Question: A friend of mine has been following a gluten-free diet, and is losing weight and feeling more energetic than she has in awhile. That said, she is not gluten intolerant and doesn’t have celiac disease. Is this diet recommended for weight loss and general health?
Answer: This diet is not intended for presumably healthy individuals, and there isn’t any research to indicate that it helps with anything other than gluten intolerance or celiac disease. There are many so-called “experts” out there that attribute the inability to lose weight, or a lack of energy, to any number of dietary factors, including gluten. Unfortunately, they can’t point to any studies indicating that gluten is the problem, and if that’s the case, a lack of gluten is unlikely to be the solution. Celiac disease is diagnosed with a blood test and an intestinal biopsy, and gluten intolerance is typically diagnosed if gastrointestinal symptoms persist in the absence of a clinical diagnosis. Your friend is likely experiencing weight loss as the result of following a more restrictive, lower calorie diet, and this probably explains her renewed energy level as well. If she wants to continue the diet, that’s completely fine, but it probably isn’t necessary to reach her health and wellness goals.
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