Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com!
    eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Record is Archived

    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Most Probiotic Supplements Contain Gluten

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 06/08/2015 - Many people with celiac disease take probiotic supplements to aid with digestion and improve gut health.

    Photo: CC--Ryan SnyderHowever, a new study reveals that many popular probiotics actually contain traces of gluten, which is worrying for people who may have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    Researchers at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center used a detection technique called liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze 22 popular, high-selling probiotics and measure gluten content. The team found that more than half of them (55%) contained gluten, including products labeled "gluten-free," according to research presented on May 16 at Digestive and Disease Week in Washington DC.

    For reasons doubtless including liability, the team did not list the names of the brands or products they tested. It is safe to assume that these would include major, easily accessible brands.

    These revelations may be unsurprising, given recent reports about gluten contamination in dietary supplements.

    So, if you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, and take probiotic supplements, be sure to double-check your products; they may contain traces of gluten.


    Source:

    • Open Original Shared Link


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Guest Rick

    What I find confusing with a lot of these supplements is how some will just say "Wheat Free" rather than "Gluten Free" while others will say "Gluten Free" only to have "Made in a facility that also produces wheat products" on the other side of the label.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Laura

    Posted

    Not sure how you are supposed to "double check your probiotics for traces of gluten", if they are already labeled gluten free.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest JeanneA

    Posted

    This whole thing has made me so angry. Can you imagine a report saying that many brands of an important supplement for cancer patients contains something dangerous---a toxin, a carcinogen---but not naming the brands. I just can't believe that the brands aren't made public. So unfair. I tried to immediately stop taking the 2 probiotics I take regularly, but immediately had problems so went back on them. There's no way of knowing if they're doing silent damage.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Rima

    Interesting article. I for one cannot take probiotics. Ever time I take a probiotic I inadvertently become sick with all the 'usual' gluten symptoms. I've tried three different brands and all caused a problem. I then consulted my doctor, she prescribed another brand that they use in hospitals (quite costly) sure enough, sick again. So, no more probiotics for me. This is an absolute disgrace.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Sam

    This article is misleading. Only 22 probiotics were tested. 55% of those 22 contained gluten. This does NOT mean that "MOST" probiotics contain gluten.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Stan

    How do we "double-check your products" when the story said some the ones with gluten were labeled "gluten-free" ?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest gloria

    Posted

    Interesting article. However it says to double check the labels and yet the article states that although they say gluten free studies show some of them contain gluten. So what good does it do to check the labels. One can't believe what they read or what?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest James

    Posted

    So if they said gluten free on the label, but tested positive for gluten how am I suppose to "Double-Check" ? If I can't trust the label I don't know how I can find out.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Ruby

    Why no mention of either ConsumerLab.com or the 1994 Dietary Health and Supplementation Act, a supplement industry law passed after a Republican takeover of Congress. The 1994 DHSA basically banned the FDA from testing supplements as a routine matter. No private agency has the scope and power to test all dietary supplements. There are groups like the GMP, but these are paid for by industry.

     

    As for the supplements company's desire for a good reputation as a means to keep them honest, how are we to know without widespread, nonprofit testing? Maybe you could tell something if you only took one single supplement every day. But you would only know if the supplement damaged your body. Read the Wikipedia article on Tryptophan to learn about Eosinophlia Myalgia Syndrome, and outbreak that permanently damaged to muscles of at least 1600 people and caused the deaths of others. It was caused by contamination produced in tryptophan supplements by use of a genetically engineered bacteria.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Ann

    The "national" brands are confusing. I take Probulin, developed by a pair of gastroenterologists in Kansas. One of the GI docs wrote the book, "Probiotics for Dummies." Considering this all comes from a couple of docs in Kansas, it probably won't make it to any list of probiotics that are truly gluten-free. Too bad.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Cookiey

    Posted

    Now what, how about you giving us a list of what brands we can take!!!!!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Nancy Maurer

    Posted

    How do we "double-check your products" when the story said some the ones with gluten were labeled "gluten-free" ?

    I agree. It would be nice if there was a list of the products that contain trace amounts of gluten

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Bayb replied to Bayb's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      Trying to read my lab results

    2. - Aussienae replied to Aussienae's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      65

      Constant low back, abdominal and pelvic pain!

    3. - trents replied to mishyj's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Why?

    4. - trents replied to mishyj's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Why?

    5. - mishyj replied to mishyj's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Why?


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      121,221
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    lortaine
    Newest Member
    lortaine
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):




  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • Kmd2024
      5
    • Nicola flaherty
      4
    • ItchyHell
      4
    • MMH13
      20
    • Moodiefoodie
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...