hi there. I had not heard -- or did not remember -- a connection between gluten and myopathy but there are a couple of studies that support a connection. Given the strange and unknown nature of IBM, anything is worth a try. I would be interested in hearing of anyone trying a gluten-free diet. As the old saying goes, it may not help but it can't hurt either. here is the relevant conclusion from the latest research article on the topic:
Myopathy may be another manifestation of gluten sensitivity and is likely to have an immune-mediated pathogenesis. A gluten-free diet may be a useful therapeutic intervention.
Here is the whole research summary of the article.
Muscle Nerve. 2007 Apr;35(4):443-50.
Myopathy associated with gluten sensitivity.
Hadjivassiliou M, Chattopadhyay AK, Grünewald RA, Jarratt JA, Kandler RH, Rao DG, Sanders DS, Wharton SB, Davies-Jones GA.
Department of Neurology, The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK. m.hadjivassiliou@sheffield.ac.uk
Ataxia and peripheral neuropathy are the most common neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity. Myopathy is a less common and poorly characterized additional neurological manifestation of gluten sensitivity. We present our experience with 13 patients who presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of a myopathy and in whom investigation led to the diagnosis of gluten sensitivity. Three of these patients had a neuropathy with or without ataxia in addition to the myopathy. The mean age at onset of the myopathic symptoms was 54 years. Ten patients had neurophysiological evidence of myopathy. Inflammatory myopathy was the most common finding on neuropathological examination. One patient had basophilic rimmed vacuoles suggestive of inclusion-body myositis. Six patients received immunosuppressive treatment in addition to starting on a gluten-free diet; five improved and one remained unchanged. Among seven patients not on immunosuppressive treatment, four showed clinical improvement of the myopathy with a gluten-free diet. The improvement was also associated with reduction or normalization of serum creatine kinase level. The myopathy progressed in one patient who refused the gluten-free diet. Myopathy may be another manifestation of gluten sensitivity and is likely to have an immune-mediated pathogenesis. A gluten-free diet may be a useful therapeutic intervention.