Pilot Study On Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: Effects Of Bifidobacterium Longum Es1 Co-Administered With A Gluten-Free Diet

BACKGROUND: Bifidobacterium longum ES1 is a strain probiotic, colonizing the human gut and capable of a degradarive action on gliadin. In an attempt to find new nutritional solutions aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) we evaluated the effectiveness of this strain, in association with a gluten-free diet, comparing its efficacy versus diet therapy alone.METHODS: The experimental design included a non-randomized, open-label, 1:1 intervention study in parallel groups. Enrolled patients with symptoms attributable to NCGS, and with negative diagnoses of both wheat allergy and celiac disease, were included in this three-month trial divided into four outpatient visits (baseline, T1, T2 and T3). Fifteen patients for each group completed the experimental protocol.RESULTS: Our results showed that a combination of diet and probiotic determined a more significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. and a clear improvement in stool consistency.CONCLUSIONS: Although the study was carried out on a small number of patients, the results of our pilot trial suggest that a combined strategy of naturally gluten-free diet therapy with administration of the probiotic strain ES1 appears to offer a greater advantage than the dietary regime alone in improving the clinical symptomatic picture and in stabilizing the intestinal microbiota.