Oats are safe for celiac disease patients

Celiac disease, an inherited disorder characterized by an abnormal immune response to gluten that results in damage to the intestinal mucosa, requires a diet in which grains that contain gluten are carefully restricted. Consumption of oats as part of a gluten-free diet has remained controversial. Picarelli et al. cultured intestinal biopsy tissue specimens from 13 adults with quiescent celiac disease to determine if oats were a source of toxicity.

Samples of duodenal mucosa that were obtained by biopsy were cultured in media containing immunologically active components of wheat (gliadin) or oats (avenin). Tissue cultures produced celiac-specific antibodies only to gliadin, whereas there was no antibody response to avenin or its most toxic fraction.

These results suggest that oats can be included safely in a gluten-free diet for celiac disease, and provide further evidence that an intestinal mucosal organ culture system is suitable for testing the toxicity of different cereals in celiac disease patients.

Picarelli, Antonio et al. Immunologic evidence of no harmful effect of oats in celiac disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:137-40.

This media release is provided by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc., to provide current information on nutrition-related research. This information should not be construed as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, consult your doctor. To see the complete text of this article, please go to:

http://faseb.org/ajcn/July/12053-Picarelli.pdf

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