Five Truths About Gluten Sensitivity

Eating a gluten-free diet has become very popular as of late. While many people note a significant benefit, many misconceptions are also prevalent. These five main points should help clear up a lot of the confusion regarding gluten.

1. One doesn’t need to have full blown Celiac Disease to be sensitive to gluten.

Often a government medical official explains that gluten sensitivity is very rare and occurs in 1% of the population or less. While this number would be true if speaking only about full-blown Celiac Disease, science is now uncovering reasons why many more people than just 1% are affected negatively by consuming gluten. Non-Celiac Wheat (or Gluten) Sensitivity has been confirmed as a real and serious condition in many recent studies (1, 2).  The actual percentage of affected people has not yet been nailed down by researchers, but I would estimate that it is as high as 20 to 30 percent of the general population.

2. Not everyone would be better off by avoiding gluten.

Although it is far easier to avoid gluten today than it was ten years ago, it still is a very significant task. Therefore, it wouldn't make sense for me as a nutritionist to advise people to do something difficult unless I truly believed there would be a significant benefit for them. Some alternative health practitioners believe that absolutely everyone would do better by avoiding gluten. I haven’t found this to be the case, nor do I believe the research backs it up. However, for (my estimate of) approximately 20 to 30 percent of people who would derive very significant benefits, staying clear of gluten is a wise move.

3. Gluten-related symptoms don’t always fall in the gastrointestinal tract.

While gastrointestinal symptoms are clearly the most common in gluten sensitivity – including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and more – the latest research does confirm that other symptoms occur. These may consist of foggy mind, tiredness, skin rashes, headaches, joint/muscle pain, numbness, depression, anemia, and more (3).

4. “Gluten-free” does not always equal healthy.

This is definitely one of my pet peeves. Many people see a “gluten-free” label, and they automatically consider the food healthy. If you read my article last week, you know that I advocate sticking more diligently to unprocessed foods. If a food has a “gluten-free” label on it, more than 90% of the time, this indicates it is also processed. It may also have sugars, unhealthy fats, or industrial chemicals. Don't judge a book by its cover, and don't judge a food by its "gluten-free" label.

5. Celiac and gluten sensitivity testing is most often not worth the money.

There are lots of tests available for people concerned about their health. Many of these tests are not covered by insurance and hold a significant price tag. While a positive Celiac or wheat sensitivity test does usually get it right, those who get negative results very often still have sensitivity. Because the results are “available” by simply doing a diet change, this is what I most often recommend in my practice. I show clients how to do a temporary grain and dairy rotation diet, which proves quite successful in picking up allergies and intolerances, including many more items than just gluten.


1. Carroccio A, Mansueto P, Iacono G, et al. Non-celiac wheat sensitivity diagnosed by double-blind placebo-controlled challenge: exploring a new clinical entity. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012;107(12):1898-906.

2. Massari S, Liso M, De santis L, et al. Occurrence of nonceliac gluten sensitivity in patients with allergic disease. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2011;155(4):389-94.

3. Volta U, Tovoli F, Cicola R, et al. Serological tests in gluten sensitivity (nonceliac gluten intolerance). J Clin Gastroenterol. 2012;46(8):680-5.

David Rodgers, L.N., M.S. is a Licensed Nutritionist practicing in Berkley at the Nutrient Balance Center. He specializes in helping people with Chronic Lyme Disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, weight loss, heart disease, diabetes, digestive conditions, lupus, MS, and more by using dietary changes, targeted natural supplements, detoxification, and lifestyle modification. For more information, as well as free training video seminars, see www.nutrientbalance.com.