A new study suggests that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be mistakenly blaming gluten for their symptoms, rather than the ingredients themselves. Researchers found that patients who followed a gluten-free diet reported similar gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming cereal bars containing either gluten or whole wheat.
The study involved 28 IBS patients who believed their symptoms improved when they followed a gluten-free diet. In a lab experiment, each person was given three different types of cereal bars: one contained gluten, one contained wheat, and one had neither. The results showed that 26 out of 28 participants experienced worse GI symptoms after eating the same type of bar, regardless of whether it contained gluten or not.
This suggests that patients’ expectations and beliefs about gluten may be driving their symptoms, rather than the actual ingredients. Dr. Premysl Bercik, a researcher at McMaster University, said that “not every patient who believes they are reacting to gluten actually does.” Instead, many people are mistakenly attributing their symptoms to gluten due to online communities and social media, which can perpetuate negative expectations.
The study’s findings have implications for the way IBS patients are treated. Dr. Bercik recommends continuing the gluten-free diet as a potential solution, but also acknowledges that therapy and coaching may be needed to help patients overcome their gluten-related hang-ups. The researchers plan to conduct further research to confirm these findings and better understand why beliefs about gluten drive some IBS symptoms.
In the meantime, more information on gluten intolerance can be found at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health website.
Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-07-22/for-some-gluten-intolerance-is-psychological-study-says