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At 05:19 PM 9/11/00 -0400, Mara Levin wrote:

>"Maybe you could have the dr that diagnosed your CD talk to him about it? I
>read that a molecule is as harmful as a pound of gluten.  I think it was on
>this website http://www.csaceliacs.org/

We have to have some discussion on this bromide that I've heard passed
around on this list for too long. Such reasoning is an assault on reason
and logic no matter where someone read it. The idea that a single molecule
of gluten can do as much harm as a pound of gluten is not only ridiculous,
but it can also make a celiac think, "What's the use in trying? I can't
possibly keep out even a single molecule."

I read one study that said there seemed to be no ill effects for those who
ingested 10mg of gluten per day. Another study recently mentioned on the
list said they had watched and tested several celiacs for some time (wish I
remembered better) and could find no harm if they ingested 15 mg daily.

I'd like to see the guy who wrote that urban myth originally (probably Leon
whathisname if it's from the CSA site) eat a  pound of gluten while I eat a
single molecule. I'll do it anywhere any time. That's an open invitation.

I don't mean to denigrate the idea that small amounts of gluten can cause a
reaction. If you think about how small 10 mg is, it's very small. Think
about the size of a 1,000 mg vit C pill: and that contains 1,000 mg of vit
C, plus who knows how much filler.

I doubt there is anyone on this list who is so hypersensitive they would
notice, or derive harm from, ingesting a single molecule of gluten per day.
Hell, you can eat more arsenic, pure cyanide or rat poison than that
everyday and have no problems with it. Gluten may be as bad as rat poison
in hyperbole, but it sure ain't as bad as botulism, and you could probably
get away with eating one molecule even of that.

In short, if we continue to spread that kind of idea, I doubt that any
thinking person would take us seriously.  -vance