Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.LIZ HUNT
Mysterious symptoms, including muscle weakness, wasting, and poor co- ordination and balance, may be caused by an undiagnosed allergy to wheat, barley, oats or rye, according to new research which may have implications for some people with myalgic encephalomyelitis.
A study of 53 patients with these and other unexplained neurological symptoms, found that nearly three-fifths of them had antibodies to gluten, a protein found in cereal grains, in their blood.
The findings by doctors at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield suggest that some of the symptoms at least, could be alleviated by sufferers eating a gluten-free diet.
Gluten sensitivity is a well-known, hereditary gut disorder. Symptoms include diarrhoea, bulky stools, and flatulence which are due to inflammation of the small bowel lining. However, some patients also have neurological symptoms due to degeneration of peripheral nerves and the spinal cord.
Writing in tomorrow's issue of the Lancet, doctors say that none of the patients in the Sheffield group had been diagnosed with coeliac disease but when samples of tissue were removed from their gut, more than one- third showed evidence of the disease or inflammation of the middle and lower gut.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments