Gluten Myths

Philadelphia New 6 ABC aired a segment entitled, “Can going Gluten-free make you fat?” I wanted to take a moment to address some of the misinformation presented. The following is a statement taken from the segment, “If you have no intolerance symptoms such as stomach pain and bloating after eating gluten, then despite some of the buzz experts say going gluten free isn't worth the hassle or the money.” This statement implies that gluten intolerance symptoms only present as gut symptoms. This is GROSSLY incorrect. In fact, gluten sensitivity being regarded as principally a disease of the small bowel is a historical misconception. (J. Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002) The majority of patients with Celiac disease have NO gastrointestinal symptoms. For every one person with gastrointestinal symptoms there are eight people without gastrointestinal symptoms. (BMJ 1999) Undiagnosed/non compliant patients with Celiac have an increased risk of dying from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma times 11.4, cancer of small intestine times 17.3, inflammatory bowel disease times 70.9, disorders of immune deficiency times 20.9, etc. (Arch Intern Med 2003). I hope this segment does not mislead any viewers not to seek appropriate medical advice for a suspected problem, that mistake could be fatal. Going gluten-free is not about weight loss, it is about health. If you would like more information, visit us at www.functionalneuro.com or email at drcaffery@gmail.com

Yours in health,

Drs. Chris & Lauren Caffery