Gluten intolerant? It could be something else

Many people are gluten intolerant—but the problem might be more to do with the way the brain and gut communicate.

Gluten intolerance—known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)—is real enough, with sufferers reporting symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and fatigue.

But it may not just be a reaction to gluten, but instead the symptoms could be triggered by fermentable carbohydrates, commonly known as FODMAPs, which are sugars and starches that the gut breaks down through fermentation. FODMAP foods include wheat, onions, garlic, and some fruits.

NCGS is part of a broader gut-brain interaction spectrum, more closely related to conditions like IBS than to a gluten disorder, say researchers from the University of Melbourne.

When the researchers tested different diets on volunteers, they found that only a small number of people showed genuine gluten responses. Overall, reactions were no different from those caused by a placebo.

Gluten is certainly a factor in NCGS sufferers, but something more is going on, the researchers say.

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