/> He claims that everybody is 'susceptible' to this gliadin protein as it "binds into the opiate receptors in your [[brain]] and in most people stimulates appetite, such that we consume 440 more calories per day, 365 days per year."<ref name="CBS 1"/> Gliadin is present in all wheat lines and in related wild species but there is no evidence it has addictive properties. A 2013 review in the ''Journal of Cereal Science'', concluded "we consider that statements made in the book of Davis, as well as in related interviews, cannot be substantiated based on published scientific studies."<ref name="Brouns"/>

According to Davis:
{{quotebox|When we eat wheat, the gliadin gets broken down into polypeptides, which are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind with certain opiate receptors. Because of the nature of these opiate receptors, gliadin doesn't cause pain relief or euphoria, it causes addiction and appetite stimulation. It's a very, very unique kind of opiate.<ref name="Interview"/>}}

His idea that wheat has addictive properties is not supported by scientific evidence.<ref name="CBC 1"/><ref name="Jones"/> Joe Schwarcz, a chemist at McGill University commented that "opioid peptides" are produced when some foods are digested. But just because they can bind to opiate receptors in the brain doesn't mean they produce a morphine-like effect."<ref name="CBC 1"/> 

Davis has asserted that ancient wheat varieties are superior to modern varieties in reducing disease. This has also been disputed.<ref name="CBC 1"/> A 2018 study concluded that "given the limited number of human trials, it is not possible to definitely conclude that ancient wheat varieties are superior to all modern counterparts in reducing chronic disease."<ref>Dinu ''et al''. (2018). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29065353 Ancient wheat species and human health: Biochemical and clinical implications]. ''J Nutr Biochem'' 52: 1-9.</ref> A 2012 study also found that α-gliadin was present in two varieties of ancient wheat (Graziella Ra and Kamut) at greater amounts than modern wheat and the ancient varieties were therefore not recommended for celiac disease patients.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3354720/ Are Ancient Durum Wheats Less Toxic to Celiac Patients? A Study of α-Gliadin from Graziella Ra and Kamut] by M. Stella Colomba & Armando Gregorini (2012) ''The Scientific World Journal'' Article ID 837416. doi:10.1100/2012/837416.</ref>

==Undoctored==

Davis has authored ''Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor'', 2017.

==See also==

*[[David Perlmutter]]
*[[Vinnie Tortorich]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, William}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Cholesterol and statin denialists]]
[[Category:Food woo promoters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Low-carb fanatics]]
[[Category:Physicians]]

Categories: Authors, Cholesterol and statin denialists, Food woo promoters, Living people, Low-carb fanatics, Physicians