Key TakeawaysA new study has researchers feeling optimistic that tryptophan, an amino acid, could be the basis of new treatments for celiac disease.People who have celiac disease are nine times more likely to have inflammatory bowel syndrome than people without the condition.Tryptophan is not produced in the body, which means it needs to be consumed through a balanced diet. Turkey is one of the most well-known sources, but tryptophan is also found in other foods.

Key Takeaways

A new study has researchers feeling optimistic that tryptophan, an amino acid, could be the basis of new treatments for celiac disease.People who have celiac disease are nine times more likely to have inflammatory bowel syndrome than people without the condition.Tryptophan is not produced in the body, which means it needs to be consumed through a balanced diet. Turkey is one of the most well-known sources, but tryptophan is also found in other foods.

New research from McMaster University has found that tryptophan, an amino acid, combined with certain gut probiotics can help reduce inflammation in the digestive tracts of people withceliac disease.

Celiac disease occurs when people with certain predisposing genes consume gluten, which causes damage and inflammation to the upper lining of thesmall intestine. Left untreated, the condition can lead to serious health problems.

What Is Celiac Disease?

For their study, researchers examined the presence of low tryptophan metabolism in several groups: people with active celiac disease, people who had been following a strict gluten-free diet for at least two years, and people who did not have celiac disease.

People with active celiac disease were found to have low tryptophan metabolism, which led to non-stimulation of the AhR pathway and an increase in symptoms related to inflammation.

The people who were adhering to a strict diet had partial improvement in tryptophan metabolism, which made the researchers think there could be a link between gut bacteria, tryptophan metabolism, and the activation of the receptor pathway that protects the gut lining.

Elena Verdu, MD, PhDThe results of our study suggest that the pathway can be rescued if we use the right probiotic, but this will need to be tested in a clinical trial before we can recommend a strain.

Elena Verdu, MD, PhD

The results of our study suggest that the pathway can be rescued if we use the right probiotic, but this will need to be tested in a clinical trial before we can recommend a strain.

“Our main findings show that patients with active celiac disease have improper activation of the AhR pathway in their intestines due to decreased ability of their gut microbes to metabolize dietary tryptophan.”Elena Verdú, MD, PhD, an associate professor at McMaster University’s Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute and lead researcher of the study, tells Verywell. “Because AhR is important to modulate inflammation and the gut barrier, this could mean that targeting this pathway could help control inflammation.”

Chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract is a key factor ininflammatory bowel disease(IBD). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IBD is an umbrella term that encompasses several diseases includingCrohn’s disease, which can affect any part of the digestive tract, andulcerative colitis, which affects the large intestine (also known asthe colon).

Verdú says that patients with celiac disease are nine times more likely than other people to have IBD. It was this statistic that led her team to investigate whether the two conditions share a common mechanism.

Can a Gluten-Free Diet Help IBD?

What the Findings Mean for Patients

Further research is needed before a specific treatment that combines tryptophan and probiotics could be developed. However, the findings of the new study point researchers in the right direction.

“The results of our study suggest that the pathway can be rescued if we use the right probiotic, but this will need to be tested in a clinical trial before we can recommend a strain,” Verdú says. “The good news is that we have probiotic candidates to test in the future, not blindly, but with a target in mind.”

Some healthcare professionals who treat patients with celiac disease also think the discovery could be promising. “This finding has the potential for clinical application,” Nielsen Fernandez-Becker, MD, a gastroenterologist at Stanford Health Care, tells Verywell. “We could use this as a diagnostic test for the patients that don’t respond to a gluten-free diet and strategize dietary changes to increase tryptophan intake.”

L-Tryptophan Supplements

Tryptophan and Diet

Elena Verdú, MD, PhDThe safest way to consume high levels of tryptophan is through a diverse and natural diet, which of course should be gluten-free for patients with celiac disease.

Elena Verdú, MD, PhD

The safest way to consume high levels of tryptophan is through a diverse and natural diet, which of course should be gluten-free for patients with celiac disease.

When people with celiac disease need to cut gluten out of their diet, they might feel that they have more limited food choices. It’s still important to consume a diet that’s as well-balanced as possible—which includes getting enough tryptophan.

IBD and Nutrition

“Junk food has low amounts of tryptophan,” Verdú says. “The safest way to consume high levels of tryptophan is through a diverse and natural diet, which of course should be gluten-free for patients with celiac disease.”

Even if you don’t have celiac disease, inflammation regulation is just one benefit of tryptophan. The amino acid is also needed for the synthesis ofserotonin,melatonin, andniacin(vitamin B-3).If you have low levels of these important substances, you might experience insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

What This Means For YouIf you have celiac disease, having adequate amounts of tryptophan in your diet might help reduce the inflammation in your gut that causes symptoms. That said, medical professionals do not recommend using supplements to add more tryptophan to your diet. Instead, talk to your doctor about ways to increase your levels naturally through the food you eat.

What This Means For You

If you have celiac disease, having adequate amounts of tryptophan in your diet might help reduce the inflammation in your gut that causes symptoms. That said, medical professionals do not recommend using supplements to add more tryptophan to your diet. Instead, talk to your doctor about ways to increase your levels naturally through the food you eat.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Celiac Disease Foundation.What Is Celiac Disease?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Mayo Clinic Laboratories.TRYPP - Clinical: Tryptophan, Plasma.

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