The ‘nocebo effect’ in IBS: Why gluten might not be the real problem

One-third of patients with irritable bowel syndrome also have disordered eating habits and perceptions about food that may cause symptoms in and of themselves. (Shutterstock)

Many people find that wheat or gluten cause them to react in some way: Some people have a wheat allergy, some have the autoimmune condition celiac disease, but the majority find they have some sort of intolerance or sensitivity to wheat and gluten.

This is challenging to diagnose because there still aren’t any reliable biomarkers to confirm gluten or wheat sensitivity, and clinicians typically rely on patient self-reports.