Enzymes may provide treatment for gluten intolerance
An enzyme has been recently identified that is able to degrade gluten in a laboratory simulation of the gastrointestinal tract.
If clinical trials bear out the findings, adding the enzyme to gluten-containing meals “might eliminate gluten toxicity, thus offering patients the possibility of abandoning (at least occasionally) their strict gluten-free diet” …
The enzyme accelerated the digestion of gluten that is found in bread and other grain products, the authors report. Similar results were obtained when a fast food meal was tested instead of white bread alone…
The investigators believe that this enzyme is a good candidate for clinical trials to see if it can remove all gluten toxicity. They add that the enzyme is available on an industrial scale.
SOURCE: Gut, January 2008.
[tags]enzymes[/tags]
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