Q. Other than celiac disease, is there any reason to avoid gluten in the diet?

A. “Though the hype continues on gluten-free diets being the panacea for all ills, science still lags behind in concrete evidence supporting this belief,” said Dr. Vandana Nehra, a gastroenterologist who specializes in celiac disease at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Dr. Nehra said it was “unclear if the benefit of a strict gluten-free diet in conditions other than celiac sprue may be related to the avoidance of carbohydrates and thus eventually to weight control” or was “merely a placebo effect as individuals feel better eating a healthier diet.”

NY Times, by C. Claiborne Ray, 4/5/2010

Tags: Dr. Nehra, GI, gluten-free diet