Non-celiac Gluten Intolerance: A Call to Clarify

Excerpt

Interest in consuming a gluten-free diet (GFD) among people who do not carry the diagnosis of celiac disease has risen substantially in the past decade [1]. The many reasons for this increase, which include perceptions that the diet is healthier, promotes weight loss, improves acne, alleviates gastrointestinal symptoms, or is effective as an adjunct treatment for autoimmune diseases, [2, 3] are either unproven or have been refuted [4]. A disease entity termed non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) was devised to include individuals who perceived a benefit from consuming a GFD. Unlike celiac disease, with well-defined serologic and histologic biomarkers, NCGS is a heterogeneous and poorly-understood condition with diagnostic criteria that can be challenging to measure or confirm in clinical practice [5]. Though very little is known about the contribution of the gluten protein in the pathogenesis of NCGS, there is accumulating evidence that other grain components may be the true culprit in symptom development. …