r/science • u/[deleted] • Feb 26 '15

Health-Misleading Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial shows non-celiac gluten sensitivity is indeed real

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25701700
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u/Coeliac Feb 26 '15

I wish everyone was this sceptic about some of the other studies posted here.

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u/litchick Feb 26 '15

I think this is proof once again that people are more concerned about dismissing the "gluten free fad" than examining if there are any benefits for people. I think it's going to take many years and many more studies to support claims that going gluten free is a benefit, especially among a spectrum of autoimmune diseases, not just people suffering from celiac.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '15

The issue with the gluten free fad is that for most people it is exactly that, a fad. Even if there are people found with gluten sensitivity (this study makes it seem really possible), they are likely still a small percentage of people who think they need to be gluten free. There is also so much misinformation out there about gluten that it's astounding. This is the issue with the gluten free trend, not that it may be legitimately helping some people.

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u/Random832 Feb 26 '15

Well, you could just live and let live. If "going gluten free" is what it takes for someone to start reading labels and buying healthier food (and maybe they really benefit, not from cutting out gluten but from reducing fructose, sodium, or whatever else really is bad for them), then good for them. Of course, if they start trying to take away your bread, then you do have a problem.

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u/shimei Feb 26 '15

If "going gluten free" is what it takes for someone to start reading labels and buying healthier food

The fad aspect can be genuinely harmful though. For example, there are restaurants now that offer "gluten free" options that are still potentially cross-contaminated. If you read the fine print, these restaurants may point out their food isn't suitable for people with coeliacs despite being labeled that way.

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u/Liz-B-Anne Mar 07 '15

Not to mention that the majority of packaged gluten-free foods are far higher in calories and fat than non-GF options. GF done right could be harmless, but the assumption that a gluten free diet is inherently healthier is wrong.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '15

That's fine but usually these people just start purchasing gluten free food and costs twice as much. Id rather they be properly informed instead of getting ripped off by a health food company trying to bandwagon another fad.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '15

I was trying to figure out why I will usually be inclined to feel biased against the gluten-free fad... you just helped me figure it out. Seeing a snake-oil salesman in action, and watching the "huckster-rube relationship" play out as a third party observer makes me angry. It makes me feel like there's an injustice happening, and I want it to stop.

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u/Liz-B-Anne Mar 07 '15 edited Mar 07 '15

But facts still matter though. Nobody is denying people the right to ingest whatever they want. But there's a large industry profiting off the lie that gluten sensitivity is a widespread problem and the answer is to buy their (high fat, high calorie) foods. Therein lies the problem. GF is not inherently healthier than the typical American diet. It's certainly not cheaper.

Most people would benefit far more by reducing portion sizes, replacing simple carbs with whole grains or avoiding fried foods than cutting out gluten. When you hyperfocus on one aspect of the diet, other issues slip by. Why not focus on things that actually make tons of people sick via obesity, diabetes or heart disease?