Zombie Research Institute

Opioids

In addition to the overall systemic alteration caused by low orexin, gluten also has other psychoactive effects. The incomplete breakdown of gluten creates protein fragments which act as opioids in the human nervous system. I believe that these opioids are the cause of the addictive nature of gluten foods.

There are 15 of these opioids known to occur.
One of these, (exorphin B5) stimulates prolactin secretion through opioid receptors located outside the blood-brain barrier. link
Prolactin is one of the hormones that provides the rewarding feeling and refractory period after sex. link

I could see how that might be addictive...

Unfortunately, that effect also inhibits dopamine which is responsible for sexual arousal. It also decreases normal levels of sex hormones — estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Unusually high amounts of prolactin are suspected to be responsible for impotence and loss of libido.

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