<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
The purpose of this post is to follow up a recent query of mine as to whether
other celiacs were eating oats. I am not interested in opening the oat
debate.
Briefly, a study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, I believe
two years ago. The study suggested that celiacs could consider adding oats to
their diets. This was based on the chemical structure of oats, as well as, a
following of a small groups of celiacs who ate oats over a 6 month period and
did not show any negative changes in their biopsies.
Citing many reasons why they thought the study was flawed,i.e., because it
did not follow celiacs for a long enough period of time and because it did
consider that immunities change as people get older, the national celiac
support group in Omaha and my local chapter vehemently came out against
celiacs eating oats. For those of you who are interested, I'm sure you can
research this further by going back to earlier posts.
Notwithstanding this negative response, several gastroenterologists, including
mine, have said it is probably o.k. to eat oats. I have been eating oats for
two years with no negative response and continue to have negative antibody
tests. Others responded to my query as follows:
1. " I have read most of the articles and believe that oats are safe. As such
I have been eating oats several times a week. After eating them for 10
months, I had another biopsy and it showed no damage from eating the oats. In
fact, the small intestine was in better shape than with the previous biopsy.
I think oats are safe for me."
2. "I, too, am eating oats, albeit in a less supervised manner than you. I ate
oats between my first and second biopsies and passed my second biopsy. My MD
suggested that I continue to watch the literature, but that I could eat oats
w/o further monitoring so long as the literature was nebulous."
3. "I saw my gi specialist last week and he said you know that you should be
able to eat oats. I discussed it with him only briefly. The concern is
the rolled oat and rolled wheat grain would look similar and not be
able to be told apart. How are you getting pure oats? "
4. "I have been eating oatmeal several times a month for the past two years.
I have had four biopses in that period of time and I have been fine with no
sign of any damage.My biopses have been while my doctors were looking for what
was wrong with me and each time they thought they should check to see if I had
any damage.
They finally found what was wrong,It has nothing to do with CD."
5. "I will eat energy bars that list oat bran or oat fiber in the ingredients,
but I will not eat rolled oats or whole oats out of the concern that they are
processed with wheat flour."
6. "My daughter had eaten oats for over a year without any adverse affects
but now has some stomach pain. We are taking her off oats until the pain
stops. We don't think its the oats, it is probably cross-contamination from
processed foods but we are concerned about the pain. If and when she begins
to eat oats again it will probably be whole oats rather than manufactured
cereals with oat flour in it. You are right about oats, it opens alot of
possibilities. That's is why we began the cereals with oats."
7. "I allow myself one bowl of oatmeal a week. " I buy organic steel cut oats
directly from the farmer/ miller so I know it is not cross contaminated with
wheat.
8. "Me too ! I started with the tiniest amount...After several weeks I felt
sure it was ok, and I have been enjoying the most wonderful oatmeal and
peanut butter cookies ever since."
9. "I eat oats for the past 6 months and antibody levels have not risen. I
haven't had repeat biopsys though. Eating oats does make it a lot nicer."
10. Arrowhead Mills may have a supplier that only deals with corn and oats.
I don't have an answer for all of you regarding the cross contamination
question. If anyone does, the oat eaters on the list would sure apreciate a
post.
Happy Holidays to all of you and a healthy gluten free New Year !! Diane
Smith
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