Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease show no link to ALS
What it found
In people, gluten-related antibodies, celiac disease, and gluten-free diets were about the same in ALS patients and controls.
Genetic data also showed no overlap between celiac disease and ALS.
What they found
Studies in people
Antibodies in people
Gluten-related antibody levels and positivity were similar in ALS patients and controls. One patient had antibodies to TG6, TG2 and EMA but had typical ALS and no gluten sensitivity symptoms.
Celiac disease and diet
The proportion of people with celiac disease or following a gluten-free diet was similar in patients and controls. Patients on a gluten-free diet had an average survival of 3.3 years, consistent with standard ALS progression.
Other findings
Genetics
Genetic analysis found no correlation between celiac disease and ALS. Celiac disease-associated HLA allele frequencies were similar in patients and controls.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, we found no serological evidence for involvement of gluten-related antibodies in ALS etiology nor did we observe an association between CD and ALS in medical history or genetic data, indicating that there is no evidence in our data for an association between the two diseases.”
Also in their conclusions
- They found no serological evidence for involvement of gluten-related antibodies in ALS etiology nor did they observe an association between CD and ALS in medical history or genetic data.
- They state that there is no evidence in their data for an association between the two diseases.
- They conclude that a role for a gluten-free diet in ALS treatment seems unlikely.
How it was done
Some studies had suggested a possible link between celiac disease or gluten sensitivity and ALS, and a gluten-free diet was being investigated as a treatment. The authors wanted to examine the evidence for a role of gluten sensitivity or celiac disease in ALS.
They compared gluten-related antibodies in 359 ALS patients and 359 matched controls, and in a subset of 199 patients and 199 controls. They also looked at questionnaire data from 1829 ALS patients and 3920 controls for celiac disease or a gluten-free diet, and analysed genetic data from large studies of ALS and celiac disease.
What it can’t tell you
- This study looked at whether gluten sensitivity or celiac disease is linked to ALS. It cannot show whether a gluten-free diet would help or harm ALS patients.
- The genetic analyses used data from people of European descent, so the results may not apply to other populations.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: L.H. van den Berg serves on scientific advisory boards for the Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds, Thierry Latran Foundation, Biogen and Cytokinetics; received an educational Grant from Baxalta; serves on the editorial board of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And Frontotemporal Degeneration and the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry; receives research support from the Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds, The Netherlands ALS Foundation, The European Community’s Health Seventh Framework Programme (Grant Agreement No. 259867), The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development [Vici Scheme, JPND (SOPHIA, STRENGTH, ALSCare)]. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. ETHICAL STANDARD: All patients and controls gave informed consent and the Medical Ethical Committee approved the study.
- Authors work at
- University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands; MRC-PHE Center for Environment and Health, UK; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, The Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- No association between gluten sensitivity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Visser AE, Pazoki R, Pulit SL, et al (2017). No association between gluten sensitivity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of neurology. doi:10.1007/s00415-017-8400-8Free full textPubMed 28168522DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error