More and more Americans have gluten problems today. But is it really a gluten problem? Experts are saying that many people with gluten problems have doctors who are not prescribing them with the proper tests. In many cases these people do not actually have a gluten problem.
Fox news reports on the lack of proper testing in gluten patients.
“People who believe they are sensitive to gluten have often not been adequately tested to rule out celiac disease, reports a new study. Mrs. Biesiekierski told Reuters Health that people with trouble digesting gluten who are not tested for celiac disease may not get proper treatment, which could lead to health problems down the line,” according to Fox.
Celiac disease is quite similar to problems with gluten. It is important for physicians to order proper testing that differentiates between the two for purposes of obtaining the right treatment for patients.
Fox explains what celiac disease is and how it affects the body, “Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which eating gluten - a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye - damages the lining of the intestines, resulting in digestive symptoms and potential complications. Some people who don’t have celiac disease or haven’t been tested have similar symptoms they believe are triggered by gluten.”
The study looked at many people to come up with conclusive findings.
Fox reports, “To find out more about non-celiac gluten sensitivity, the researchers interviewed people who believed they were sensitive to gluten about their diet, their gluten-related symptoms and any tests they had been given. They enrolled 147 participants from Melbourne. Participants were in their mid-40s, on average, and most were women. Seventy-two percent of them didn’t meet the description of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, according to findings published in Nutrition in Clinical Practice. For instance, they hadn’t had tests to rule out celiac disease, still had symptoms despite removing gluten from their diet or weren’t following a gluten-free diet.”
Experts are emphasizing the importance of getting proper tests in order to get patients proper treatment.
