Benefits of Probiotics at the Onset of Gluten Intolerance

Despite the fact that probiotics have been proven to yield positive effects on the gluten intolerance, celiac disease patients should not take probiotics easily without the advice of medical practitioners. Lots of research have gathered data that several probiotic strains can help in the degradation of gluten in the gut, as well as in the boosting of the immune system so as to prevent the manifestations of the early onset of celiac disease in children who are genetically predisposed to the condition. However, another study conducted by the Columbia University shows that probiotics that are out in the market do not have the assurance to be totally gluten-free.

The research was headed by Dr. Samantha Nazareth and other researchers of Columbia University. They purchased 22 capsules of different popular brands of probiotics and tested the presence of gluten. It was found out that 12 out of 22 contained gluten in varying levels. Moreover, these 12 probiotics were labeled to be gluten-free, 2 of these exceed the FDA gluten-free standard.

According to the FDA, in order to have the product labeled as gluten-free, it must have less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. With this, it has been concluded that not all probiotics that available in the market can be taken safely by celiac disease patients. Since this autoimmune enteropathy condition is triggered by the consumption of gluten, the intake of probiotics with gluten content could actually be harmful to the patients.

With these findings, consumers, especially those with celiac disease, should not be confident in taking probiotics that are sold in the market. It is highly recommended that a medical practitioner should be consulted in taking probiotics since these are composed of different probiotic strains. In addition, the patients should first confirm whether their chosen probiotic products actually contain the necessary probiotic strains (Lactobacillus Plantarum Heal 9 & Lactobacillus Paracasei 8700:2) that are helpful in celiac disease conditions.