Gluten

Studies in people

• Concern

  Gut bacteria and coeliac disease²

  In people with coeliac disease, gluten affects gut bacteria, and scientists are exploring probiotics as a possible treatment.

• Open question

  Diet quality in children³

  In children with celiac disease, eating gluten-free oats did not change overall diet quality, though it lowered the glycemic index.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Diet and cognition⁴

  Scientists do not yet know whether gluten affects mental and cognitive disorders.

• Open question

  Autism behaviour⁵

  Scientists do not yet know whether gluten makes autism behaviours worse, so going gluten-free is still uncertain.

• Concern

  Diet quality concerns⁶

  People on a gluten-free diet may get less fiber, vitamins and minerals, and more saturated fat.

• Concern

  Telling celiac apart⁷

  Some people get gut symptoms from gluten without having celiac disease, but scientists cannot yet tell these apart by symptoms alone.

• Concern

  Gut and brain symptoms⁸

  Some people without celiac disease get stomach pain, bloating, headaches or fogginess after eating gluten.

• Open question

  Migraine without celiac disease⁹

  Scientists do not yet know whether a gluten-free diet helps migraines in people without celiac disease.

• Open question

  Wheat protein reactions¹⁰

  Scientists are still learning how gluten triggers reactions in some people, and how to spot them.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.