That Gluten Study that's all over facebook

[hummingbird]

I've seen many links to this study on social media. www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/unless-you-have-celiac-disease-gluten-sensitivity-is-probably-just-in-your-head/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pbsofficial&utm_campaign=nova_next

I was wondering what people thought of it.

[localkaty]

This biggest problems I have with this study: it measured patient-reported symptoms, rather than anything objective and comparable; it limited measure symptoms to short-term digestive comfort; nobody just eats isolated gluten as a side dish - it comes packaged in wheat, and a reaction to wheat should probably be indicative of a need to avoid wheat, regardless of reaction to gluten isolate; and of course, the control was whey protein.

All this study really tells us is that people with IBS are likely to experience worsened digestive symptoms when eating wheat, but may not experience an increase in digestive symptoms when consuming isolated gluten over consuming isolated dairy protein. It probably shouldn't be assumed to be broadly applicable to non-IBS patients, anyone with or at risk of multiple food sensitives, anyone with non-digestive symptoms, or anyone who doesn't get their gluten in pill form.

[hummingbird]

That makes a lot of sense. It had a small sample size, just 37 people, but I hadn't thought of it being only about patient-reported symptoms. They used isolated gluten and whey? I had pictured different kinds of bread, but was wondering how they would keep the people in the study from telling them apart.

I was really tired of people showing me articles on that as if it would magically change my mind about wheat causing my daughters symptoms.

[AnnaO]

I like what Shauna Ahern wrote about it: glutenfreegirl.com/2014/05/gluten-sensitivity-is-real/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gluten-sensitivity-is-real

[localkaty]

May 27, 2014 20:26:58 GMT -5 hummingbird said:

I was really tired of people showing me articles on that as if it would magically change my mind about wheat causing my daughters symptoms.

I bet! People get weirdly defensive when you eat differently than they do, and even more so when you feed kids differently. I had a severe milk allergy when I was little and went home sick several times because my teachers thought my mom was making up the allergy and I wasn't getting enough calcium, so they'd buy me cartons of milk and make me drink them with my lunch.

[EJ]

Here are some more trusted responses:

Mark Sisson: www.marksdailyapple.com/does-gluten-have-any-effect-on-non-celiacs/#axzz331akgVVA
Robb Wolf: robbwolf.com/2014/05/16/gluten-intolerance-exist/
Chris Kresser: chriskresser.com/is-gluten-sensitivity-real

And PS when I searched for them (I've read them, just had to find them again), multiple articles popped up from each person regarding the very same issue over and over again It's similar to the red meat/cancer stuff.

[rach]

Am I the only one who thought the study wasn't too bad? Wheat contains gluten. Wheat is also a FODMAP food. Either of these could be causing your IBS. This study simply indicates it's probably more likely to be a FODMAP problem, than gluten sensitivity.
It is, like all academic studies, terribly reported by the media, but if you feel bad, eliminate wheat and feel better, maybe you should also try eliminating other FODMAP foods and see if you feel great. Nothing threatening in there at all.

[gutsybynature]

I don't have a problem with the study either - but the way the media reported it is terrible and suggested something entirely different than what the study said. The media made it out that the whole idea that wheat makes us feel bad is just in our heads.