Gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity?

Gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity?

01/07/2013

The range of foods that are advertised to be gluten-free is now huge. More and more people resort to such goods with the conviction that gluten is not good for their health. For many people this step is superfluous and can make it difficult to diagnose serious illnesses.

Is there gluten sensitivity at all?
When it comes to nutrition, many people can tell of acquaintances and friends, in which a change to gluten-free products would have to get rid of health problems such as bloated stomach or diarrhea. According to interest groups, every 20th German suffer from a sensitivity to gluten, so they can not digest the gluten protein correctly. Fear of possible intolerance has made gluten-free foods so popular. So far, however, experts are still trying to find out if there is any gluten sensitivity at all.

Gluten sensitivity does not equal gluten intolerance
Gluten, also known as gluten or adhesive, refers to proteins found in the seeds of some types of grains. In some grains, such as wheat, spelled or rye, gluten is particularly high, in oats and barley rather little and corn or rice are gluten-free. Gluten sensitivity can not be determined directly from a medical perspective. However, a gluten intolerance already. In celiac disease, as the gluten allergy is medically termed, the small intestinal mucosa becomes inflamed in response to gluten. To determine a gluten sensitivity, a doctor would first exclude celiac disease and a wheat allergy by testing. If a gluten-free diet leads to an improvement in the patient, then it is gluten sensitivity. However, Stephanie Baas of the German Celiac Society (DZG) sees no proof that the symptoms were caused by gluten: „Just the fact that the diet is changed, can make you feel better.“

Experiment in Australia
Scientists at Box Hill Hospital in the Australian state of Victoria conducted an experiment with 34 sufferers to investigate the effect of gluten-free diets without a placebo effect. Without knowing which group they belonged to, the subjects ate either gluten-free or gluten-free bread every day for six weeks. The result was that those with a gluten-free diet were better off. „This is a clear indication that the consumption of cereals and gluten sensitivity are related, "Baas said. „Gluten sensitivity might exist, but we could not elucidate the mechanism of origin. "

Insect repellents in crops cause?
A team led by Detlef Schuppan from Gutenberg University Mainz recently came closer to the phenomenon. The scientists compared the responses of the immune system to modern high-performance grains and the reaction to old and exotic cereals. They concluded that gluten sensitivity may be due to proteins called adenosine triphosphate amylase (ATI) instead of gluten. Since these usually occur together with gluten in cereals, the effect of the substances could be distinguished so far bad. If the suspicion should be confirmed, a possible explanation for the accumulation of gluten sensitivity in recent years could be found, because ATIs are natural insect repellents that have been deliberately crossed into high-yielding wheat and other crops for higher yields. The scientists do not want to commit themselves yet. „The whole thing is very new“, So Schuppan. „We need more data from clinical trials to deduce consequences for the patient. "

No benefit for healthy people
For some people celebrities, such as Gwyneth Paltrow or Miley Cyrus are crucial to live as gluten-free and try to lose weight. Others believe that such foods are healthier. „But it's not like that, "explains DZG doctor Baas. „For healthy people, the gluten-free diet has no benefit - on the contrary. "Rather, such products would often taste dry and crumble. „Gluten is a flavor carrier that holds the dough together and gives baked goods a pleasant consistency. "If the gluten-free white is missing, the manufacturer has to mix more sugar and fat into products such as bread, cakes or biscuits.

Diagnosis is made more difficult
Gluten-free foods are therefore not suitable for losing weight per se. Baas also addresses another negative aspect: „The fact that some people resort to special products without difficulty makes it difficult for us to diagnose serious intolerances such as celiac disease. "For example, antibody tests for autoimmune disease would only be effective if those affected ingested enough gluten, and if the disease is not diagnosed on time, serious consequences may occur from osteoporosis to intestinal tumors.

Gluten-free mineral water
„If you suspect an incompatibility, you should have the cause cleared up by the doctor before trying out gluten-free foods, "Baas advises, and if gluten intolerance has been discovered, one should always look closely at the ingredients of food, the German Celiac Society knows However, some foods are almost always gluten-free, such as soy sauce, and absurd offers should be recognized as such, for example, the Consumer Council of Saxony in Spain discovered mineral water that with the inscription „gluten free“ was advertised. In Germany you can find hard cheese or unfilled chocolate, which are marked accordingly. It should be known that gluten is not normally present in any of these products. (Ad)

Picture: Marianne J.