Most patients with celiac disease demonstrate substantial clinical improvement during the first few weeks after the onset of the consumption of a gluten-free diet. However, between 30-50% of patients with celiac disease have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms despite consuming a gluten-free diet and presenting negative antibodies. It has recently been reported that celiac disease patients treated with a gluten-free diet that still have persistent symptoms possess different intestinal microbiota patterns than patients without persistent symptoms. Furthermore, a pilot study showed that dietary supplementation with probiotics (Bifidobacterium infantis NLS super strain - Natren LIFESTART®) in untreated celiac disease patients was associated with a significant improvement in symptoms as compared to placebo. Collectively, these findings contribute to the hypothesis that celiac disease patients on a gluten-free diet in whom gastrointestinal symptoms persist may benefit from the supplementation of Bifidobacterium infantis NLS super strain.~Participants in this double-blinded crossover trial will be randomized to receive either placebo or Bifidobacterium infantis NLS super strain for 3 weeks, followed by a 2 week washout period, and then followed by 3 weeks of the other of either placebo or probiotic supplementation.
The primary purpose of this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium infantis NLS super strain among celiac disease patients on a gluten-free who have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.