Gluten-Free = Bad for Gut Bacteria

[Guest guest]

This was out a few months ago but I just found it today....It also shows that

nutrition scientists (in the mainstream) are not only aware now of the

beneficial bacteria but also aware of how vital they are for the immune system.

Interesting....

From: Science and Nutrition Research newsletter

Gluten-free diet not friendly to gut bacteria: Study

By ls, 19-May-2009

Related topics: Research

Following a gluten-free diet may be detrimental to gut health, which may

also affect immune health, according to a new study from the Spanish

National Research Council.

According to results of a small study with 10 people consuming a gluten-

free diet, populations of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium

and Lactobacillus, decreased, while counts for Enterobacteriaceae and

Escherichia coli increased.

" Thus, the gluten-free diet may constitute an environmental variable to be

considered in treated coeliac disease patients for its possible effects on

gut health, " wrote the authors in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Coeliac disease, a condition characterized by an intolerance to gluten in

wheat, is reported to affect up to 1 per cent of children and 1.2 per cent

of adults, according to a study in the BMJ's Gut journal.

" Coeliac disease is a permanent intolerance to cereal gluten proteins and

the only therapy for the patients is to adhere to a life-long gluten-free

diet (GFD), " explained the authors, led by Giada De Palma.

According to a recent report from Packaged Facts, the gluten-free market

has grown at an average annual rate of 28 per cent since 2004, when it was

valued at $580m, to reach $1.56bn last year. Packaged Facts estimates that

sales will be worth $2.6bn by 2012.

New data

The Spanish researchers analysed the gut microflora of ten healthy

subjects with an average age of 30 assigned to consume a gluten-free diet

for one month. Consumption of the gluten-free diet did not change

significantly the normal dietary intakes for the volunteers, except for

polysaccharides, which were reduced.

Analysis of the participants' faeces showed that Bifidobacterium,

Clostridium lituseburense and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii populations

decreased following the gluten-free diet patter, while populations of

Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli increased.

Markers of immune health, such TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin-10

(IL-10) and IL-8, which would be produced when the host's immune system is

challenged, were also reduced following consumption of the gluten-free

diet.

" Therefore, the GFD led to reductions in beneficial gut bacteria

populations and the ability of faecal samples to stimulate the host's

immunity, " concluded the researchers.

Digestive health

Products aimed at gut health have traditionally been much more popular in

Europe than North America, but this is changing as Americans embrace the

idea of boosting gut health via foods and beverages.

Europe still leads the way in terms of product launches and market value,

but North America is catching up fast, due in part to the remarkable

success of Danone's DanActive in North America. The gut health product was

launched there in 2005 and built on its Activia presence.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition

Published online ahead of print, First View article,

doi:10.1017/S0007114509371767

" Effects of a gluten-free diet on gut microbiota and immune function in

healthy adult human subjects "

Authors: G. De Palma, I. Nadal, M.C. Collado, Y. Sanz