Miley Cyrus: Gluten-Free Diet Is Responsible For Weight Loss

Miley Cyrus took to Twitter yesterday to refute claims that she's suffering from an eating disorder. Instead, she says, her weight loss is due to a shift toward gluten-free and lactose-free eating for health reasons.

"For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy," she wrote. "It's not about weight it's about health. Gluten is crapppp anyway!"

While her fans are most certainly aware that Cyrus is not a medical professional, it's valuable to fact-check her statement anyway. First of all, it is impossible to be allergic to gluten. Those who have difficulty digesting gluten have either a condition called celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. About 1 percent of the population suffers from celiac and about 10 percent have a less specific sensitivity, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Celiac sufferers have an immune response to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Symptoms range from chronic fatigue, diarrhea, bloating and headaches to "failure to thrive" in young children. Weight gain is not as common clinical symptom of gluten sensitivity as weight loss is.

Celiac disease is diagnosed through a tissue biopsy, but non-celiac gluten sensitivity is both diagnosed through an elimination diet after patients report likely symptoms to their doctors. Gluten is gradually removed from a person's diet and doctors monitor patients' self-reported symptoms to see if they subside. But according to a recent editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine, some clinicians are worried that the elimination diet is not an effective way to diagnose the condition. They argue that a "nocebo" effect causes patients to feel alleviation of symptoms because of the popularity of gluten-free eating and celebrity endorsements from people like Cyrus. Instead, they urge double-blind testing in which patients try two different diets, without knowing which is gluten-free and which contains gluten.

The power of suggestion is particularly strong when so many celebrities swear by gluten-free eating. And while Cyrus may suffer from celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, her svelte physique is most likely the result of regular exercise and careful eating. Note that the first photos of her changing figure were captured as she left the gym. And if the new gluten-free diet is responsible for some weight change, it may be because Cyrus can no longer indulge in favorite junk foods. Another Tweet shows the actress and singer inhaling deeply into a bag of fast food, and she wrote, "I can't eat it. So I'm just gonna smell the shittttt out of it! My mouth is LITERALLY watering."

She wouldn't be the first gluten-free eater to speak wistfully about favorite, but forbidden foods.

That we are talking about Cyrus' body at all -- and that she felt the need to appease us with a medical justification for her weight loss on Twitter -- is an unfortunate consequence of the way we talk about celebrities and celebrated women in particular. This was most eloquently stated by the actress Ashley Judd, who recently wrote about speculation related to her own appearance (most centrally, slight puffiness in her face) on The Daily Beast:

The Conversation about women’s bodies exists largely outside of us, while it is also directed at (and marketed to) us, and used to define and control us. The Conversation about women happens everywhere, publicly and privately. We are described and detailed, our faces and bodies analyzed and picked apart, our worth ascertained and ascribed based on the reduction of personhood to simple physical objectification. Our voices, our personhood, our potential, and our accomplishments are regularly minimized and muted.

Cyrus' body and what she puts into it are her business. But her medical statements are another matter.

Here are more celebrities with food allergies and sensitivities:

Loading Slideshow

• Elisabeth Hasselbeck

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Co-host of "The View" <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Hasselbeck has Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the body has an extreme reaction to gluten.

• Zooey Deschanel

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actress and singer <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Deschanel has <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/zooey_deschanel_new_girl_inter.html" target="_hplink">sensitivities to dairy, eggs and wheat.</a>

• Serena Williams

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Tennis champion <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Williams is rumored to be allergic to peanuts.

• Susie Essman

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Comedian and co-star of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Essman <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/05/dining/at-lunch-with-susie-essman-eating-hollywood-style-with-thin-air-on-the-side.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm" target="_hplink">has Celiac disease</a>.

• Sarah Vowell

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Historian and author <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Vowell <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1102970/bio" target="_hplink">has Celiac disease</a>.

• Billy Bob Thornton

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actor <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Thornton <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/180m-thats-what-britain-is-spending-on-free-from-foods--and-market-will-double-in-five-years-765592.html" target="_hplink">has an allergy</a> to shellfish and intolerance for wheat and dairy.

• Kelis

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Singer <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesNews/story?id=4776317&page=4" target="_hplink">Kelis is allergic</a> to peanuts.

• Keith Olbermann

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Newscaster for CurrentTV <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Olbermann<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/bio" target="_hplink"> has Celiac disease.</a>

• Jennifer Esposito

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actress <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/oz-exclusive-jennifer-esposito" target="_hplink">Esposito has Celiac</a> disease.

• Drew Brees

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Quarterback for the New Orleans Saints <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1191808/index.htm" target="_hplink">Brees has Celiac</a> disease.

• Chelsea Clinton

  <strong>Profession: </strong>NBC News correspondant, First Daughter emeritus <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38474741/ns/today-food/t/chelsea-clinton-let-them-eat-gluten-free-cake/" target="_hplink">Clinton has Celiac</a> disease.

• Ray Romano

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Comedian <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://www.peanutallergykid.com/2009/01/you-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be.html" target="_hplink">Romano is allergic</a> to peanuts.

• Emmy Rossum

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actress <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://www.shape.com/latest-news-trends/try-eating-passover-foods-week-%E2%80%93-even-if-youre-not-jewish" target="_hplink">Rossum has Celiac</a> disease.

• Joshua Jackson

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actor <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2018006/Joshua-Jackson-hospitalised-suffering-allergic-reaction.html" target="_hplink">Jackson is allergic</a> to peanuts.

• Halle Berry

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Actress <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong>Berry is reportedly allergic to shellfish.

• Alex Kapranos

  <strong>Profession: </strong>Lead singer of Franz Ferdinand <strong>Allergy/Sensitivity: </strong><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Alex+Kapranos" target="_hplink">Kapranos is allergic</a> to peanuts.

• Related Video

CLARIFICATION: Language has been removed that confused the diagnostic tests for celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

From our partners

• 18 Ways To Stay Active With Your Dog This Summer (PHOTOS) - Greatist
• 4 Killer Routines To Beat Treadmill Boredom - Shape Magazine
• Cancer: An American History (INFOGRAPHIC) - Everyday Health

Comments

[SabrinaAlexandra]

05:16 AM on 12/12/2012

I'm type 1 diabetic, and I have a gluten intolerance. I would put it on par with an allergy, except I don't break out in hives or anything - my stomach just becomes severely distended and although I am 125 pounds I look 9 months pregnant in only my stomach and have incredible pain because my stomach/body can't process foods that contain gluten anymore (as a kid it used to be ok, but it got progressively worse). Gluten is a horrible thing anyway, so who cares if Miley is sensitive to it or not? It's a good thing to cut out of your diet in general. People know what works best for their own bodies and they should be allowed to make those choices. Peace.

[Jessica Lorren Williams]

01:47 PM on 05/16/2012

only 1% of the population has Celiac, and 90% of them are celebrities? Ummmm

[MissRedWing]

06:28 PM on 05/08/2012

It is entirely possible to have your Celiac test come back negative, but still have trouble digesting gluten. And yes, it is entirely possible that more than 1% of the population has celiac disease. And yes, you can have an allergy to gluten. Anytime you have a change in diet, such as removing meat, diary, gluten, etc. your body can shed weight. I lost a ridiculous amount of weight when I went gluten-free because of eczema issues. Was this article proofread before submission?

[AmandaMarie01]

04:15 PM on 04/28/2012

I'd like to inform you that it is possible to be allergic to gluten. My aunt and I are allergic to gluten. We don't have this celiac disease you talk about. If we eat foods that contain gluten, we break out in itchy hives. It's called eczema. So your statement of it being impossible to be allergic to gluten is wrong.

[SteveDenver]

12:03 AM on 04/15/2012

Michael Pollan talks about modern food production methods and then asks a question: thirty years ago, how many of us knew a kid with celiac disease, corn allergy or lactose intolerance? Maybe 1 or 2, but as he travels, he asks educators about their experiences: numbers approaching 30-percent, especially in more affluent areas where children are more likely to be tested for food allergies and intolerances.

[Jazz Fanatic]

03:55 PM on 04/14/2012

I think it's funny that the article takes such great pains to say how few people actually suffer from gluten intolerance/sensitivity/allergy/whatever, and then the majority of the celebrities in the slide show are described as having the very rare celiac's disease. Less than 1%, huh?

[shimi-habu]

09:11 AM on 04/14/2012

I lost a scary amount of weight on a gluten free diet just as Miley did, so she could be telling the truth. Unfortunately our doctors have altogether maybe two hours of training in nutrition so most of them do not understand food allergies, and sadly an elimination diet is the only way for some people to understand their own bodies. A gluten free diet can help people get rid of many of the processed foods which are bad for us, and it can be used to help people relearn the art of cooking. So it really begs the question why so many "experts" are against the public learning how to eat healthier or why they don't want us to experiment on our own with what works in our own bodies.

[SteveDenver]

12:05 AM on 04/15/2012

I remember telling someone I was giving up pasta and baked goods. She said, "Pro athletes and dancers carbo load on pasta and baked goods." I pointed out that neither of us is a pro athlete or professional dancer, but the problem is that we ate like one.

[chevyhjm]

10:37 PM on 04/13/2012

I tell everyone to go gluten free for a week also. I did and felt awesome. Some people - maybe alot of people - are unable to digest gluten. I believe I have been sensitive my whole life. I'm 30! After about a month gluten free I had to stop taking my 20 mg Lisinopril for high blood pressure because it was 175/110 now 110/85. I also stopped completly with daily hay fever type allergy symtoms. Acid reflux and eroded esophogus stopped and healed. No need for my asthma inhaler now either.

[lngdnlrn]

07:11 PM on 04/12/2012

If Miley Cyrus had tweeted that she was diagnosed with celiac disease most of her twelve year-old fans would not have known what that meant and probably would have thought it was a life threatening disease.

(I know celiac disease can be really bad if you eat something with gluten, but you know what I mean.)

[Cam Chatka]

06:24 PM on 04/12/2012

I've got celiac. Before diagnosis, I was painfully thin because my digestive system was basically trashed because of gluten intolerance. The only remedy is 100 percent avoidance of gluten. Since I'm gluten-free, my digestive system healed, I absorb nutrients, and I gained weight. Now for the first time in my life, I've gotta watch it! It's a funny ol' world. Still, the hell with celebrities and their stoopit fads.

[evestur]

05:52 PM on 04/12/2012

poorly written, poorly structured, poorly researched. if you're going to write about the focus on women's bodies in the media, write about that and learn how to form a thesis statement in your opening paragraph. if you're going to try and analyze a celebrity's use of the word "allergy," write about that, and consider that a certain word is easier to use for a platform like twitter -- "intolerant," "allergy:" they both get the message across. if you're going to write about gluten allergies/intolerance, do your research properly.

[Bex978]

05:51 PM on 04/12/2012

I'm sure someone's mentioned this, but I just want to say, an elimination diet is not the way to be tested for celiac disease-- If you suspect you have it, go see a doctor immediately before cutting gluten from your diet. Going gluten free before getting the blood work done can affect the results, and if you don't have celiac disease, cutting it out without seeing a doctor first is a bad idea anyway. So, bottom line, if you suspect you may have celiac disease, visit your doctor immediately!

[Kristy Seelnacht-Colombo]

03:10 PM on 04/12/2012

Also, the fact is that there are many valid, scientific and nutritional reasons why gluten/wheat is an increasing problem for almost all humans, and not a fad diet. More and more people will discover they have celiac or feel better on a gluten-free diet, and just because some people may jump on the GF bandwagon due to popularity that is a GOOD change. More than 99% of the gluten that Americans eat is NOT coming from sprouted wheat berries and barley- it's devoured in the form of fast food, fried, food, and junk food. I won't get in depth, but suffice it to say, due to the standard American (and now worldwide) diet of highly processed white flours, high gluten flour and the mass quantities it's consumed in- coupled with the fact that the protein molecule for wheat is already very large and difficult for the digestive system to break down when most people already have weak gut flora destroyed by diet and antibiotics, not to mention wheat having an inflammatory and acidic effect on the digestive system regardless-- of course the incidence of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity is on the rise. Duh. Much like the 'epidemic' rise of diabetes, autism and various cancers, our diseases are the product of the unhealthy and toxic world we have created. Again, duh.

[reganrd]

11:58 AM on 04/12/2012

Celiac disease is NOT diagnosed by eliminating gluten from the diet--it is diagnosed with an antibody test and/or biopsy. If gluten is removed from the diet, the antibodies are no longer there and the test is irrelevant. If someone suspects celiac, we tell them NOT to eliminate it so it can be confirmed. When/if it is confirmed we teach the patient how to eat gluten free. If it isn't confirmed, we can keep looking for other GI culprits.

ANY diet that eliminates whole groups of food [that are normally part of a person's diet] will almost ALWAYS cause weight loss because calories are being cut. Duh. (that's the professional term for, "duh.") Eliminating sugar? White flour? Meat? Soda? Alcohol? Yep, if you eliminate calories, you lose weight.

[shimi-habu]

09:16 AM on 04/14/2012

If your doctor does not understand the disease and will not give you the proper tests, and this does happen, then an elimination diet is a helpful tool. If a person sees immediate results in their health then this is a good thing. Many people do not have help learning how to eat gluten free from doctors who do not have adequate training in nutrition. This is a separate problem altogether in that most Americans do not understand what a proper diet is because our teachers and doctors do not even know. But as to your point about eliminating sugar, alcohol, meat, white flour---as a doctor you should know these are all toxic to our bodies in one form or another and we should limit or elimate them regardless of any allergy.

[Tony Baja]

08:57 AM on 04/12/2012

PART I

I researched this article; some of the references that were linked to about the
recent editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine (which links to another article), that uses the same reference which is here;
http://www.annals.org/content/156/4/309.abstract.

within that article/report the first sentence, in part;
"Recent studies support the existence of a new condition, nonceliac gluten sensitivity..."

I see this as a support for a 'Gluten Sensitivity' at a Nonceliac level. I see that statement as unambiguous, I could be wrong though, that is just my interpretation of that partial sentence.

Treating and diagnosing this Medical condition is outlined in such a professional way, that not even Tony Baja can understand it, but -- from what I read, there is support for the new condition that is a gluten sensitivity noncelaic, or as the report shows nonceliac gluten sensitivity.

Miley might use the NON medical term for gluten sensitivity as allergic to gluten, but she is no Doctor,and either is Tony Baja
http://tony-baja-health-resort.blogspot.com/

My point is, there seems to have been found, a medical support, for a form of gluten sensitivity, but A major pitfall, is the lack of an unambiguous definition, of this form of gluten sensitivity at; http://www.annals.org/content/156/4/309.abstract (annals of Internal medicine - Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity; sense or sensibility, authors Antonio Di Sabatino MD and Gino Roberto Corazzo MD)

continued

[shimi-habu]

09:37 AM on 04/14/2012

I once saw a definition for gluten allergy as a "sensitivity to gluten." I have also seen brain allergy listed as well. Before we jump down people's throats about the correct terminology to use, we need to do the research to figure out what this thing is. What is sad is that people who have this in order to study their own bodies end up knowing more about this than their own doctors.

[Tony Baja]

09:45 PM on 04/14/2012

I think the medical term for allergy could be called celiac, while just having a sensitivity, in medical terms is termed "Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity", this is just my opinion, from trying to read and understand the complete report..... the problem is testing for the gluten sensitivity, in order to determine one has it, then the prescribed treatment...........My opinion again, i think Some Docotrs would prefer to send their patient to a specialist, and have the specialast make that determination, as they specialize in that field.......................maybe?