Any Treatments In Development For Non-celiac Gluten Intolerance?

[CGally81]

Every test, including the DNA test, for celiac comes back negative. I appear not to have celiac, but take my word for it, I think you'd recognize the symptoms if I listed what happens if I eat gluten. I even gained 2 additional food intolerances (lactose intolerance and fructose malabsorption) while still eating gluten (both problems are mostly gone).

So, I don't have celiac. But I have its symptoms, and gluten is the enemy.

What does this mean? For me and others like me, it means that upcoming treatments and cures for celiac will have no effect on us!

So basically, does anyone here know if there are any developments in treating non-celiac gluten intolerance?

[Gemini]

Every test, including the DNA test, for celiac comes back negative. I appear not to have celiac, but take my word for it, I think you'd recognize the symptoms if I listed what happens if I eat gluten. I even gained 2 additional food intolerances (lactose intolerance and fructose malabsorption) while still eating gluten (both problems are mostly gone).

So, I don't have celiac. But I have its symptoms, and gluten is the enemy.

What does this mean? For me and others like me, it means that upcoming treatments and cures for celiac will have no effect on us!

So basically, does anyone here know if there are any developments in treating non-celiac gluten intolerance?

As I have little faith in a "cure" for Celiac Disease or any interest in one, I do not think there will be any for gluten sensitivity either. Gluten intolerance IS Celiac Disease but being sensitive is just as bad, from a symptom point of view. Plus, as the medical profession does not recognize anything but villi flattening celiac disease, the odds of them making any strides towards what you ask is pretty much nil.

I know some people do not like to hear this but eating a gluten-free diet is the best cure possible. You eat healthier than most everyone else, if you take the diet seriously and put some effort into it and the rewards you will reap from that alone are huge. Even the treatments in development now are not so you can go back to a gluten filled, bad diet but to protect against CC when not eating at home. I just highly doubt the human body and immune system can be tricked into not recognizing the gluten protein if ingested by someone with celiac disease/GS. Doctors have enough trouble getting a diagnosis right without thinking they can override the immune system.

There are far worse conditions to have in life than this and you also have total control (for the most part) over your own recovery. Maybe someday, 100 years from now, there will be a magic bullet but you still have to eat healthy if you want good health as you grow older. That's something that never changes. At least you were smart enough to figure out your problems and do something about it!

[CGally81]

As I have little faith in a "cure" for Celiac Disease or any interest in one, I do not think there will be any for gluten sensitivity either. Gluten intolerance IS Celiac Disease but being sensitive is just as bad, from a symptom point of view. Plus, as the medical profession does not recognize anything but villi flattening celiac disease, the odds of them making any strides towards what you ask is pretty much nil.

I know some people do not like to hear this but eating a gluten-free diet is the best cure possible. You eat healthier than most everyone else, if you take the diet seriously and put some effort into it and the rewards you will reap from that alone are huge. Even the treatments in development now are not so you can go back to a gluten filled, bad diet but to protect against CC when not eating at home. I just highly doubt the human body and immune system can be tricked into not recognizing the gluten protein if ingested by someone with celiac disease/GS. Doctors have enough trouble getting a diagnosis right without thinking they can override the immune system.

There are far worse conditions to have in life than this and you also have total control (for the most part) over your own recovery. Maybe someday, 100 years from now, there will be a magic bullet but you still have to eat healthy if you want good health as you grow older. That's something that never changes. At least you were smart enough to figure out your problems and do something about it!

I know a lot of people say "I would never go back to eating gluten even if there was such a cure." I feel the same way myself. But it would mean I wouldn't have to bring digestive enzymes everywhere I might encounter gluten. It would help me live a more normal life, and maybe have the occasional birthday angel food cake.

The current "cure" in development for Celiac involves exactly what you say - telling the immune system to stop attacking gluten. Basically, the reverse of what we normally think of as a vaccine. I imagine that a cure for non-Celiac gluten sensitivity/intolerance would work similarly.

[ravenwoodglass]

I don't think finding a cure for celiac/GI (I believe them to be the same thing) is high on drug companies list of priorities. It is also a genetic difference IMHO not truely a disease. You mention taking digestive enzymes when you think you are going to encounter gluten. I personally don't take them and won't but a treatment for celiac or gluten intolerance would basically be the same sort of thing. For us eating gluten is akin to eating poison, I don't want something that is going to allow me to eat small amounts of poison. These enzymes also address only the gut issue, as far as I know. The reaction begins in the mouth as soon as gluten contacts the mucous membranes so I doubt it would be helpful for those of us that suffer neuro symptoms even if it does keep us from getting D. The best 'cure' for us IMHO is to avoid gluten. That is getting easier and will continue to get easier. We have come a long way just since I was diagnosed 7 years ago. I know many desperately want a 'cure' but I don't think it will come in my lifetime and although acceptance can be tough it is what we need to do at this time.

[Gemini]

I know a lot of people say "I would never go back to eating gluten even if there was such a cure." I feel the same way myself. But it would mean I wouldn't have to bring digestive enzymes everywhere I might encounter gluten. It would help me live a more normal life, and maybe have the occasional birthday angel food cake.

If the "cure" came in a pill form, you'd still have to bring pills with you every time you eat away from home, so that won't solve that problem. I understand what you are trying to say but honestly, I live a completely normal life with Celiac and it prevents me from doing very little that other people can do. Honestly...it's all about mindset.

Having an occasional piece of angel food cake would still be a no-no....it's meant for CC issues only. I am an absolute food snob and love high quality, haute cuisine and have yet to find much of anything I can't re-produce in my kitchen gluten-free. I know it's more work but I'm eatin' well these days! The only thing this has been, as far as a pain in the butt sometimes, is the loss of convenience. That is the worst part for me. You have to bring food with you when out for the day in case you get stuck anywhere where there is none.