Can I Use Gluten Digest Like Products If I Have Celiac Disease?

Quite simply the answer is a big NO!!!!!! 

These products however are NOT suitable for those with celiac disease, even though there are some claims in the media that some celiacs have seen improvement when taking the enzymes. Don't risk it.

A number of gluten digest supplements currently on the market claim to break down gluten after it has been consumed.  But are these claims accurate or misleading?  Do these supplements offer a safe alternative to a gluten free diet for people who suffer from celiac disease and/or gluten-sensitivity or any of the other wheat/gluten related conditions? Do these products help people who need to go on a gluten free diet?

With the rise in the number of people being diagnosed with celiac disease and an increased awareness of gluten free issues, and the explosion of gluten free products available on the market, it is no surprise that gluten digest supplements claiming to break down gluten would find their way onto the market. But celiacs beware – they are not suitable for you!

So what are these gluten digest-like products? Well they are supplements which contain digestive enzymes which break down gluten. Examples are:

1.          GlutenEase 

GlutenEase, made by Enzymedica Inc., which contains a blend of enzymes that are claimed to help the digestion of both gluten and casein, a protein found in milk, according to the company. GlutenEase™ contains Protease Thera-blend™ (G1) along with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 ,DPP-IV, activity for enhanced digestion of foods containing gluten and casein as well as starch-digesting amylase enzymes to assist in the digestion of the carbohydrate portion of grains, such as wheat, which contain gluten.

The website for GlutenEase says that the supplement can "support" people who have trouble digesting gluten and/or casein resulting in discomforts like occasional gas and bloating. However, and most importantly, the site says that GlutenEase is "not formulated" for people with celiac disease: This product is not intended to replace a gluten-free diet for individuals with celiac disease.

2.       Gluten Defense 

Gluten Defense is made by Enzymatic Therapy Inc., contains a similar blend of enzymes and includes DDP-IV, lactase and amylase. The site for Gluten Defense says the product is "specifically formulated to defend against hidden gluten" that can cause gas, bloating and indigestion. Gluten Defense helps you digest other proteins, fats and carbohydrates as well.

However, unlike GlutenEase, Gluten Defense offers no specific disclaimer for people with celiac disease. There is also no claim that the product is safe, or in any way formulated for people with celiac disease. But do not use these enzyme supplements if you have celiac disease.

3. Gluten digest 

Gluten Digest is manufactured by NOW International. The company claims that this product helps to digest gluten and cereal grains.  It contains Gluten Digest, with BioCore® DPP IV (Dipeptidyl peptidase IV),  a digestive enzyme which specifically breaks apart difficult-to-digest proline-containing peptides, which are generally known to come from dairy products and cereal grains.  Gluten digest also contains amylase and glucoamylase enzymes that assist in the breakdown of carbohydrates as well as proteases.

The company does give a caution however:  If you have Celiac Disease, use Gluten Digest only under your practitioner's supervision. They also state that any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 Do the claims made by the manufacturers of these "gluten digest" products mean that taking the supplement might offer people with celiac disease some extra protection when they are exposed to accidental gluten contamination?

The answer is that there is NO proven scientific evidence to say that this is the case and those with celiac disease really cannot afford to be blasé about it. The fact is that there is no guarantee that these supplements will break down 100% of the gluten so the risk is too great for celiacs. Even a trace of gluten can cause damage in a celiac so in order for it to work it would have to break down 100% of the gluten BEFORE it contacts the intestinal walls. This is NOT possible. The fact is that these enzyme supplements may break down a few molecules of the gluten protein, but no supplement exists that will make it safe for people with celiac disease to eat gluten again.

These products can be quite useful however for those people who do NOT have celiac disease, but who suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is thought to be due to the person's lack of ability to produce the right enzymes required to break down gluten in the intestine. Therefore people suffering from this condition lack the enzyme in their gut which is required to break down gluten so it can be absorbed through the intestine. It is similar to people who suffer from lactose intolerance.

To control the symptoms of bloating and other intestinal symptoms, people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also need to go on a gluten free diet. For this group of people the ingestion of a little bit of gluten may cause discomfort but is not life threatening in the long-term.  These commercially available "gluten digest" products may  provide the missing enzymes so the person can eat gluten without suffering.  

Pharmaceutical companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in research to create an enzyme-based drug that would permit people with celiac disease to consume gluten.  So maybe one day this will be a reality for celiacs, but NOT YET. Talk with your doctor BEFORE making any changes to your gluten free diet for celiac disease treatment. A completely gluten free diet is currently the only proven treatment for celiac disease. Read my book today to learn how.

BUY NOW