Probiotics are meant to make the gut healthier.
But more than half of the popular brands in the market are making it worse.
People suffering from the immune disorder called celiac disease are in danger to experience adverse reactions, because the probiotics on the market contain traces of gluten.
When the person suffering from Celica eats gluten it causes adverse reactions in the small intestine.
If such reactions happens too often then the lining of the small intestine gradually damages, and rendering nutrient absorption so much more difficult.
Gluten is a protein which is found in barley, wheat and rye.
People suffering from celiac disease should avoid food products made with these ingredients.
According to a new study it is found that certain supplements with probiotics are not completely free from gluten and hence putting patients with celiac disease in harm’s way.
Researchers form the Columbia University Medical Center analyzed 22 popular products and found that 55 percent of the brands contain gluten though the labels say otherwise.
Dr. Peter Green, director of the Celiac Disease Center said, “We see a lot of patients [with celiac] and we have a lot of patients who have it and don’t feel better. We found previously that about 25% of celiac patients use supplements or non-traditional medical products, and probiotics were the largest and most frequently consumed. Those people [who used probiotics] had more symptoms compared to people who weren’t taking these supplements.”
Researchers have found that the four products labeled gluten free contained less than 20 parts per million of gluten, a concentration within prescribed limits.
Researchers have warned people with celiac disease and gluten allergy to be cautious about probiotics as their benefits are yet to be established.
Dr. Green said, “People have great faith in natural products, and that’s why a lot of people eat probiotics. They should be studied and they should be regulated.”