A major scientific review has found that gluten sensitivity may not be caused by gluten at all, but by complex interactions between the gut and the brain.
Published in leading medical journal the Lancet in late October – and reported by SciTechDaily – the review looked at the current body of evidence on non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) in an effort to better understand why individuals who do not have celiac disease nonetheless experience gut-related symptoms after eating foods that contain gluten.
Researchers combined data from numerous studies and discovered that only 16 to 30 percent of individuals who self-report gluten or wheat sensitivity actually had symptoms triggered by gluten. The rest had responses to gluten that were indistinguishable from placebo.
“Contrary to popular belief, most people with NCGS aren’t reacting to gluten,” Jessica Biesiekierski, an associate professor from the University of Melbourne and the lead researcher on the paper, told SciTechDaily.
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“Our findings show that symptoms are more often triggered by fermentable carbohydrates, by other wheat components or by people’s expectations and prior experiences with food,” Biesiekierski explained. This suggests that NCGS should be seen, not as a standalone gut-related issue, but as part of the spectrum of brain-gut interaction disorders. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common condition on that spectrum, affecting 5 to 10 percent of the global population.
Jason Tye-Din, a gastroenterologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital who was not involved in the study, said the updated scientific knowledge could help clinicians provide more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment for patients who present with NCGS. “This review supports a more personalised, evidence-based approach to gut health and avoids unnecessary dietary restriction.”
Biesiekierski emphasised that her team would like to see public health messaging “shift away from the narrative that gluten is inherently harmful, as this research shows that this often isn’t the case.”
That could help combat the expectation of harm that contributes to NCGS. “These findings additionally call for better diagnostic tools, more rigorous clinical pathways, and research funding in this field, as well as improved public education and food labelling,” she added.
