Gluten sensitivity: problems of an emerging condition separate from celiac disease

Abstract

Gluten sensitivity appears to be emerging as a separate condition from celiac disease, yet no clear definition or diagnosis exists. As a result, patients with gluten sensitivity experience delayed diagnosis and continuing symptoms if they consume gluten. This emerging medical problem may involve human genetics, plant genetic modifications, gluten as a food additive, environmental toxins, hormonal influences, intestinal infections and autoimmune diseases. The treatment is similar to that for celiac disease – a gluten-free diet. The use of a gluten-free diet or an elimination diet is encouraged in assisting people to determine whether or not they are gluten sensitive. It is time to not only recognize, but to treat and further research gluten sensitivity, as unconfirmed environmental factors continue to spread this problem further into the general population.

Keywords::

• celiac disease
• gluten sensitivity
• intolerance
• nonceliac gluten sensitivity

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was made possible by a grant from the Broad Medical Research Program of the Broad Foundation. A Brown is CEO of Natural Remedy Labs, LLC. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

tG: Transglutaminase.

© 2011 Amy Brown.

^†Less than half of newly diagnosed celiac patients exhibit classic gastrointestinal symptoms.

Adapted from [64,92,93,99–103]. © 2011 Amy Brown.

Adapted from [93] and references noted above.