Study casts doubt on gluten as cause of gut ailments among non-coeliacs

About 1% of people in western countries have coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition in which gluten causes an inflammatory reaction in the small bowel. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA

People who report being gluten intolerant but do not have coeliac disease may be experiencing gut symptoms unrelated to gluten intake, new research suggests.

A study involving individuals with self-reported gluten sensitivity has found that they experienced gut symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain regardless of whether or not they consumed gluten.