Many times doctors will recommend probiotics for celiac patients in an attempt to alleviate symptoms and correct imbalances in the gut micro biome. However, the information on probiotics is mixed for their use in celiac disease.
The gut micro biome is out of balance in celiac disease. Researchers are unclear if the micro biome disregulation is causing celiac disease or is caused by celiac disease. One study showed that after two years celiac patients on a gluten free diet reduced the number of disease causing bacteria but the beneficial bacteria remained low. Other studies have shown probiotics to be ineffective in celiac patients looking to correct their Microbiome disregulation.
In January 2023 a meta analysis of the research on celiac disease and probiotics was conducted. After looking at over 7,000 articles and selecting 19 articles discussing probiotics and celiac disease, the researchers came to the following conclusion – taking a probiotic can’t hurt and might help. Here’s the link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10238-022-00987-x
Furthermore, it seems to be a buyer beware situation with the gluten free status of probiotics. The Celiac Disease Foundation published an article in 2015 saying that many probiotics that say they are gluten free really aren’t.
For me, probiotics are expensive. I’ve taken really good, doctor recommended probiotics. I didn’t find them to be helpful. I felt like taking the probiotic was just making really expensive poop.
A gummy fiber supplement is what has helped me the most. The gluten free diet is notoriously low in fiber. Increased fiber helps with digestion, cholesterol management, blood sugar management, and potentially slows down digestion enough so things don’t sprint through my digestive tract.
Do you take a probiotic? Do you think it helps?
Yes, I use a probiotic and definitely think it helps. The times I got off probiotics it was not a good idea. My stomach no longer “talks” my bacteria isn’t as gassy in my intestines. I also don’t have an appendix and haven’t had one since I was a child, now research is showing that the appendix is important for good bacteria in the intestines. So that may be something the researchers need to look at when determining if the probiotics help or not.