Gluten free diet may eliminate nerve pain for 20 million people

A new research now claims that a gluten-free diet could help prevent nerve pain. According to researchers, a a diet free of a protein found in wheat and some grains can ease the symptoms associated with gluten neuropathy, a nerve condition that causes weakness, numbness and pain, typically in the hands or feet.

Gluten sensitivity is mostly known to cause abdominal pain, bloating and gas, but for some, the food intolerance can also result in the nerve pain condition. 

The research, carried out by the University of Sheffield, said their findings suggest a simple change in diet could nearly eliminate the painful symptoms.

Lead author of the study, Dr Panagiotis Zis, University of Sheffield said that the study is promising because it shows that a gluten free diet may help lower pain for people with gluten neuropathy.

Researchers said gluten sensitivity has been associated with peripheral neuropathy -- a condition in which the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord become damaged.

According to a 2015 study published in JAMA Neurology, 32 per cent people with peripheral neuropathy had gluten sensitivity. 

A common cause of this condition is diabetes, but researchers said when a person has nerve pain that can't otherwise be explained, and has a sensitivity to gluten, the diagnosis might be gluten neuropathy.

Researchers found that people who were following a gluten-free diet were more likely to not have pain than those who did not adhere to a strict-gluten free diet.

Researchers also found that people with painful gluten neuropathy scored significantly worse on the mental health assessment, which has a range of zero to 100 with 100 being best.

A separate 2010 study published in Neurology found that after 15 neuropathy patients went on a gluten-free diet, 11 of them were able to stabilize their condition.