Two new studies contradict a popular belief that exposing infants four to six months old to gluten and breastfeeding might prevent them from developing celiac disease in later life.

One in 133 Americans, or one percent of the U.S. population, has celiac diseases that damage the villi of the small intestine, and impedes the absorption of nutrients from food. The disease can lead to complications such as infertility, reduced bone density, neurological disorders, some cancers, and other autoimmune diseases. There is no existing treatment for this condition so the only option of the affected individuals is to go a 100% gluten-free diet.

"From now on, it will be hard for anyone to continue to recommend the introduction of gluten specifically at the age of four to six months," Drs. Jonas Ludvigsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and Peter Green of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City explained to Reuters.

The first study examined gluten's effect on preventing the disorder. The researchers followed 832 newborns with a family history of the disease. About 12 percent of the infants who had a gluten-based diet at 6 months developed the disease when they turned two years old, compared to five percent of the children who were introduced to the diet at 12 months. Yet, the month difference did not prevent the children from developing celiac disease by age five; 16 percent of the participants was diagnosed with the disease.

A second study was conducted involving 944 infants. One group was given 100 milligrams of gluten per day from 4 to 6 months of age. The other group was considered as the placebo group. After three years, six percent of the children in the gluten group developed the disease, compared to five percent of the placebo group.

Green and Ludvigsson reported that both of the tests failed to provide evidence that breastfeeding, its duration, or the introduction of gluten to the children's diet are successful in preventing the disease.

"The only difference - and it made a huge difference in terms of the risk - was the genetic component," said Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston Fasano, to Reuters. "Without those genes, you can't develop celiac disease."

Both studies were published in the Oct. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.