Gluten has never been on dietician’s list of favorite proteins, even if there are currently many debates going on regarding either its usefulness or ability to do harm to the human body. There are many studies that prove that gluten is on the black list not only for people who suffer from the celiac disease but also to people who suffer from Parkinson. However, gluten can be found where you least expect it, even in probiotics, according to a new study.
The research conducted by experts at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) prove that people who take probiotics are in for a treat. According to researchers, 12 out of the 22 most popular brands of probiotics analyzed contained gluten traces. That represents more than half of the pills that were scrutinized and had a gluten-free inscription on their label. An explanation would be that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regards a product containing less than 20 parts per million of gluten, as most of the tested probiotics had, as gluten-free. Only four of the supplements analyzed contained more than the limit admitted by the FDA.
Nevertheless, the lead study author, gastroenterologist Samantha Nazareth remarks that many people who suffer from the celiac disease take such supplements, hoping that they will help relief their gut problems . Instead, they might do more harm. She also mentions that she, along with her team of researchers, had noticed that celiac patients exhibit more symptoms when taking probiotics. This prompted them to test those pills for gluten contamination.
Benjamin Lebwohl, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center, seconds Nazareth’s opinion and is puzzled when looking at the findings: Why is there any gluten in these products? Why should the consumer pay any attention to gluten-free labeling on such products? And given the great consumer interest in probiotics, will regulatory bodies take action to protect the public?,” he inquires.
Even if the traces found in the probiotics supplements are almost insignificant, given the fact that a celiac patient needs to consume 10 milligrams of gluten or more every day in order to develop intestinal damage, it is still not comforting news to know that a sick person has a daily intake of a protein that is most harmful to his or her body.
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