Traces of Gluten found in Probiotics: Can hamper digestive health

A new study was evident that the most popular probiotics contain traces of gluten that can impact those who are trying to achieve digestive health. The study was shocking to the consumers of these products. Yoghurts are among the many products that contain probiotics. The companies have been labeling their product as 100% gluten-free, which was ruled out to be unreliable by investigators.

The study suggested that people who are trying to improve their digestive health conditions will experience the opposite effect due to the detection of gluten in the probiotics.

Test results revealed that 55% of the sold probiotics have been identified with gluten. Among the topmost 22 selling probiotics, 12 of them had gluten in them. The analysis was carried out by examiners at the Columbia University Medical Centre (CUMC).

Although the benefits of taking probiotics are narrow, patients still tend to take them in improving their gut health. Dr. Samantha Nazareth, a gastroenterologist and the first author in this line of study said that patience with celiac disease usually go for dietary supplements where the probiotics are commonly well reputed. The study was done due to the users of probiotics showing more symptoms of celiac diseases then the non users. So Dr Nazareth decided to test the probiotics that led to the identification of gluten in them.

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat and barley. Therefore, the celiac patients are highly recommended to avoid and eliminate them from their dietary. The patients who are unaware of this will experience pain, bowel system and are at higher risk for cancer.

The examiners who completed the test on the probiotics used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify gluten content. Most of the probiotics which tested positive on gluten (by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) contained less than 20 parts per million of the protein. Four of the twenty two probiotics contained excess of that figure. The report stated that more than half of the 22 probiotics were tagged as gluten free. Two probiotics failed the test and was disallowed by the FDA. Hence, they were held accountable for the discrepancy.

Dr Peter Green, who is the professor of medicine and director of the Celiac Disease Centre, reported not to rely on those who are labeling and claiming that their product is gluten-free. Green added that these products are potentially perilous and are completely unsafe to the patients.

Traces of Gluten found in Probiotics: Can hamper digestive health