More recently, clinicians have become aware of a population of people who have symptoms of celiac disease but test negative for it. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland, says that these patients have gastrointestinal problems and may have depression, “foggy mind,’’ and other behavioral symptoms. Fasano says these patients feel better when gluten is taken out of the diet, and they get worse again when back on it.
The condition, called gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance, is still not well understood. Fasano says it seems to be caused by a different type of immune response, and researchers are currently looking for a way to test for the condition. Earlier this month in the journal BMC Medicine, he and several other experts published a consensus statement recommending how to classify gluten sensitivity. If you have symptoms of either condition, the first step is to get tested for celiac disease. Then talk with your doctor about trying a gluten-free diet.
Celiac disease affects nearly 1 percent of the population, and Fasano estimates that gluten sensitivity may affect 6 percent of the population. Yet there’s a large and growing market for gluten-free products: Why the discrepancy? Gluten-free diets have become popular for various reasons, including promoting health or weight loss, improving athletic performance, or alleviating a medical condition. Right now, Fasano says, such a diet is a lifestyle choice; there’s no evidence that gluten is harmful for people who don’t experience symptoms of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. People going gluten-free should be careful to replace vitamins, minerals, and fiber from wheat products with other sources.
