80% on Gluten-Free diet don't have Celiac. Most who actually have celiac are undiagnosed.

[Iris]

http://www.celiaccentral.org/research-news/mayo-clinic-80-percent-gluten-free-diet-no-celiac-disease-diagnosis-8306/

Mayo Clinic: 80% of People onGluten-Free Diet Do Not Have Celiac Disease Diagnosis
From the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website:

An estimated 1.6 millionAmericans eating gluten-free have adopted the diet without having a celiac disease diagnosis, according to a new study from the Mayo Clinic.
The research confirms food industry reports that have found more people are buying gluten-free food for a variety of health reasons. But researchers caution against going gluten-free without first undergoing proper testing.
“There are a lot of people on a gluten-free diet, and it’s not clear what the medical need for that is,” said Joseph Murray, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, a co-author of the study and a member of NFCA’s Scientific/Medical Advisory Council. “It is important if someone thinks they might have celiac disease that they be tested first before they go on the diet.”

Here are more statistics from the same Mayo Clinic study:
http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/most-with-celiac-disease-unaware-of-it-study-reveals
Roughly 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease,but around 1.4 million of them are unaware that they have it, a Mayo Clinic-ledanalysis of the condition's prevalence has found. Meanwhile, 1.6 million peoplein the United States are on a gluten-freediet even though they haven't been diagnosed with celiac disease, according tothe study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

[SyrupDeGem]

Gluten free diets help many people for many reasons. Food intolerances as well as food allergies. I went on a wheat and dairy free diet for some time which helped my health a great deal. Gluten can be addictive for some too so cutting it out completely is the only way. I do not see this as a bad thing if the people who are eliminating are health aware and eating otherwise well.

[kadda1212]

A friend of mine is on a gluten-free diet and supposedly has celiac. I don't quite believe her, though. No real doctor has confirmed it, only a nonmedical practitioner thought she could have it. But if it's a real disease, a doctor should be able to confirm it, shouldn't he?

My friend always suffered from strange phobias concerning her health and body and for quite a while had an eating disorder. She started diets with 10 years and it got worse and worse. She seems to have an urge to control what goes inside her stomach and how it goes outside. Maybe she really gets diarrhea after eating certain things, but that could be psychosomatic. I think, she can't enjoy food.

I've met some people who believe they have a certain food allergy, just because they suffer from diarrhea now and then. I think, it's totally normal and don't really care about that. I just eat what I want to eat in a healthy way.

[mu4]

If I had celiac disease I still wouldn't live gluten free.

[Capitalist Pig]

A friend of mine is on a gluten-free diet and supposedly has celiac. I don't quite believe her, though. No real doctor has confirmed it, only a nonmedical practitioner thought she could have it. But if it's a real disease, a doctor should be able to confirm it, shouldn't he?

A doctor can confirm it, yes. However, even if you test negatively for celiac, you can still be sensitive to gluten. This article^* (written by a doctor) tells you the process for determining gluten sensitivity, which turns out to be easy enough to perform on your own.

When people with gluten sensitivity eat foods containing gluten, it triggers unpleasant symptoms: stomach pains, bloat, heartburn, joint pains, headache, skin rashes, fatigue, insomnia and brain fog, to name some of the most common. Although many of these symptoms are similar to those experienced by celiac sufferers, if you turn out to be gluten-sensitive, it probably won't require giving up gluten entirely.

In treating patients in my practice, I have found that eliminating gluten for a few weeks and gradually reintroducing it is the best way to assess your body's response to gluten and determine your own gluten threshold. By gradually introducing gluten-containing grains and other foods, you'll get an understanding of which of these foods, or how much of them, your body can process without triggering symptoms.

* Thanks @Scapegrace!

[Scapegrace]

If I had celiac disease I still wouldn't live gluten free.

Depends. My aunt has celiac disease and if she eats anything with the devil gloooten in she's in a tremendous amount of pain and she starts looking like a corpse. I think she has a particularly bad case though.

She seems pretty ecstatic that gluten free has become "trendy" because she now has more options. She still says her diet is miserable and she can't imagine why people would torture themselves on purpose for absolutely no reason.

Also: http://www.theglutenfreevegan.com

lololol

[mu4]

Depends. My aunt has celiac disease and if she eats anything with the devil gloooten in she's in a tremendous amount of pain and she starts looking like a corpse. I think she has a particularly bad case though.

She seems pretty ecstatic that gluten free has become "trendy" because she now has more options. She still says her diet is miserable and she can't imagine why people would torture themselves on purpose for absolutely no reason.

That sounds terrible, I'm glad I don't have that. If I'm gluten sensitive I still wouldn't give up gluten. ^_^ A lot of asian stuff is gluten free, like fish sauce, rice noodles etc... does she like asian food.

[Scapegrace]

Yeah, she eats a lot of Asian shit.

I told her she needs to marry a Korean guy.

[mu4]

Most soy sauce isn't gluten free though, and we put that shit in ERRTHANG.

Fish sauce...?

[Iris]

There are a stupid number of people on gluten-free diets who shouldn't be, due to perceptions that gluten-free is "healthier", or placebo effect, or just a desire to be special, which is a kind of amusing self-fulfilling prophecy because excluding something from your diet for too long can actually make you develop an intolerance.

I have a few friends on gluten free diets for various reasons. Most are deltas and are always looking to optimize their health using the latest fad. One of my friends, unsure of type, self diagnoses dire medical conditions: thyroid, liver, lupus and now celiac. She claims to have had shingles at age 15! She treats herself to the point of toxicity with health supplements. Then moves on to a new ailment, forgetting about the old one. She is usually quite proud of her ailments, falling into the "special" category Octo mentioned. She brings her own special food to every occasion. I actually think she is quite healthy and will probably outlive me. She is the reason I am sceptical of dietary fads, because she convinces herself her problem is real and believes her treatment is helping.

[Beautiful sky]

There is no medical need for that. It's ridiculous and another hope for fountain of youth. I've said a million times *rolls eyes* hope these people learn to live with themselves comfortably

I don't have Celiac, my doctor diagnosed me. I do have IBS from emotional changes mostly, stress, anxiety, worry, depression

[kadda1212]

A doctor can confirm it, yes. However, even if you test negatively for celiac, you can still be sensitive to gluten. This article^* (written by a doctor) tells you the process for determining gluten sensitivity, which turns out to be easy enough to perform on your own.

When people with gluten sensitivity eat foods containing gluten, it triggers unpleasant symptoms: stomach pains, bloat, heartburn, joint pains, headache, skin rashes, fatigue, insomnia and brain fog, to name some of the most common. Although many of these symptoms are similar to those experienced by celiac sufferers, if you turn out to be gluten-sensitive, it probably won't require giving up gluten entirely.

In treating patients in my practice, I have found that eliminating gluten for a few weeks and gradually reintroducing it is the best way to assess your body's response to gluten and determine your own gluten threshold. By gradually introducing gluten-containing grains and other foods, you'll get an understanding of which of these foods, or how much of them, your body can process without triggering symptoms.

* Thanks @Scapegrace!

But wouldn't you agree that it's likely for someone who suffered from an eating disorder to invent such a disease or sensitivity. If it was only gluten, but this friend of mine suffers from various food allergies. And the most important thing in her life seems to be sports. I have my reasons to doubt her, because I've known her long enough.

[FDG]

A nasty side effect is the increase in prices of gluten-free food for people who have a truly bad level of celiac disease.

[SyrupDeGem]

I don't understand why people take issue with it. Why 'shouldn't' someone be on a gluten free diet. Lots of people are very sensitive about what goes into their bodies, yes it can become almost obsessive, and i have seen that myself but as i mentioned earlier if theres no associated health risks then whats the problem. Being gluten free or at least wheat free is certainly beneficial to a lot of peoples health who are not celiacs. People with IBD, IBS and many other digestive orders benefit from it and those numbers far outweigh 1.6 million.

Edit: Just checked atnd the numbers for IBD are approx 40 Million. I'd wager many of the people on gluten free diets have Celiacs, IBD or IBS. I think the numbers of people doing it to be trendy are far less than imagined.

Edit 2: "The Frequency of gluten sensivity is approx 0.3-1%" thats a lot more than 1.6 million people.

(source)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-...ted_conditions


Also I think the point of the original article that the OP posted was to highlight the need for potential celiac suffers to get tested rather than to suggest there is a problem with having a gluten free diet.

[Capitalist Pig]

But wouldn't you agree that it's likely for someone who suffered from an eating disorder to invent such a disease or sensitivity. If it was only gluten, but this friend of mine suffers from various food allergies. And the most important thing in her life seems to be sports. I have my reasons to doubt her, because I've known her long enough.

Yes, it's possible people with eating disorders would invent reasons to diet (almost like a hypochondriac), but I don't know that this is the case with your friend. Obviously, you're in a better position to speculate about your friend than I am, but you shouldn't be trying to throw a diagnosis on her (unless you're qualified to, of course). If you're reasonably concerned for your friend's health, then approach the situation very carefully. I'd suggest researching eating disorders and how to spot them, and if you're still convinced then make a list of your concerns. Voice these concerns to your friend, trying to sound as nonjudgmental as possible. Eating disorders are a very private affair, and sufferers feel a lot of shame associated with their condition, and will go through great pains to conceal them from others.

[kadda1212]

Yes, it's possible people with eating disorders would invent reasons to diet (almost like a hypochondriac), but I don't know that this is the case with your friend. Obviously, you're in a better position to speculate about your friend than I am, but you shouldn't be trying to throw a diagnosis on her (unless you're qualified to, of course). If you're reasonably concerned for your friend's health, then approach the situation very carefully. I'd suggest researching eating disorders and how to spot them, and if you're still convinced then make a list of your concerns. Voice these concerns to your friend, trying to sound as nonjudgmental as possible. Eating disorders are a very private affair, and sufferers feel a lot of shame associated with their condition, and will go through great pains to conceal them from others.

That's what I thought. I really don't know how to talk with her about it. She doesn't talk much about those really private things to me. Maybe I'm just not the right person to help her.

[Reficulris]

That's what I thought. I really don't know how to talk with her about it. She doesn't talk much about those really private things to me. Maybe I'm just not the right person to help her.

If she has eating disorders than

A there is nothing you can do
B you'll get very hostile reactions if you try
C I'd say you start saying goodbuy to yet another friend...

eating disorders are in my experience one of the most hard psychological illnesses to get over and most likely to cause death....

If she doesn't have an eating disorder there is no need to do anything.

Hence, the best option is not to do anything!

[kadda1212]

If she has eating disorders than

A there is nothing you can do
B you'll get very hostile reactions if you try
C I'd say you start saying goodbuy to yet another friend...

eating disorders are in my experience one of the most hard psychological illnesses to get over and most likely to cause death....

If she doesn't have an eating disorder there is no need to do anything.

Hence, the best option is not to do anything!

Yeah. If she would open up some time, I would be there for her. And I'm not the only one, we both have another friend who also had an eating disorder, but went to a therapy, and she also desperately wants to help her.

By now you must think I have a bunch of weird friends. xD Don't worry, some of them are quite normal.

[Iris]

If she has eating disorders than

A there is nothing you can do
B you'll get very hostile reactions if you try
C I'd say you start saying goodbuy to yet another friend...

eating disorders are in my experience one of the most hard psychological illnesses to get over and most likely to cause death....

If she doesn't have an eating disorder there is no need to do anything.

Hence, the best option is not to do anything!

I like your analysis! That is the way I deal with my hypochondriac friend. And over the years it has become obvious to most people that her ailments are imaginary. Her delta friends are always very supportive and engage with her in the initial stages of each new illness. The betas see that it is a new fad and don't engage because of Si ignoring and polr. I try to think of things to distract her. She is a great person and I wish she would channel her energy elsewhere.

[Iris]

Also I think the point of the original article that the OP posted was to highlight the need for potential celiac suffers to get tested rather than to suggest there is a problem with having a gluten free diet.

Yes, I think self-diagnosing and self-treating isn't always a good idea. My friend whose current health problem is celiac probably ought to get a little counseling to find out why she is so hyperfocused and fearful about her health and others' health. She should be channeling that energy elsewhere instead of stirring up unmerited anxiety. She tried to convince her son that he is going to have bad teeth because he looks like his father's side of the family and they all have bad teeth. Ridiculous! Once she got on that bandwagon, she worried him and badgered him until he went to the dentist. The dentist told her son that his teeth were fine, btw.
.
Also, with regard to the article, it just seems so ironic to me that there are an estimated 1.4 million people who have celiac who are undiagnosed, while 1.6 million are actually on the celiac diet who don't have celiac. I read one article that said the true issue here is finding the undiagnosed sufferers

[SyrupDeGem]

Yes, I think self-diagnosing and self-treating isn't always a good idea. My friend whose current health problem is celiac probably ought to get a little counseling to find out why she is so hyperfocused and fearful about her health and others' health. She should be channeling that energy elsewhere instead of stirring up unmerited anxiety. She tried to convince her son that he is going to have bad teeth because he looks like his father's side of the family and they all have bad teeth. Ridiculous! Once she got on that bandwagon, she worried him and badgered him until he went to the dentist. The dentist told her son that his teeth were fine, btw.
.
Also, with regard to the article, it just seems so ironic to me that there are an estimated 1.4 million people who have celiac who are undiagnosed, while 1.6 million are actually on the celiac diet who don't have celiac. I read one article that said the true issue here is finding the undiagnosed sufferers

Hmm yes but don't forget that there are other diseases which can be helped by this diet. It is not exclusive to celiacs. As i mentioned there are 40 million people who suffer with IBD. If we use the statistic of 0.3-1% as the general population as being sensitive then we have of the IBD sufferes alone 1.2-4 million. IBD causes a lot of the same types of symptoms as a food intolerance would so if you combine the two people can be having very severe effects due to their diet. Doctors are yet to accept this. Most will suggest that people try their own eliminations if they really want to but generally wave them away. This is why people are often left to self treat and self diagnose. And i do not think this is wrong if they research plenty.


I get quite annoyed with people saying it's airy fairy nonsense. The general medical field makes plenty of mistakes and this is one of them. How many times have people been misdiagnosed or been told one thing by one doctor and something contradictory by another. Why shouldn't people check into it themselves if they research what there bodies require to function.

I'm not sure about your friend, maybe she would benefit from counselling but i don't think that it's a bad thing for her to be on this diet if she believes it is good for her and has taken precautions to ensure she will not suffer malnutrition as a direct result. Given the relatively low number of people on this diet i'd say more people should be on it or similar diets like wheat and dairy free diets and not less.

[Iris]

Hmm yes but don't forget that there are other diseases which can be helped by this diet. It is not exclusive to celiacs. As i mentioned there are 40 million people who suffer with IBD. If we use the statistic of 0.3-1% as the general population as being sensitive then we have of the IBD sufferes alone 1.2-4 million. IBD causes a lot of the same types of symptoms as a food intolerance would so if you combine the two people can be having very severe effects due to their diet. Doctors are yet to accept this. Most will suggest that people try their own eliminations if they really want to but generally wave them away. This is why people are often left to self treat and self diagnose. And i do not think this is wrong if they research plenty.


I get quite annoyed with people saying it's airy fairy nonsense. The general medical field makes plenty of mistakes and this is one of them. How many times have people been misdiagnosed or been told one thing by one doctor and something contradictory by another. Why shouldn't people check into it themselves if they research what there bodies require to function.

I'm not sure about your friend, maybe she would benefit from counselling but i don't think that it's a bad thing for her to be on this diet if she believes it is good for her and has taken precautions to ensure she will not suffer malnutrition as a direct result. Given the relatively low number of people on this diet i'd say more people should be on it or similar diets like wheat and dairy free diets and not less.

Unfortunately, she has gained a lot of weight on the gluten-free diet. But no malnutrition, as far as I can tell.

[mu4]

Yes, I think self-diagnosing and self-treating isn't always a good idea. My friend whose current health problem is celiac probably ought to get a little counseling to find out why she is so hyperfocused and fearful about her health and others' health. She should be channeling that energy elsewhere instead of stirring up unmerited anxiety. She tried to convince her son that he is going to have bad teeth because he looks like his father's side of the family and they all have bad teeth. Ridiculous! Once she got on that bandwagon, she worried him and badgered him until he went to the dentist. The dentist told her son that his teeth were fine, btw.
.
Also, with regard to the article, it just seems so ironic to me that there are an estimated 1.4 million people who have celiac who are undiagnosed, while 1.6 million are actually on the celiac diet who don't have celiac. I read one article that said the true issue here is finding the undiagnosed sufferers

This actually sounds like Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

thyroid, liver, lupus and now celiac. She claims to have had shingles at age 15! She treats herself to the point of toxicity with health supplements.

This is not a list of problems which can't be tested, especially lupus/celiac and shingles. If she's proxying this kind of behavior onto her son, it can become a form of abuse.

[SyrupDeGem]

Unfortunately, she has gained a lot of weight on the gluten-free diet. But no malnutrition, as far as I can tell.

That is very bizarre, often people loose weight on gluten/wheat free diets. Still i think it's good to make a distinction here between your friend of whom we only have your opinion and the general population who do this diet of whom i believe a large percentage benefit.

[Iris]

This actually sounds like Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy.



This is not a list of problems which can't be tested, especially lupus/celiac and shingles. If she's proxying this kind of behavior onto her son, it can become a form of abuse.

She sees warning signs of illness in all of her friends, so don't think it is Munchausen syndrome, it is equal opportunity paranoia, for sure. After reading the EIE social roles in the Wikisocion, "The hypochondriac who is constantly ill with some strange and menacing illness that cannot be seen." I wondered if she could be EIE, but the description doesn't fit her in other areas. She is definitely a sensor, so I wonder if it is more of a interesting manifestation of Ni suggestive, "try everything and see what works."