Article
A low-gluten diet induces changes in the intestinal microbiome of healthy Danish adults
Affiliations
Organisations
- (1) Technical University of Denmark, grid.5170.3, DTU
- (2) University of Copenhagen, grid.5254.6, KU
- (3) Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, grid.11486.3a
- (4) Rega Institute for Medical Research, grid.415751.3
- (5) University of Southern Denmark, grid.10825.3e, SDU
- (6) Bispebjerg Hospital, grid.411702.1, Capital Region
- (7) Hvidovre Hospital, grid.411905.8, Capital Region
- (8) State Serum Institute, grid.6203.7
- (9) Chalmers University of Technology, grid.5371.0
- (10) University of Auckland, grid.9654.e
- (11) Rigshospitalet, grid.475435.4, Capital Region
- (12) Research Centre for Prevention and Health, The Capital Region of Denmark, DK-2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- (13) Gentofte Hospital, grid.411646.0, Capital Region
- (14) Clinical-Microbiomics A/S, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
Description
Adherence to a low-gluten diet has become increasingly common in parts of the general population. However, the effects of reducing gluten-rich food items including wheat, barley and rye cereals in healthy adults are unclear. Here, we undertook a randomised, controlled, cross-over trial involving 60 middle-aged Danish adults without known disorders with two 8-week interventions comparing a low-gluten diet (2 g gluten per day) and a high-gluten diet (18 g gluten per day), separated by a washout period of at least six weeks with habitual diet (12 g gluten per day). We find that, in comparison with a high-gluten diet, a low-gluten diet induces moderate changes in the intestinal microbiome, reduces fasting and postprandial hydrogen exhalation, and leads to improvements in self-reported bloating. These observations suggest that most of the effects of a low-gluten diet in non-coeliac adults may be driven by qualitative changes in dietary fibres.
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