Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity May Not Exist

[Anonymous]

Aside from a few, rare people with confirmed celiac diagnoses, the science is suggesting that "gluten sensitivity" is a fad, and psychosomatic (in your head).

Seems like the real problem is maybe having weird control issues (mental health), than any physical health issue.

http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/05/gluten_sensitivity_may_not_exist.html

[Anonymous]

No shit! People hear all day long "you will feel so much better when you cut out gluten" or "GF changed my life, I feel fabulous" or "lost 20 lbs without trying going GF" so naturally when they go GF they feel better too. People feel better when they are proactively doing something.

[Anonymous]

I read that article and actually one of the things I took from it was the FODMOPs being the actual issue. It was interesting for me because I have lots of IBS symptoms and have always thought they were small intestine based due to how soon after eating I get sick. Also interestingly I already have cut out lots of the high FODMOPS foods because I know they don't make me feel great. So it felt like a great fit, whereas gluten sensitivity/intolerance that others suggested I had never did. There were lots of gluten free foods that also bothered me. I have been doing reading to day to see if FODMOPS is supported by research versus being a fad and it looks fairly promising. You do an elimination diet for 6 weeks or so then start adding foods back in and most people find there there is either one category or specific foods triggering symptoms. Studies show about 75% report improved symptoms although I have read mixed results on longer term outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No shit! People hear all day long "you will feel so much better when you cut out gluten" or "GF changed my life, I feel fabulous" or "lost 20 lbs without trying going GF" so naturally when they go GF they feel better too. People feel better when they are proactively doing something.

I went gluten free and felt worse!

[Anonymous]

This is hardly new or news, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is hardly new or news, OP.

It is kind of news. It is from the same researcher who had previously reported that there were gluten sensitivities. His results didn't make all that much sense to him so he designed a study with much tighter controls and found the opposite was true. Not OP but I find it interesting to have science to back up public opinion.

[Anonymous]

Yup. Everyone drinks the koolaid when it comes to the latest greatest health claim.

[Anonymous]

But you can have a wheat allergy - that can be tested for - I got tested and I've never felt better since cutting out wheat (not necess. Gluten) - lost a little weight and my chronic sinus and allergy problems significantly cleared.

[Anonymous]

Glad to know my kid had failure to thrive and chronic constipation due to something that doesn't even exist. Silly pediatric gastroenterologists! The 5 of you we saw over a 4 year period should have told us it was all make-believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Glad to know my kid had failure to thrive and chronic constipation due to something that doesn't even exist. Silly pediatric gastroenterologists! The 5 of you we saw over a 4 year period should have told us it was all make-believe.

Or if you read the article you would see that it could also be something like FODMAPS rather than the gluten itself. How did they conclusively diagnose a gluten sensitivity? I am not aware of any tests that show a positive result for that. Celiac - yes. Gluten sensitivity - no. Mostly it comes from elimination diets and trial and error, neither of which are specific to gluten.

[Anonymous]

I have Celiacs so am obviously 100% gluten free. Because I do most of the cooking in the house, DH is about 75% gluten free. He has admitted that he's noticed some changes for the better in how he feels but honestly I think part of that is because going gluten free has cut out A LOT of the processed foods we used to eat, so now we are eating much cleaner than before. I do wonder if the people who go gluten free not due to celiac or an allergy feel better because they too are also eating less processed foods.

I can't speak to whether or not a gluten sensitivity is made up, but I do think there are some diagnoses that fall outside the celiac/allergy diagnosis. But until those diseases have any names, doctors will continue to say someone has a non celiac gluten sensitivity based soley on the fact that cutting out gluten has fixed the person's health issue

[Anonymous]

Is celiac really all that rare? There are two people in my office who have it (me being one of them). Hell, I don't care if the gluten sensitivity diagnosis is fake or not. The new fad or whatever you want to call it has certainly improved my life since now there are more gluten free options available at restaurants and in stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to know my kid had failure to thrive and chronic constipation due to something that doesn't even exist. Silly pediatric gastroenterologists! The 5 of you we saw over a 4 year period should have told us it was all make-believe.

Or if you read the article you would see that it could also be something like FODMAPS rather than the gluten itself. How did they conclusively diagnose a gluten sensitivity? I am not aware of any tests that show a positive result for that. Celiac - yes. Gluten sensitivity - no. Mostly it comes from elimination diets and trial and error, neither of which are specific to gluten.

Or you could not assume I don't know about FODMAPs. We spent 4 years with top-notch doctors doing biopsies, on elimination diets, laxatives, and the only thing that helped was cutting out the gluten containing foods. My kid grew inches, put on lbs, and finally looked like a four year old and not a Biafran toddler. If it doesn't contain gluten it doesn't cause her trouble. She's 8 now and knows more about nutrition and allergies than most adults. Sorry my kid's happy ending doesn't fit your pet theory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aside from a few, rare people with confirmed celiac diagnoses, the science is suggesting that "gluten sensitivity" is a fad, and psychosomatic (in your head).

Seems like the real problem is maybe having weird control issues (mental health), than any physical health issue.

http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/05/gluten_sensitivity_may_not_exist.html

Op, why do you care? I mean really, I don't get it. So some people claim they have a gluten sensitivity and are gluten free...why does that matter to you? I have celiac and really don't give a flying eff if someone is gluten free by choice, because of an allergy or celiac, or some "perceived insensitivity". I really don't get why people get so worked up over this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is celiac really all that rare? There are two people in my office who have it (me being one of them). Hell, I don't care if the gluten sensitivity diagnosis is fake or not. The new fad or whatever you want to call it has certainly improved my life since now there are more gluten free options available at restaurants and in stores.

I think it's uncommon, but not super rare, and getting less uncommon as they get better at diagnosing it - I believe the incidence rate is believed to be just under 1% of the population.