It’s Hard To Know Where Gluten Sensitivity Stops And The Placebo Effect Begins

Thirty percent of Americans say they’re trying to reduce or eliminate gluten in their diets. But only about 1 percent of the population has an autoimmune response to gluten. Somewhere in that gap, a diet fad is thriving.

There are two groups of people who should definitely avoid gluten: those diagnosed with wheat allergies and those who have celiac disease. The latter is more common, affecting about 1 percent of the population. The former affects perhaps 0.1 percent of people and is more common in children, who often grow out of it.

What is less clear is whether there is another group of individuals whose digestive systems have some “gluten sensitivity” and who would, therefore, benefit from avoiding gluten. The people who think they’re sensitive to gluten are filling the gap between those who should avoid gluten and those who are doing it anyway. But how many people really are sensitive?¹

Gluten, for those of you who have not kept up with dietary fads, is a component of wheat. You eat it in bread, pasta, pizza and so on. Gluten-avoiders are helped by an increasing array of gluten-free breads, pastas and other products. Entire aisles of Whole Foods Market stores appear to be devoted to this trend.

Despite the growing availability of alternative products, avoiding gluten can be a challenge. Keep reading