One of the fundamental symptoms used to diagnose celiac disease is villous atrophy. This finding is identified by doctors by performing an intestinal biopsy. Despite it’s known flaws, this test is used as a gold standard for the diagnosis of celiac disease. So the following scenario is quite common:
- Patient complains of gastric pain, bloating, diarrhea, etc
- Patient visits GI doctor
- GI doctor runs tests including a biopsy
- Biopsy shows villous atrophy
- Patient is diagnosed with celiac disease
- Patient is told to avoid wheat, barley, and rye
The incorrect assumption in the scenario above is that the patient has villous atrophy caused by gluten (gliadin) in wheat, barley, and rye. Why is the assumption incorrect? Other types of food proteins can also cause villous atrophy. The study below is one of many proving this point…
Morphometric and immunohistochemical study of jejunal biopsies from children with intestinal soy allergy.
A morphometric and immunohistochemical restudy was made of jejunal biopsy specimens from 5 patients with soy allergy and the results obtained were compared to those from specimens taken before soy feeding and to those at a later time. All the patients had had previous cow’s milk allergy with malabsorption. Gastrointestinal symptoms presented within two weeks of starting the soy based formula but in two patients the symptoms were mild and these patients were able to continue soy feeding. Jejunal biopsy specimens taken within 3 days from the reaction to soy showed villous atrophy associated with crypt hyperplasia and an increased cell renewal rate. Also, these specimens showed an inflammatory reaction in the lamina propria and in the epithelium, and the numbers of IgA- and IgM-containing cells were increased. Later, when the soy proteins were eliminated, the morphology of the jejunum improved and the cell numbers were reduced to normal. The intestinal damage and the local immune reaction caused by soy proteins are similar to those seen in cow’s milk allergy with malabsorption. The immunological mechanisms operating in these diseases are thought to be the cause of these changes.
Source:Â Eur J Pediatr. 1981 Sep;137(1):63-9.
Soy Can Cause Villous Atrophy
If soy can be a cause of villous atrophy, and other foods (corn, dairy) can cause villous atrophy, how can we use this finding as a definitive marker for the identification of celiac disease ? There are a growing number of people diagnosed with celiac disease who are failing to respond to a traditional gluten free diet. Is the abundance of soy protein in gluten free foods one of the reasons why?
Soy Vs. Gluten Reaction
Soy is often used in many things that individuals consume and is everywhere in our food supply. It is a common ingredient in a lot of processed food products, especially products labeled gluten free. Often, soy is subject to gluten cross-contamination as well. Many people react similarly to soy as they do to gluten grains and it’s important to be cautious on a gluten free diet to be aware of this. There are also many symptoms to be aware of that could be tellers to consuming soy or gluten, some of these include migraine headaches, depression, blood sugar problems, etc. You can find a complete breakdown of each symptom here to find out more. So is Soy Gluten Free?
Soy is a Major Processed Food Ingredient
This information seriously begs the question: shouldn’t doctors also rule out other foods known to cause villous atrophy before making a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease?
Many gluten free food manufacturers use soy flour and other soy byproducts to produce foods for the gluten free market. So is soy gluten free and OK to consume on a gluten free diet? If a patient is diagnosed with celiac disease and not told about the possibility of soy as a cause, they could be using these products and perpetuating their illness.
If you have not responded to the gluten free diet, you may want to look into the possibility that soy or other food allergens are also playing a role in your disease process. If your doctor refuses to help you, consider following the scientifically proven diet plan provided in No Grain No Pain. Think you might be gluten intolerant? Take the Sensitivity test!
Always looking out for you,
Dr. O – AKA the Gluten Free Warrior
26 Responses
Funny, I was allergy tested and came up with intolerence to Wheat,corn, milk and soy. This pretty much puts an end to eating premade food. I don’t eat soy, but I do have soy sauce sometimes and I have been doing research and thought maybe wondered if the soy sauce was a problem because it is fermented from wheat, or just on its own. Here is my answer. Also, I think (can’t prove) these foods might be problematic because they are so heavily GMO.
What is the best test for food allergies and sensitivities?
This is something I have just come to realise. 3 years of being Gluten Free but still having ‘episodes’ as we have come to call them. About 3 weeks ago I had an epiphany and stopped drinking soy milk. Haven’t felt this good in, well, years! And so nice to have regular and ‘normalish’ toilet habits once again. There is one last trigger and I am on the path to discovering what it is (honey or sugars in jam) but you know what, that is nothing compaired to the pain and suffering I have been through …
For Australians – Fountain Gluten Free soy sauce is not GF and I don’t know how they can get away with labelling it GF… Kikkoman do a great GF soy sauce.
Coconut aminos is a TERRIFIC substitute for soy sauce!
Kikkoman is the only one I dare to use!
Cindy,
For several years or more, at least (2) brands are selling traditional soy-sauce brewed wheat-free. Suggest you look closer for this, or go online to search: gluten-free soy sauce. Only a bit more in price than standard supermarket selections brewed with wheat.
Look for non-GMO, Gluten-free on the label.
Most GMO soy is being fed to cattle, this opens yet another Pandora’s box of issues.
I went through gene testing and have gene for gluten
sensitivity. I also have problem with processed soy.
Recently I have discovered that I also have a problem
with sorghum, which is in alot of gluten free products.
I may also have allergies to other gluten free grains,
haven’t figured it out yet.
I have issues soya lecithin,gf oats and maize flour
Interesting. I’ve had positive intestinal biopsy for Celiac, and also couldn’t tolerate much dairy. Now dairy seems fine, and so does soy. I also had allergy tests (scratch test) and am slightly allergic to egg yolks, potato starch, yeast (extract & raw yeast only).
Soy did not react, and neither did corn or other grains. Not allergic to wheat, as Celiac disease is not a true allergy. Confirmed when wheat did not react on my skin test.
The whole soy thing is confusing to me.
I have gluten sensitivity and I know for me, as soon as I eat out, even at a gluten free based restaurant, I will get sick. I had to ask myself why? I figure it has to be the oil they use. When I cook for myself, I don’t have that problem and there’s only a handful of restaurants that I can eat from without my stomach throwing fits from. I also took vitamins with soy in it that took me out of commission for 2 days (so depleted of energy).
I think I also have the same problem with other oils.
I AVOID SOY LIKE THE PLAGUE. AVOID SOY SAUCE AT ALL COST, IT’S INFESTED WITH WHEAT. THERE’S SO MUCH OF OUR FOOD THAT HAS ONE BAD THING AFTER ANOTHER. LEARN TO READ YOUR LABELS AND WHAT THE DEFINATION OF EACH INGREDIENT IS.
HERE IN CALIFORNIA S.D.,, AT THE CELIAC FOUNDATION, THEY USED TO HAVE CLASSES FOR US CELIACTICS AND WOULD GIVE YOU A BINDER AS A START UP KIT FOR THOSE WHO WERE JUST DIAGNOSED WITH C.D. AND INSIDE WAS A POCKET DICTIONARY TO TAKE TO THE STORE TO IDENTIFY FOODS THAT ARE SAFE AND NON SAFE. IF THIS ISN’T BEING DONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS OR ANYWEHRE REALLY IN THE U.S. THEY SHOULD START DOING SO TO HELP WITH GLUTEN INTOLERANT AND CELIAC DISEASE.
MY SUGGESTION IS TO GO AND KINDLY CONFRONT THE G.I. DOCTORS AT A SCHOOL/UNVERSITY THAT HANDLE CELIAC DISEASE SINCE THIS IS THEIR SPECIALTY AND ASK HOW ONE CAN START A STARTER KIT WITH THE POCKET DICTIONARY AND A LIST OF THE RIGHT BRAND OF VITAMINS IN THE BINDER. OUR DOCTOR DID HIS OWN RESEARCH AND AT THE END DISCOVERED THAT OVER THE COUNTER BRANDS WERE CENTRUM FOR MULTI AND NATURE MADE AS SAFE BRANDS TO TAKE THAT HAD THE MOST VALUE IN IT. I’VE BEEN TAKING THEM SINCE 2008 AND MY ATAROPHYED MUSCLES IN MY CALVES GOT THEIR MUSCLES BACK AND I’M MORE ENERGETIC AND MY SYMPTOM OF BORDERLINE ANEMIA IMPROVED, I DON’T PASS OUT ANYMORE AND THAT’S FROM TAKING B-12 VITAMINS. ALSO FROM WHAT MY QUESTIONING, ACCEPT FOR THE MUTLI VITAMIN, ALL VITAMINS YOU NEED FOR YOUR SPECIAL CASE REQUIES 2 TABLETS CAUSE OF THAT FACT THAT THE FIRST ONE DOESN’T STAY IN THE SYSTEM LONG.
ANYWAYS I’VE SAID MORE THAN EXPECTED, I HOPE THIS INFO HELP ALOT.
ALSO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND DON’T KNOW THIS BUT PLAYDO HAS WHEAT IN IT, SO IF THEY PLAY WITH IT MAKE SURE THEY WASH THEIR HANDS VERY VERY GOOD OR WEAR SOME KIND OF GLOVE THAT THEY CAN USE. ONE MORE THING I’VE LEARN IS FIND OUT HOW OLD THE HOME YOU LIVE IN IS. ALOT OF PLACES HAVE USED PAINT ON THE WALLS THAT HAVE WHEAT, THESE DAYS THEY HAVE PAINT THAT DOESH’T HAVE WHEAT IN IT BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO INDIVIDUALLY TO YOUR HOME DEPOT OR WHEREEVER YOU SHOP AND ASK QUESTIONS ON WHICH PAINT HAVE OR DOESN’T HAVE WHEAT IN IT.
I HOPE THIS INFO ABOVE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND GOOD LUCK.; )’
I AVOID SOY LIKE THE PLAGUE. AVOID SOY SAUCE AT ALL COST, IT’S INFESTED WITH WHEAT. THERE’S SO MUCH OF OUR FOOD THAT HAS ONE BAD THING AFTER ANOTHER. LEARN TO READ YOUR LABELS AND WHAT THE DEFINATION OF EACH INGREDIENT IS.
HERE IN CALIFORNIA S.D.,, AT THE CELIAC FOUNDATION, THEY USED TO HAVE CLASSES FOR US CELIACTICS AND WOULD GIVE YOU A BINDER AS A START UP KIT FOR THOSE WHO WERE JUST DIAGNOSED WITH C.D. AND INSIDE WAS A POCKET DICTIONARY TO TAKE TO THE STORE TO IDENTIFY FOODS THAT ARE SAFE AND NON SAFE. IF THIS ISN’T BEING DONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS OR ANYWEHRE REALLY IN THE U.S. THEY SHOULD START DOING SO TO HELP WITH GLUTEN INTOLERANT AND CELIAC DISEASE.
MY SUGGESTION IS TO GO AND KINDLY CONFRONT THE G.I. DOCTORS AT A SCHOOL/UNVERSITY THAT HANDLE CELIAC DISEASE SINCE THIS IS THEIR SPECIALTY AND ASK HOW ONE CAN START A STARTER KIT WITH THE POCKET DICTIONARY AND A LIST OF THE RIGHT BRAND OF VITAMINS IN THE BINDER. OUR DOCTOR DID HIS OWN RESEARCH AND AT THE END DISCOVERED THAT OVER THE COUNTER BRANDS WERE CENTRUM FOR MULTI AND NATURE MADE AS SAFE BRANDS TO TAKE THAT HAD THE MOST VALUE IN IT. I’VE BEEN TAKING THEM SINCE 2008 AND MY ATAROPHYED MUSCLES IN MY CALVES GOT THEIR MUSCLES BACK AND I’M MORE ENERGETIC AND MY SYMPTOM OF BORDERLINE ANEMIA IMPROVED, I DON’T PASS OUT ANYMORE AND THAT’S FROM TAKING B-12 VITAMINS. ALSO FROM WHAT MY QUESTIONING, ACCEPT FOR THE MUTLI VITAMIN, ALL VITAMINS YOU NEED FOR YOUR SPECIAL CASE REQUIES 2 TABLETS CAUSE OF THAT FACT THAT THE FIRST ONE DOESN’T STAY IN THE SYSTEM LONG.
ANYWAYS I’VE SAID MORE THAN EXPECTED, I HOPE THIS INFO HELP ALOT.
ALSO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND DON’T KNOW THIS BUT PLAYDO HAS WHEAT IN IT, SO IF THEY PLAY WITH IT MAKE SURE THEY WASH THEIR HANDS VERY VERY GOOD OR WEAR SOME KIND OF GLOVE THAT THEY CAN USE. ONE MORE THING I’VE LEARN IS FIND OUT HOW OLD THE HOME YOU LIVE IN IS. ALOT OF PLACES HAVE USED PAINT ON THE WALLS THAT HAVE WHEAT, THESE DAYS THEY HAVE PAINT THAT DOESH’T HAVE WHEAT IN IT BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO INDIVIDUALLY TO YOUR HOME DEPOT OR WHEREEVER YOU SHOP AND ASK QUESTIONS ON WHICH PAINT HAVE OR DOESN’T HAVE WHEAT IN IT.
I HOPE THIS INFO ABOVE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND GOOD LUCK.; )’
Vitamins of all kinds make me sick but for a few types.
So I don’t take them. But I do get CFS though. I can’t eat many things and no grains.
Soy as well I seem to think as it was organic and I got sick anyhow.
I use Coconut Aminos to replace Soy Sauce.
Yes. Rely on the 32 year old study with no follow up tests. Assume that villous atrophy is the same regardless of allergy response or auto-immune response. Assume doctors are only doing a biopsy, with no blood test or no genetic test. Then post a rogue headline. “Doctor” Osborne, you are not doing your clients a service by being misleading. Stick to nutrition and leave the medical research to professionals, unless it helps to sell more books.
This is a learning environment. Negative and condescending comments are not welcome. Your accusations are don’t make sense. It would appear that you have a chip on your shoulder. a 32 year old study is just as valid today as it was when first published. I don’t make assumptions about what other doctors are doing, I make observations about what they have been doing based on 12 years of clinical experience treating patients. The headline is far from “rogue”. You are welcome to leave this site if you choose to keep your head in the sand about valid information that helps save lives.
Wishing you enlightenment,
Dr. O
The scratch test only reveals what you are immediately sensitive or allergic to and the Elissa IgG test will reveal what can bother you days or weeks after you eat it. The stool test is the most accurate way to detect gluten intolerance.
I too avoid soy at all costs,unless it is fermented, ie: tamari (SanJ gluten free organic soy sauce sold in health food stores) miso, tempeh, natto etc. Soy is NOT a health food, it is an estrogen disruptor and has serious health implications on every age group. The majority of all soy is genetically modified. Soy Lecithin used to be a book binder and now it is in the majority of crackers, chips and cookies. Your best bet is to avoid all processed foods. Another great resource for soy besides Dr. O is The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniel, otherwise known as the Naughty Nutritionist. She was a speaker at the nutrition school I attended and her book is amazing. Other sites to search are http://www.mercola.com and http://www.naturalnews.com and type in soy in the search box.
I use liverite liveraid its to help in supporting and cleansing my liver(I am the non drinker with chronic hepatitis) several of its properties are derived from soy,like choline to name one. Does anyone know if that is a problem? Thanks for any info.
I am actually going through this right now. Two years ago I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and was severely malnourished. Going on the diet helped but I was still sick. A week ago my allergist tested me and I don’t have any problems with gluten but I am allergic to soy. Now I get to revamp my diet.
It seems that everything i eat makes me sick…
This is so frustrating.
No soy,eggs,corn,nightshades are horrible on my body,feel like i was hit by a truck.Don’t have assess to many organic foods or grass fed meats.
It is a sad day in America that they have poisened our food supplies with GMO’s,insectisides,glysophate,I truly believe this is the root of all the diseases that plague us here in the United States.
So overwhelming…
My itching is life altering. I have been tested for celiac and the bloodtest was neg. however I found out I was highly allergic to nickel. Chocolate and soy are high in nickel. Also after I eat bread(most
Has soy) I cannot handle milk either. Does any of this make sense to anyone? Docs can’t help me… When I call gi doc, they say see an allergist. It’s so hard to find bread without soy…
Hi Wendy. You may have an intolerance to soy. I react to soy as though I am allergic to it. I break out in hives, get abdominal pains, chest pains, migraines and more. Was sent to an allergist and came out as not having an allergy to soy, but an intolerance. Save your money. Allergists are expensive. If a food makes you sick, don’t eat it. As for bread, I know of one brand only (in Australia) that makes gluten and soy free bread and it’s called ‘Purebred’ which is imported from Ireland. As a gluten and soy free bread, it’s not bad. Much better toasted though. Other than that, you can make your own. Lots of recipes on Pinterest, you will just need to substitute an alternative flour if the recipe calls for soy flour. Try lactose free milk and if that doesn’t help, try rice milk, but check the labels to make sure there is no soy. If you miss chocolate, try making brownies using cocoa powder and not melted chocolate as chocolate contains soy lecithin which will probably make you react. Just some ideas for you as I am gluten, dairy and soy free and struggled to find food that I could eat that didn’t make me sick. Good luck. I feel your pain.
These posts are all so enlightening. I was diagnosed with celiacs recently and i know that by not eating gluten i feel so much better, but even after being gf for 2 years i am still suffering from fibromyalgia and arthritis like symptoms and will have to look at what the gf products contain to see if they contain soy and/or soy lethecin and exclude those products from my diet.
I was diagnosed being allergic to gluten by a dermatologist recently. I break out in small blisters that make you itch terribly & leave scars. I have been gluten free for 3-4 wks but still after I eat I sometimes get a few blisters & itch. No one has mentioned the source thing although the owner of a Chinese restaurant told me not to eat anything with soy sauce or terriaky sauce because they have gluten. I got the Prevnar 13 pneumonia shot last May & 3 days later broke out in itchy blisters & have 2 dermatologists & allergy dr working with me, have had 6 biopsies & blood test & only 1 biopsy came back gluten intoleranct, everything else was insignificant. Was told my immune system probably got messed up real bad from the shot & this is a result from it. Anyone else with anything g like this?
I have been on a gluten free, soy free, and legume free diet since 2010. I was doing fine but very recently i began having severe reactions to nearly everything i eat. Now all i can eat is gluten free cream of rice cereal and eggs. I am losing weight fast, very weak, exhausted, and malnurished. My GI doctor thinks i may have ulcers. But this doesn’t seem to me to be the reason i am having frequent attacks as if i ate an offensive food. I don’t know what to do.
I was tested to see if I had celiac disease and I do not. I have had bad fibromyalgia for about 25 years and the pain associated with it was almost unbearable.. After encouragement many times by family members who are eating gluten free, I gave it a try the first of April. In about three weeks my pain lessened. It is now August 1 and I am completely free Vof fibromyalgia pain. I basically took six Tramadol 50mg every day. It is really great to not have daily pain. I am posting this to possibly help others with fibromyalgia.