What do studies say about Gluten Basis?

The evidence on gluten is nuanced. For celiac disease, an autoimmune enteropathy, the evidence is strong: in genetically predisposed individuals (HLA-DQ2/DQ8), gluten triggers an immune response involving TNF-α release, leading to intestinal damage. The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. For non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), the evidence is weaker and mostly based on self-reports; double-blind placebo-controlled trials sometimes show no specific effect of gluten. FODMAPs can also cause symptoms. In healthy individuals without celiac disease or NCGS, there is no robust evidence that a gluten-free diet provides benefits. MyBody-X DNA tests cannot diagnose celiac disease but may indicate risk variants (e.g., in the HLA region). The evidence for a direct impact of gluten on general health in non-affected individuals is low.