Celiac Disease Curbed by Early Gluten Introduction
There are benefits to eating wheat protein in infancy.
Researchers from King’s College London studied 1,004 infants in the United Kingdom. The scientists found that 1.4% of children who avoided allergenic foods and exclusively breastfed until age 6 months developed celiac disease at 3 years. In comparison, none of the infants who were introduced to a high dose of gluten (4 grams of wheat protein per week) from age 4 months developed the disease at age 3.
The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics and offer some promise in the fight against this autoimmune malady. Celiac disease can damage the lining of the gut and lead to a host of problems, including bloating, chronic fatigue and nutrient malabsorption.
See also: Another Win for Gluten
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
