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Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Forums

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Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Blogs

  • kareng's Blog
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  • An Unmistakeable Journey
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  • The Patient Celiac
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  • Trials and Tribulations
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  • Cee Cee's Blog
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  • Research on South African Celiac Tours
  • lindylynn's Blog
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  • shelly184's Blog
  • Melissa.77's Blog
  • Keating's Not-so-Glutenfree life
  • AmandasMommy's Blog
  • Coeliac, or just plain unlucky?
  • bandanamama's Blog
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  • Ellenor Whitty's Blog
  • Mama Me Gluten Free
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  • Scott's Celiac Blog
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  • Angie Baker
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  • Silly Yak 08's Blog
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  • NotMollyRingwald's Blog
  • Searchin for a Primary Care Dr. In Redlands That is Knowledgeable about Celiac disease
  • num1habsfan's Blog
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  • Celiac-Positive
  • Jason's Mommy's Blog
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  • Lauren Johnson's Celiac Blog
  • I love my plant Cactus <3
  • Chele's Blog
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  • Blues Boulevard
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  • Inspiration
  • Cindy Neshe's Blog
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  • What I've Learned
  • Da Rant Sheet
  • Michael Fowler's Blog
  • Living in Japan with Ceoliac Disease
  • mkmaren's Blog
  • MJ
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  • x1x_Stargirl_x1x's Blog
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  • Joe pilk
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  • GlutenFreeLexi's Blog
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  • SadAndSick's Blog
  • HONG KONG GLUTEN, WHEAT FREE PRODUCTS
  • Guth 101's Blog
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  • Gail Marie's Blog
  • Healthy Food Healthy You
  • SydneyT1D - Diabetic and Celiac YouTuber!
  • GFGF's Blog
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  • SMAS: www.celiac.com
  • gardener1's Blog
  • Naezer's Blog
  • JordanBattenSymons' Blog
  • JillianC
  • Sugar's Blog
  • Blanche22's Blog
  • Jason's Blog
  • Gluten-Free Sisters :)
  • Eab12's Celiac Blog
  • ohiodad's Blog
  • Newly Self Diagnosed?
  • misscorpiothing's Blog
  • anshika_0204's Blog
  • Petroguy
  • abqrock's Blog
  • WhoKnew?'s Blog
  • Soap Opera Central
  • nurcan's Blog
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  • Daughter_of_TheLight's Blog
  • nopastanopizza's Blog
  • w8in4dave's Blog
  • Mr J's Blog
  • Rachel Keating's Blog
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  • krisb's Blog
  • deetee's Blog
  • CAC's Blog
  • EmilyLinn7's Blog
  • Teri Kiefer's Blog
  • happyasabeewithceliac's Blog
  • quietmorning01's Blog
  • jaimekochan's Blog
  • Cheryl
  • Seosamh's Blog
  • donna mae's Blog
  • Colleen's blog
  • DawnJ's Blog
  • Gluten Challenge
  • twins2's Blog
  • just trying to feel better's Blog
  • Celiac Teen
  • MNBelle blog
  • Gabe351's Blog
  • moosemalibu's Blog
  • Coeliac Disease or Coeliac Sprue or Non Tropical Sprue
  • karalto's Blog
  • deacon11's Blog
  • Nyxie's Blog
  • Swpocket's Blog
  • threeringfilly's Blog
  • Madison Papers: Living Gluten-Free in a Gluten-Full World
  • babinsky's Blog
  • prettycat's Blog
  • Celiac Diagnosis at Age 24 months in 1939
  • Sandy R's Blog
  • mary m's Blog
  • Jkrupp's Blog
  • Oreo1964's Blog
  • keyboard
  • Louisa's Blog
  • Guts & Brains
  • Gluten Free Betty
  • Jesse'sGirl's Blog
  • NewMom's Blog
  • Connie C.'s Blog
  • garden girl's Blog
  • april anne's Blog
  • 4xmom's Blog
  • benalexander60's Blog
  • missmyrtle's Blog
  • Jersey Shore wheat no more's Blog
  • swezzan's Blog
  • aheartsj's Blog
  • MeltheBrit's Blog
  • glutenfreecosmeticcounter
  • Reasons Why Tummy tuck is considered best to remove unwanted belly fat?
  • alfgarrie's Blog
  • SmidginMama's Blog
  • lws' Blog
  • KMBC2014's Blog
  • Musings and Lessons Learned
  • txwildflower65's Blog
  • Uncertain
  • jess4736's Blog
  • deedo's Blog
  • persistent~Tami's Blog
  • Posterboy's Blog
  • jferguson
  • tiffjake's Blog
  • KCG91's Blog
  • Yolo's Herbs & Other Healing Strategies
  • scrockwell's Blog
  • Sandra45's Blog
  • Theresa Marie's Blog
  • Skylark's Blog
  • JessicaB's Blog
  • Anna'sMommy's Blog
  • Skylark's Oops
  • Jehovah witnesses
  • Celiac in Seattle's Blog
  • March On
  • honeybeez's Blog
  • The Liberated Kitchen, redux
  • onceandagain's Blog
  • JoyfulM's Blog
  • keepingmybabysafe's Blog
  • To beer, with love...
  • nana b's Blog
  • kookooto's Blog
  • SunnyJ's Blog
  • Mia'smommy's Blog
  • Amanda's Blog
  • jldurrani's Blog
  • Why choosing Medical bracelets for women online is the true possible?
  • Carriefaith's Blog
  • acook's Blog
  • REAGS' Blog
  • gfreegirl0125's Blog
  • Gluten Free Recipes - Blog
  • avlocken's Blog
  • Thiamine Thiamine Thiamine
  • wilbragirl's Blog
  • Gluten and Maize-Free (gluten-free-MF)
  • Elimination Diet Challenge
  • DJ 14150
  • mnsny's Blog
  • Linda03's Blog
  • GFinDC's Blog
  • Kim UPST NY's Blog
  • cmc's Blog
  • blog comppergastta1986
  • JesikaBeth's Blog
  • Melissa
  • G-Free's Blog
  • miloandotis' Blog
  • Confessions of a Celiac
  • Know the significance of clean engine oil
  • bobhayes1's Blog
  • Robinbird's Blog
  • skurtz's Blog
  • Olivia's Blog
  • Jazzdncr222's Blog
  • Lemonade's Blog
  • k8k's Blog
  • celiaccoach&triathlete's Blog
  • Gluten Free Goodies
  • cherbourgbakes.blogspot.com
  • snow dogs' Blog
  • Rikki Tikki's Blog
  • lthurman1979's Blog
  • Sprue that :)'s Blog
  • twinkletoes' Blog
  • Ranking the best gluten free pizzas
  • Gluten Free Product
  • Wildcat Golfer's Blog
  • Becci's Blog
  • sillyker0nian's Blog
  • txplowgirl's Blog
  • Gluten Free Bread Blog
  • babygoose78's Blog
  • G-freegal12's Blog
  • kelcat's Blog
  • Heavy duty 0verhead crane
  • beckyk's Blog
  • pchick's Blog
  • NOT-IN-2gluten's Blog
  • PeachPie's Blog
  • Johny
  • Breezy32600's Blog
  • Edgymama's Gluten Free Journey
  • Geoff
  • audra's Blog
  • mfrklr's Blog
  • 2 chicks
  • I Need Help With Bread
  • the strong one has returned!
  • sabrina_B_Celiac's Blog
  • Gluten Free Pioneer's Blog
  • Theanine.
  • The Search of Hay
  • Vanessa
  • racecar16's Blog
  • JCH13's Blog
  • b&kmom's Blog
  • Gluten Free Foodies
  • NanaRobin's Blog
  • mdrumr8030's Blog
  • Sharon LaCouture's Blog
  • Zinc, Magnesium, and Selenium
  • sao155's Blog
  • Tabasco's Blog
  • Amanda Smith
  • mmc's Blog
  • xphile1121's Blog
  • golden exch
  • kerrih's Blog
  • jleb's Blog
  • RUGR8FUL's Blog
  • Brynja's Grain Free Kitchen
  • schneides123's Blog
  • Greenville, SC Gluten-Free Blog
  • ramiaha's Blog
  • Kathy P's Blogs
  • rock on!'s Blog
  • Carri Ninja's Blog
  • jerseygirl221's Blog
  • Pkhaselton's Blog
  • Hyperceliac Blog
  • abbiekir's Blog
  • Lasister's Thoughts
  • bashalove's Blog
  • Steph1's Blog
  • Etboces
  • Rantings of Tiffany
  • GlutenWrangler's Blog
  • kalie's Blog
  • Mommy Of A Gluten Free Child
  • ready2go's Blog
  • Maureen
  • Floridian's Blog
  • Bobbie41972's Blog
  • Everyday Victories
  • Intolerance issue? Helpppp!
  • Feisty
  • In the Beginning...
  • Cheri46's Blog
  • Acne after going gluten free
  • sissSTL's Blog
  • Elizabeth19's Blog
  • LindseyR's Blog
  • sue wiesbrook's Blog
  • I'm Hungry's Blog
  • badcasper's Blog
  • M L Graham's Blog
  • Wolicki's Blog
  • katiesalmons' Blog
  • CBC and celiac
  • Kaycee's Blog
  • wheatisbad's Blog
  • beamishmom's Blog
  • Celiac Ninja's Blog
  • scarlett54's Blog
  • GloriaZ's Blog
  • Holly F's Blog
  • Jackie's Blog
  • lbradley's Blog
  • TheSandWitch's Blog
  • Ginger Sturm's Blog
  • The Struggle is Real
  • whataboutmary's Blog
  • JABBER's Blog
  • morningstar38's Blog
  • Musings of a Celiac
  • Celiacchef's Blog
  • healthygirl's Blog
  • allybaby's Blog
  • MGrinter's Blog
  • LookingforAnswers15's Blog
  • Lis
  • Alilbratty's Blog
  • 3sisters' Blog
  • MGrinter's Blog
  • Amanda
  • felise's Blog
  • rochesterlynn's Blog
  • mle_ii's Blog
  • GlamourGetaways' Blog
  • greendog's Blog
  • Tabz's Blog
  • Smiller's Blog
  • my vent
  • newby to celiac?'s Blog
  • siren's Blog
  • myraljo's Blog
  • Relieved and confused
  • carb bingeing
  • scottish's Blog
  • maggiemay832's Blog
  • Cristina Barbara
  • ~~~AnnaBelle~~~'s Blog
  • nikky's Blog
  • Suzy-Q's Blog
  • mfarrell's Blog
  • Kat-Kat's Blog
  • Kelcie's Blog
  • cyoshimit's Blog
  • pasqualeb's Blog
  • My girlfriend has celiacs and she refuses to see a doctor
  • Ki-Ki29's Blog
  • mailmanrol's Blog
  • Sal Gal
  • WildBillCODY's Blog
  • Ann Messenger
  • aprilz's Blog
  • the gluten-free guy
  • gluten-free-wifey's Blog
  • Lynda MEADOWS's Blog
  • mellajane's Blog
  • Jaded's Celiac adventures in a non-celiac world.
  • booboobelly18's Blog
  • Dope show
  • Classic Celiac Blog
  • Keishalei's Blog
  • Bada
  • Sherry's blurbs
  • addict697's Blog
  • MIchael530btr's Blog
  • Shawn C
  • antono's Blog
  • Undiagnosed
  • little_d's Blog
  • Gluten, dairy, pineapple
  • The Fat (Celiac) Lady Sings
  • Periomike
  • Sue Mc's Blog
  • BloatusMaximus' Blog
  • It's just one cookie!
  • Kimmy
  • jacobsmom44's Blog
  • mjhere's Blog
  • tlipasek's Blog
  • You're Prescribing Me WHAT!?!
  • Kimmy
  • nybbles's Blog
  • Karla T.'s Blog
  • Young and dealing with celiacs
  • Celiac.com Podcast Edition
  • LCcrisp's Blog
  • ghfphd's allergy blog
  • https://www.bendglutenfree.com/
  • Costume's and GF Life
  • mjhere69's Blog
  • dedeadge's Blog
  • CeliacChoplin
  • Ravenworks' Blog
  • ahubbard83's Blog
  • celiac<3'sme!'s Blog
  • William Parsons
  • Gluten Free Breeze (formerly Brendygirl) Blog
  • Ivanna44's Blog
  • Daily Life and Compromising
  • Vonnie Mostat
  • Aly'smom's Blog
  • ar8's Blog
  • farid's Blog
  • Sandra Lee's Blog
  • Demertitis hepaformis no Celac
  • Vonnie Mostat, R.N.
  • beetle's Blog
  • Sandra Lee's Blog
  • carlyng4's Blog
  • totalallergyman's Blog
  • Kim
  • Vhips
  • twinsmom's Blog
  • Newbyliz's Blog
  • collgwg's Blog
  • Living in the Gluten Free World
  • lisajs38's Blog
  • Mary07's Blog
  • Treg immune celsl, short chain fatty acids, gut bacteria etc.
  • questions
  • A Blog by Yvonne (Vonnie) Mostat, RN
  • ROBIN
  • covsooze's Blog
  • HeartMagic's Blog
  • electromobileplace's Blog
  • Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom
  • Fiona S
  • bluff wallace's Blog
  • sweetbroadway's Blog
  • happybingf's Blog
  • Carla
  • jaru24's Blog
  • AngelaMH's Blog
  • collgwg's Blog
  • blueangel68's Blog
  • SimplyGF Blog
  • Jim L Christie
  • Debbie65's Blog
  • Alcohol, jaundice, and celiac
  • kmh6leh's Blog
  • Gluten Free Mastery
  • james
  • danandbetty1's Blog
  • Feline's Blog
  • Linda Atkinson
  • Auntie Lur: The Blog of a Young Girl
  • KathyNapoleone's Blog
  • Gluten Free and Specialty Diet Recipes
  • Why are people ignoring Celiac Disease, and not understanding how serious it actually is?
  • miasuziegirl's Blog
  • KikiUSA's Blog
  • Amyy's Blog
  • Pete Dixon
  • abigail's Blog
  • CHA's Blog
  • Eczema or Celiac Mom?'s Blog
  • Thoughts
  • International Conference on Gastroenterology
  • Deedle's Blog
  • krackers' Blog
  • cliniclfortin's Blog
  • Mike Menkes' Blog
  • Juanita's Blog
  • BARB OTTUM
  • holman's Blog
  • It's EVERYWHERE!
  • life's Blog
  • writer ann's Blog
  • Ally7's Blog
  • Gluten Busters: Gluten-Free Product Alerts by Celiac.com
  • K Espinoza
  • klc's Blog
  • Pizza&beer's Blog
  • CDiseaseMom's Blog
  • sidinator's Blog
  • Dr Rodney Ford's Blog
  • How and where is it safe to buy cryptocurrency?
  • lucedith's Blog
  • Random Thoughts
  • Kate
  • twin#1's Blog
  • myadrienne's Blog
  • Nampa-Boise Idaho
  • Ursa Major's Blog
  • bakingbarb's Blog
  • Does Celiac Cause Sensitivites To Rx's?
  • delana6303's Blog
  • psychologygrl25's Blog
  • Alcohol and Celiac Disease
  • How do we get it???
  • cooliactic_BOOM's Blog
  • GREAT GF eating in Toronto
  • Gluten-free Food Recommendations!
  • YAY! READ THIS!!
  • BROW-FREE DIET BLOG
  • carib168's Blog
  • A Healing Kitchen
  • Shawn s
  • AZ Gal's Blog
  • mom1's Blog
  • The Beginning - The Diagnosis
  • PeweeValleyKY's Blog
  • solange's Blog
  • Cate K's Blog
  • Layered Vegetable Baked Pasta (gluten-free Vegetarian Lasagna)
  • Gluten Free Teen by Ava
  • mtdawber's Blog
  • sweeet_pea's Blog
  • DCE's Blog
  • Infertility and Celiac Disease
  • What to do in the Mekong Delta in 1 Day?
  • glutenfreenew's Blog
  • Living in the Garden of Eden
  • toddzgrrl02's Blog
  • redface's Blog
  • Gluten Free High Protein
  • Ari
  • Great Harvest Chattanooga's Blog
  • CeliBelli's Blog
  • Aboluk's Blog
  • redface's Blog
  • Being in Control of Your Gluten-Free Diet on a Cruise Ship
  • jayshunee's Blog
  • lilactorgirl's Blog
  • Yummy or Yucky Gluten-Free Foods
  • Electra's Blog
  • Cocerned husband's Blog
  • lilactorgirl's Blog
  • A Little History - My Celiac Disease Diagnosis
  • How to line my stomach
  • sewfunky's Blog
  • Oscar's Blog
  • Chey's Blog
  • The Fun of Gluten-free Breastfeeding
  • Dawnie's Blog
  • Sneaky gluten free goodness!
  • Chicago cubs shirts- A perfect way of showing love towards the baseball team!
  • Granny Garbonzo's Blog
  • GFzinks09's Blog
  • How do I get the Celiac.com podcast on my mp3 player?
  • quantumsugar's Blog
  • Littlebit's Blog
  • Kimberly's Blog
  • Dayz's Blog
  • Swimming Breadcrumbs and Other Issues
  • Helen Burdass
  • celiacsupportnancy's Blog
  • Life of an Aggie Celiac
  • kyleandjra.jacobson's Blog
  • Hey! I'm Not "Allergic" to Wheat!
  • FoOdFaNaTic's Blog
  • Wendy Cohan, RN's Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Cooking Classes
  • Lora Derry
  • Dr. Joel Goldman's Blog
  • The Ultimate Irony
  • Lora Derry
  • ACK514's Blog
  • katinagj's Blog
  • What Goes On, Goes In (Gluten in Skin Care Products)
  • What’s new in hydraulic fittings?
  • cannona3's Blog
  • citykatmm's Blog
  • Adventures in Gluten-Free Toddling
  • tahenderson67's Blog
  • The Dinner Party Drama—Two Guidelines to Assure a Pleasant Gluten-Free Experience
  • What’s new in hydraulic fittings?
  • sparkybear's Blog
  • justbikeit77's Blog
  • To "App" or Not to "App": The Use of Gluten Free Product List Computer Applications
  • Onangwatgo
  • Raine's Blog
  • lalla's Blog
  • To die for Cookie Crumb Gluten-Free Pie Crust
  • DeeTee33's Blog
  • http://glutenfreegroove.com/blog/
  • David2055's Blog
  • Gluten-Free at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco
  • Kup wysokiej jakości paszporty, prawa jazdy, dowody osobiste
  • Janie's Blog
  • Managing Hives & Gluten Allergies
  • User Is it safe to use GB WhatsApp pro in 2024?
  • Bogaert's Blog
  • Janie's Blog
  • RaeD's Blog
  • Dizzying Disclaimers!
  • Dream Catcher's Blog
  • PinkZebra's Blog
  • Hibachi Food and Hidden Gluten Hazards (How to Celebrate Gluten-Free)
  • jktenner's Blog
  • OhSoTired's Blog
  • PinkZebra's Blog
  • gluten-free Lover's Blog
  • Gluen Free Health Australia
  • Melissamb21's Blog
  • Andy C's Blog
  • halabackgirl9129's Blog
  • Liam Edwards' Blog
  • Celiac Disease in Africa?
  • Suz's Blog
  • Gluten-Free Fast Food
  • mis_chiff's Blog
  • gatakat's Blog
  • macocha's Blog
  • Newly Diagnosed Celiacs Needed for Study in Chicago
  • Poor Baby's Blog
  • the loonie celiac's Blog
  • jenlex's Blog
  • Sex Drive/Testosterone can be Depleted by Certain Foods
  • samantha79's Blog
  • 21 Months into the Gluten-free Diet
  • WashingtonLady's Blog-a-log
  • James S. Reid's Blog
  • Living with a Gluten-Free Husband
  • runner girl's Blog
  • kp3972's Blog
  • ellie_lynn's Blog
  • trayne91's Blog
  • Gluten-free Lipstick!
  • Nonna2's Blog
  • Schar Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (Gluten-Free)
  • pnltbox27's Blog
  • Live2BWell's Blog
  • melissajohnson's Blog
  • nvsmom's Blog
  • Diagnosed with Celiac Disease and Still Sick
  • snowcoveredheart's Blog
  • Gluten Free Nurse
  • Gluten-Free Frustration!
  • Melody A's Blog
  • novelgutfeeling's Blog
  • Trouble Eating Out Gluten-Free...Good or Bad?!
  • dilsmom's Blog
  • theceliachusband's Blog
  • amanda2610's Blog
  • Pancreas and Celiac Disease Link?
  • epiphany's Blog
  • Patty55's Blog
  • The Latest Gluten-Free Food Recalls
  • kenzie's blog
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  1. Celiac.com 02/08/2024 - Living with celiac disease often means navigating a complex landscape of symptoms, dietary restrictions, and the quest for an optimal quality of life. Understanding Patterns Behind Persistent Celiac Symptoms Celiac disease is not a one-size-fits-all condition. A subgroup of adults experiences persistent symptoms, both gastrointestinal and extraintestinal, the origins of which are often elusive. A team of researchers recently conducted an observational study to uncover patterns within this diverse symptom landscape and explore their connections to gluten-free diet adherence, mental health, and quality of life. The research team included Cara Dochat, Niloofar Afari, Rose-Marie Satherley, Shayna Coburn & Julia F. McBeth. They are variously affiliated with San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA; the VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; the Department of Psychological Interventions, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK; the Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, USA; the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA; and the Celiac Disease Foundation, Woodland Hills, CA, USA. The Study in Focus Their study included 523 U.S. adults with self-reported, biopsy-confirmed celiac disease. Participants voluntarily completed a set of questionnaires addressing various aspects of their condition: Celiac Symptoms Index (CSI): Capturing physical symptoms and subjective health. Celiac Dietary Adherence Test: Assessing adherence to a gluten-free diet. PROMIS-29, SF-36, and Celiac Disease Quality of Life Survey: Exploring psychiatric symptoms and quality of life. Latent profile analysis identified four distinct symptom profiles: Little to No Symptoms (37%): Individuals in this profile reported excellent subjective health and minimal symptoms. Infrequent Symptoms (33%): Experience relatively moderate symptoms with a focus on extraintestinal symptoms. Occasional Symptoms (24%): Moderate symptoms, particularly gastrointestinal, physical pain, and fair to poor subjective health. Frequent to Constant Symptoms (6%): Enduring significant symptoms and fair to poor subjective health. Beyond Symptoms: The Mental Health and Quality of Life Equation Interestingly, profiles did not significantly differ in terms of clinical characteristics, gluten-free diet adherence, or overall quality of life. However, distinctions emerged in mental health dimensions. Profiles 2 and 3 reported moderate symptomology, with Profile 2 leaning toward more extraintestinal symptoms and Profile 3 showing a dominance of gastrointestinal symptoms, physical pain, and lower subjective health. Profile 3, despite its moderate symptom burden, surprisingly reported the lowest psychiatric symptoms and the highest quality of life on standardized measures. Implications and Future Directions The study’s findings underscore the complexity of celiac disease, emphasizing that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be effective. Notably, even lower symptom burden did not always correlate with better mental health and quality of life, suggesting a need for nuanced behavioral interventions. The lack of profile differences in gluten-free diet adherence implies the necessity for additional dietary or medical assessments and interventions. As we navigate the intricate terrain of celiac disease, personalized and comprehensive care emerges as a key consideration, addressing not only symptoms but also the broader aspects of mental health and overall well-being. Read more in BMC Gastroenterology volume 24, Article number: 9 (2024)
  2. So this is in no way medical advice and I believe everybody's bodies and immune systems are different and handle things differently. I am in a self induced major flare up (I'm having an official diagnosis biopsy here in the next couple weeks if I can make it that long). It's been maybe 2 months and I have a major tooth infection that has spread to my sinuses, I have a severe kidney infection with nephritis (inflammation of the kidney), and just about all of my severe autoimmune symptoms are back (joint and muscle pain and swelling, rashes, migraines, numbness and weakness of muscles and limbs, severe fatigue, dizziness, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, blood sugar stability issues, memory gaps, passing out, oxygen stability issues, the list goes on). I decided to play Russian roulette with echinacia, since it's the only other thing that could possibly help the infections and pain in my house and I have 2 children (one 5 yrs and one 7 months) and a husband that works from 7-9pm to 6am 6 days a week and sleeps all day (as he should he's going through hell right now) so Im doing my best to avoid the hospital and unnecessary appointments with people who don't have my whole history. I took the echinacia and....it's helping. A lot. Almost as if it's attempting to regulate my immune system a little bit instead of accelerating it. I still have a lot of my symptoms don't get me wrong, but I do feel better and with a lot less pain and inflammation after I take it. And it lasts for about 12 hours for me before the pain comes back noticably. I'm not saying to do this especially If you don't have any help just in case things get worse and you should be under the care of a medical provider, but I thought it was awesome that it's still able to help the infections and pain with an active autoimmune flare up. Thanks for reading!

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  4. Celiac.com 01/01/2024 - A recent review by researcher Evan D. Newnham delves into the evidence concerning the effects of gluten ingestion on gastrointestinal symptoms and small intestinal injury indices in individuals without celiac disease, but who may be gluten intolerant. Newnham, affiliated with the Eastern Health Clinical School in Australia, conducted a literature review focusing on interventional studies to address this issue. The findings highlighted a lack of comprehensive exclusion of celiac disease in some studies. In particular, an unblinded study that identified symptomatic responses to gluten didn't effectively exclude celiac patients, as many exhibited intraepithelial lymphocytosis. However, a more robust double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled re-challenge trial was reported. This trial included patients where celiac disease had been ruled out based on either normal duodenal histology on a gluten-containing diet or the absence of the HLA DQ2 or DQ8 haplotype. During the trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive 16 grams per day of either gluten or a placebo for six weeks. All participants experienced improved gastrointestinal symptoms on a gluten-free diet (GFD) for at least six weeks before enrollment. The study, comprising 19 participants receiving gluten and 15 receiving a placebo, revealed that the change in overall symptom severity from baseline to the final weeks was more significant for those receiving gluten. Within one week, symptoms like pain, bloating, satisfaction with stool consistency, and tiredness were worse for the gluten group compared to the placebo group. However, the mechanisms behind symptom induction were not identified. The study underscores the existence of non-celiac gluten intolerance and emphasizes the need for future research to address critical issues like determining the required gluten dose and understanding the mechanisms of action in non-celiac individuals. Read more in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
  5. Celiac.com 11/15/2023 - Imagine enjoying your favorite pasta dish one day, and the next day, experiencing mysterious and uncomfortable symptoms like stomach pain, vomiting, fatigue, or skin rashes. What could be causing these problems? One possibility might be celiac disease. Celiac disease is a relatively common autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine. It's triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their immune system reacts by damaging the lining of the small intestine, which can lead to a wide range of symptoms and complications. Getting the diagnosis correct is important, because celiac disease is often misdiagnosed. Symptoms of Celiac Disease The symptoms of celiac disease can vary greatly from person to person, and some individuals may not experience any symptoms at all. Here are some common signs to watch out for: Digestive Troubles: Symptoms often involve the digestive system, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. Fatigue: Many people with celiac disease report feeling excessively tired, even after a full night's sleep. Weight Loss: Unintended weight loss can occur due to malabsorption of nutrients caused by intestinal damage. Skin Issues: Some individuals develop skin conditions, itchy rashes, like dermatitis herpetiformis, which is closely linked to celiac disease. Joint Pain: Joint pain and inflammation may affect those with celiac disease. Mood Changes: Mood swings, depression, or anxiety can be related to the condition. Delayed Growth in Children: Celiac disease can hinder proper growth and development in children. Diagnosis of Celiac Disease Getting a proper diagnosis is crucial for managing celiac disease effectively. Here's how doctors typically diagnose it: Blood Tests: Initially, blood tests are done to check for elevated levels of certain antibodies, such as anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA). Higher levels of these antibodies can be a sign of celiac disease. Biopsy: If blood tests indicate celiac disease, a small intestine biopsy may be performed. During this procedure, a tiny sample of the intestinal lining is taken and examined under a microscope. Damage to the lining is a key indicator of the disease. In more and more cases, celiac disease can be diagnosed without biopsy. Treatment of Celiac Disease The primary treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet. Once diagnosed, individuals need to eliminate all sources of gluten from their diet, including bread, pasta, cakes, and even certain sauces. This can be challenging, as gluten can hide in unexpected places, so reading food labels and avoiding gluten ingredients is a must. Most people with celiac disease notice significant improvements in their symptoms once they adopt a gluten-free lifestyle. Over time, the intestinal lining often heals, allowing for better nutrient absorption. In some cases, complications of celiac disease may require additional medical attention. For instance, individuals with severe malabsorption may need vitamin and mineral supplements. Dermatitis herpetiformis may be treated with medications. Living with Celiac Disease While a gluten-free diet is the cornerstone of managing celiac disease, it's also essential to be vigilant about cross-contamination. This means avoiding utensils, kitchen appliances, and cooking surfaces that have come into contact with gluten-containing foods. Celiac.com offers numerous forums for discussing celiac disease and gluten-free challenges with other celiacs who can share experience and help guide your celiac and gluten-free journey. Support groups and dietary counselors can be incredibly helpful for those newly diagnosed with celiac disease. They provide practical tips for maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle and offer emotional support during the transition. In conclusion, celiac disease is a common but manageable condition. By recognizing its symptoms, seeking a proper diagnosis, and committing to a gluten-free diet, individuals with celiac disease can lead healthy and fulfilling lives. If you suspect you have celiac disease, don't hesitate to consult a healthcare professional for guidance and testing. Your well-being is worth it!
  6. Celiac.com 08/22/2014 - It is often hard to tell if isolated case reports have anything to contribute to the larger understanding of celiac disease. However, some case reports are enough in themselves to cause reflection, whatever their contribution to the larger scientific understanding may be. For most people with celiac disease, symptoms disappear and healing begins with the adoption of a gluten-free diet. For one 9-year-old girl, however, the battle to beat her symptoms and feel better did not end with a gluten-free diet. The girl had initially complained of non-specific abdominal discomfort, and showed positive blood tests for celiac disease. Duodenal biopsies revealed Marsh 3B histopathology. So, she definitely had celiac disease with corresponding symptoms. Despite following a strict gluten-free diet, the girl continued to have symptoms and show positive blood tests for active disease. Gluten is a common additive in plastics. After some detective work, the team discovered that the child was being exposed to gluten from her orthodontic retainer that contained a plasticized methacrylate polymer. She discontinued its use and her symptoms disappeared and her celiac blood tests returned to normal. This case illustrates that, even for patients on the strictest gluten-free diet, exposure to non-dietary sources of gluten, such as those used to make plastics, dental equipment, and cosmetics, can trigger or exacerbate celiac disease symptoms. This case also emphasizes the importance of ferreting out and removing all possible sources of gluten, including non-dietary, when managing celiac disease. Source: Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2013 Nov;52(11):1034-7. doi: 10.1177/0009922813506254.
  7. Celiac.com 10/19/2023 - Fibromyalgia is a condition marked by widespread pain and other symptoms. While prior research on dietary treatments for fibromyalgia has provided conflicting results, researchers recently set out to treat fibromyalgia patients with a gluten-free diet, alternated with a non-restricted gluten-containing diet, followed by a re-challenge of the gluten-free diet. The research team included V. Bruzzese; C. Marrese; P. Scolieri; and J. Pepe. They are variously affiliated with the Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, P.O. S. Spirito-Nuovo Regina Margherita Hospital, Rome, Italy; and the Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Disease, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Their study aimed to understand the impact of dietary changes, specifically a gluten-free diet, on fibromyalgia symptoms in post-menopausal women. Study Participants: Non-Celiac Post-Menopausal Women with Fibromyalgia The study looked at twenty post-menopausal women with fibromyalgia. Importantly, none of these women had celiac disease, a known gluten-related condition. The study followed a unique approach. Participants were first put on a gluten-free diet for six months. During this period, their pain levels were measured using the widespread pain index and symptom severity scale scores. The results were promising, with a significant reduction in widespread pain index and symptom severity scale scores. The widespread pain index decreased by approximately 24%, and the symptom severity scale decreased by about 36% after six months of the gluten-free diet. However, what makes this study stand out is the subsequent phases. After six months of gluten-free eating, the participants were placed on a regular diet containing gluten for three months. During this period, their pain levels increased significantly, with a 74% increase in severity scale and a 21% increase in widespread pain index. The most intriguing part is the final phase: a re-challenge of the gluten-free diet. When the participants returned to a gluten-free diet after the three months of consuming gluten, their pain levels improved significantly again. The WPI and SS scores returned to levels similar to the initial gluten-free diet phase, with a 24% decrease in widespread pain index and a 36% decrease in severity scale. Key Findings: Statistically Significant Reduction in both the Widespread Pain Index and Symptom Severity Scale After six months on the gluten-free diet, there was a statistically significant reduction in both the widespread pain index and symptom severity scale, indicating an improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms. When participants reintroduced gluten into their diet, there was a significant increase in their pain scores (both widespread pain index and symptom severity scale). Notably, when they returned to the gluten-free diet after the gluten-containing "re-challenge" phase, there was once again a significant improvement in their pain scores. Body mass index (BMI) remained unchanged throughout the study. The results suggest that a gluten-free diet can indeed help alleviate symptoms of fibromyalgia. This study is significant because it provides evidence that a gluten-free diet can lead to an improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms, as measured by reductions in pain scores. Moreover, the study reinforced these findings through a re-challenge phase, where participants returned to the gluten-free diet after a period of consuming gluten. It's important to emphasize that this study involved post-menopausal women with fibromyalgia who did not have celiac disease. The dietary effects on fibromyalgia symptoms might not be the same for everyone, including celiacs, so further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms. Nonetheless, these findings offer hope and a potential dietary strategy for people with fibromyalgia who seek relief from their symptoms. Also, while this research suggests a potential benefit of a gluten-free diet for fibromyalgia patients, individual responses to dietary changes can vary. Therefore, anyone considering dietary interventions for managing fibromyalgia should consult with a healthcare provider or dietitian to create a personalized plan that suits their specific needs and preferences. Additionally, more study is needed to further understand the relationship between diet and fibromyalgia and to confirm these findings in larger and more diverse populations, including people with celiac disease. Read more at Rheumatismo.org

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  9. Celiac.com 07/17/2023 - Celiac disease has been associated with higher levels of anxiety, but study evidence is scant. A team of researchers recently set out to measure the frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Jordanian patients with celiac disease. The Research Team The research team included Sara Haj Ali, Rahaf Alqurneh, Awni Abu Sneineh, Bandar Ghazal, Lana Agraib, Layali Abbasi, Sufian Rifaei, and Tarek Mazzawi. They are variously affiliated with the department of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, JOR; the department Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Jordan, Amman, JOR; and the department of Food Science and Nutrition, Jerash University, Jerash, JOR. Celiac disease is a condition where the immune system reacts to gluten, causing intestinal problems and other symptoms. Researchers conducted a study to understand the frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Jordanian patients with celiac disease. Anxiety and Depressive Symptom Questionnaire The study involved sending a questionnaire electronically to celiac disease patients through WhatsApp. The questionnaire asked about demographics, disease-related information, and assessed anxiety and depressive symptoms using validated scales. A total of 133 patients participated in the study, mostly females with an average age of 33.9 years. About one-third of the patients were not following a gluten-free diet, and more than half were experiencing symptoms at the time of the study. 83% Report Depressive Symptoms The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among the participants was found to be high, with 85% reporting anxiety symptoms and nearly 83% reporting depressive symptoms. There were no significant correlations found between the variables and the presence of anxiety or depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the significant proportion of Jordanian celiac disease patients who experience anxiety and depressive symptoms. Considering the potential impact on their quality of life, it is important for healthcare providers to screen celiac disease patients for psychiatric comorbidities and refer them for further evaluation if needed. This can help improve their overall well-being and provide appropriate support. Read more at Cureus. 2023 Jun; 15(6): e39842
  10. Celiac.com 08/16/2019 - People with celiac disease tend to have quite a few extra food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities, in addition to being gluten-free. Some very common allergies are soy, dairy, wheat, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and eggs. While others are less commonly known like corn, coffee, tomatoes, apples, citrus (orange, lemon, lime), chocolate, and even candida. Now, if you don’t know that much about candida, or even know how to help this particular intestinal problem, you will need to avoid eating yeast, sugar, vinegar (excluding apple cider vinegar), alcohol, dried fruits, peanuts, pistachios, mushrooms, processed foods, smoked foods, and aged cheeses like Parmesan. Plus, avoid using antibiotics, birth control pills, and steroids because long term use will only feed the fungus. You will generally find that people with celiac disease have weakened immune systems and typically leaky gut syndrome. This often leaves room for candida to grow, so you don’t want to fuel the fire by eating any of the foods listed in the above paragraph, because if you do you, it will only lead to a list of symptoms that runs a mile long. Some of them include: adrenal fatigue headaches brain fog depression hair loss chemical sensitivity muscle pain and spasms G.I. distress heartburn heart palpitations dry eyes rashes and itching night sweats sinusitis Now, there are ways to feel healthier and take control of the overgrowth with probiotics mixtures and certain supplements. They include oregano, coconut, garlic, ginger, cloves, and more. Even cooking with these herbs on a daily basis will help. Plus, eating a low carb diet filled with a lot of proteins and vegetables will definitely be key! So, as you can see, both of these gastrointestinal health conditions are very much linked, and they have a lot more in common than just starting with the same letter.
  11. I have celiac and over the past weekend I was at a wedding and unknowingly got glutened with potatoes. i was wondering does anyone feel this way after being glutened? Or do you think it might be something other than celiac Sunday the day after the wedding my hands were red, I was bloated, and felt weak. Monday through today, I have had the worst body aches, not being able to have a strong grip, aching joints (hands bright red), face turning bright red and hot. My hands feel like they’ve been crushed by bricks and the rest of my body feels like I’ve been in an accident and my legs feel like I just did the most intense leg workout. since I’ve felt sick all this week, I’ve taken it very easy, so I know the body aches aren’t from me doing physical activity. any help, advice, or insight is appreciated!
  12. Celiac.com 01/16/2023 - We get a lot of questions about celiac disease and related conditions. Recently, we've seen a lot of questions from people wondering about the difference between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and celiac disease. We've done a number of articles on how the two conditions can sometimes have similar symptoms. How do you know which is which? What's the difference in symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment? Celiac disease is an auto-immune condition in which wheat, rye, or barley triggers gut damage. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex gastrointestinal disorder that can cause a significant decrease in patient quality of life. Doctors and researchers still know very little about the origins or triggers for IBS. IBS is More Common than Celiac Disease While celiac disease affects about one percent of the population, IBS affects 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population. It is more common in women, but can affect individuals of both genders and all ages. IBS and Celiac Can Have Similar Symptoms The cause of IBS remains poorly understood by medical professionals. Experts believe IBS symptoms may have more than one cause. IBS is often marked by numerous symptoms, including abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, or both constipation and diarrhea, as well as bloating, nausea and vomiting. The most common symptom associated with IBS is abdominal pain. Symptoms of celiac disease can include diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, gas and bloating, or weight loss. Some people also have anemia, acid reflux or heartburn, itchy skin rashes or blisters, numb or tingly feet or hands, joint pain, headaches, mouth sores, or damage to tooth enamel. However, many IBS symptoms are also common in celiac disease. To make matters more confusing, numerous studies have shown that a high percentage of patients with IBS are also sensitive to gluten. Even though many of these symptoms can mimic celiac disease, most people with IBS typically do not have celiac disease. In addition to celiac disease, a number of other diseases can mimic IBS, including inflammatory bowel disease, bacterial infections, colon cancer, and thyroid disease. These diseases typically show more severe symptoms, including rectal bleeding, weight loss and low blood counts, which are not normally seen in patients with IBS. However, IBS does not lead to an increased risk of cancer. No Easy Way to Diagnose IBS Whereas many conditions, like celiac disease, can be spotted by screening, examinations or testing, IBS is a disease that requires ruling out other contains for a diagnosis. Once other diseases and conditions are ruled out, IBS is often left as the only option standing, and so becomes the the accepted diagnosis. Rule Out Other Diseases to Diagnose IBS In order to diagnose IBS, other diseases, including celiac disease, must first be ruled out. That usually means a celiac disease blood screen, and possibly a colonoscopy or upper endoscopy. It also typically means screens and tests to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. Easy to Rule Out Celiac Disease While some of the symptoms of IBS and celiac disease can be similar, it's usually fairly easy to test for celiac disease, and to rule it in or out based on screening results. Unlike people with celiac disease, most people with IBS do not suffer from damage to the intestinal villi. Most people with IBS will test negative for a celiac disease blood screen, and show no celiac-associated gut damage. Obviously, patients with celiac disease rarely also have IBS. So, if celiac disease is diagnosed, that's usually the end of the confusion. If celiac disease is ruled out, then the diagnostic journey can continue until other possible conditions and diseases are ruled out as well. Treatment for IBS Unlike celiac disease, where a gluten-free diet usually resolves symptoms and returns normal gut health, treatment of IBS is largely a matter of managing the symptoms. First treatment options should start with diet. If you suspect you have IBS, it's good to keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat and drink, and how you feel afterward. Try to eliminate any foods or drinks that seem to cause symptoms. Gluten-Free Diet Helps Some IBS Patients Many patients with IBS respond to a gluten-free diet. However, a gluten-free diet is typically not recommended for the treatment of IBS. That's because it usually won't resolve the symptoms on its own, and many people with IBS do seem to tolerate gluten with no issues. Low FODMAP Diet Helps Some IBS Patients One recent study shows that IBS patients on a low FODMAP diet show marked reduction in IBS symptom severity, along with reduced levels of fecal calprotein after the gut microbiota return to normal. If your doctor suspects IBS, it's best to consult a dietician or nutritionist before you embark on a gluten-free or a low-FODMAP diet. Typically, foods that may trigger symptoms are slowly reintroduced into the diet after about six weeks. In addition to dietary measures, psychological interventions, such as counseling and exercise, have been shown to improve IBS symptoms. Yogurt Can Help Resolve IBS Symptoms A recent study shows that homemade yogurt resolves IBS symptoms in most patients. Medicine Can Help Control IBS Symptoms Unlike celiac disease, medicines, such as peppermint oil, fiber, minimally absorbed antibiotics, anti-nausea medications, anti-diarrheal medication, laxatives, anti-spasmodics and anti-depressants, can sometimes help improve IBS symptoms. Probiotics are not typically used to treat IBS, but might be an option based on your particular symptoms. Check with your doctor. Exercise and Counseling Can Help IBS Patients Regular gentle exercise, such as walking, yoga and swimming are helpful for IBS. Exercise helps to relieve stress, release anti-oxidants and endorphins, and improve gut health. Some research indicates that alternative therapy, including acupuncture, yoga, hypnosis, meditation, and physical therapy, may help to alleviate IBS symptoms. Counseling, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, can also help IBS patients to keep an eye on their GI symptoms. No cure for IBS Unlike celiac disease, in which gut damage usually reverses, and symptoms usually improve, on a gluten-free diet, IBS cannot be cured. But IBS can be managed to achieve minimal symptoms. Therapy for IBS must be tailored for each patient, usually in consultation with the physician, often by trial and error. There are many great resources available for IBS patients, including helpful websites, support groups, and phone apps to track symptoms and food intake. Though IBS can be painful and confusing, many patients improve once they are diagnosed and begin to work actively to reduce symptoms and manage the condition. Read more at WebMD.com
  13. Celiac.com 01/02/2023 - There's been a good bit of research to show that a gluten-free diet can reduce symptoms in some patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but there are currently no good answers for why that might be. To get a better idea for the reasons, a team of researchers recently set out to compare the effects of a gluten-free and gluten-containing diet on IBS symptoms and the gut microenvironment, and to identify predictors of response to the gluten-free diet in IBS. Here's what they found. The research team included Joost P. Algera; Maria K. Magnusson; Lena Öhman; Stine Störsrud; Magnus Simrén; and Hans Törnblom. They are variously affiliated with theDepartment of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; and the Center for Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Randomized Controlled Trial For their randomized controlled trial, the team followed twenty patients with IBS, along with 18 healthy control subjects, all of whom followed a gluten-free diet during two 14-day intervention periods, during which they received meals sprinkled with either gluten, totaling 14 grams a day, or rice flour powder. Main outcomes included effects of the interventions on IBS symptoms and bowel habits. Secondary outcomes included effects of gluten-free diet on fecal microbiota and metabolite profile. IBS symptoms improve on gluten-free diet IBS symptoms improved during the gluten-free diet period, but not the gluten-containing period, with no difference between the interventions. Among other things, IBS patients on a gluten-free diet reported fewer loose stools. Meanwhile, patients with IBS and healthy control subjects showed specific metabolite profiles related to the gluten-free diet. True responders showed a reduction of IBS symptoms of 50 or greater solely after gluten-free period. The team distinguished non-responders based on microbiota and metabolite profiles resulting from the gluten-free diet. Based on the patient's metabolite profile before the intervention, the team was able to predict patient response to a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free diet seems to improve gut health From their findings, the team concludes that a gluten-free diet seems to improve the gut biome, and may help to reduce symptoms in some patients with IBS, especially with respect to bowel habits. Patient metabolite profiles can predict responsiveness to the gluten-free diet. This study is important for people with IBS, as it provides some good data for the benefits of a gluten-free diet in many cases. Read more in Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2022;56(9):1318-1327
  14. Celiac.com 04/07/2021 - It is not uncommon for people with celiac disease to have ongoing digestive symptoms and other systemic problems, even on a gluten free diet. Even though celiac disease is becoming better understood each year, much remains to be learned about the effects of the disease on the body and its ongoing symptoms. Not everyone with celiac disease who goes on a gluten-free diet will recover, according to the following study: While this article is intended to address celiac-related issues that you may want to explore with your health care provider, it is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a physician for any medical advice related to celiac disease or any issues mentioned in this article. Celiac Disease Follow Up Treatment A number of follow up tests are recommended, both immediately after a celiac disease diagnosis, and on an ongoing basis, including: Blood work for vitamin and mineral deficiencies Micronutrient deficiencies are common in adults with celiac disease, as are vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies in celiac patients include the following vitamins and minerals: B vitamins (especially B12); Vitamin A; Vitamin D; Vitamin E; Vitamin K; Iron; Calcium; Carotene; Copper; Folic acid; Magnesium; Selenium; and Zinc. Thyroid Screening Because celiac disease is linked to autoimmune thyroid disease, thyroid screening is recommended for newly diagnosed celiac disease patients. (Note: Patients on thyroid replacement and other medications may need frequent monitoring for dosage adjustment as their absorption improves.) Bone Density Scan Up to 75% of celiac patients have low bone mineral density. Because of this, bone density scans are recommended for newly diagnosed celiacs. Liver Enzymes Research from Stanford University School of Medicines Celiac Management Clinic is noting continued absorption problems with many individuals who are on a gluten free diet. A 72 hour quantitative fecal fat test and a 25-gram xylose sugar absorption test can help diagnose continued absorption problems. Healing progress on the gluten-free diet may be monitored by re-testing whichever diagnostic blood test was initially highest, at an interval of 6 - 12 months. Children are likely to heal within a few months; adults may take a few years, and some may never totally heal. Note: Calcium and Iron status will improve in most individuals, even without supplements, once the gut heals. Several doctors recommend NOT prescribing drugs such as Fosamax and Evista until after the intestine heals and more calcium is being absorbed from the diet. Celiac Disease and Ongoing Symptoms After a Gluten-Free Diet Most individuals will experience a significant decrease of symptoms within a few weeks or months of starting a gluten free diet. However, some individuals may continue to experience significant digestive problems or may have a relapse of symptoms. Some possible explanations are summarized below: Hidden Gluten Exposure New research shows that most people with celiac disease are regularly exposed to gluten, even when they are trying to be careful. Moreover, for most celiacs, gluten exposure is usually ongoing and silent. This article explores how much gluten exposure do celiacs get on a gluten-free diet. Moreover, celiac patients are really bad at judging gluten-exposure based on symptoms. Look for any possible sources of gluten exposure. Consider binders in medication, cross contamination, misunderstanding of the strictness required of the diet, etc. Repeat blood tests might give an indication of continued gluten exposure; however these may not be sensitive enough to note low level exposure. Many celiacs report positive results after taking AN-PEP enzymes (GliadinX is a brand that we've reviewed) before meals whenever they eat outside their homes. These enzymes have been shown in multiple studies to effectively break down small amounts of gluten in the stomach, before it reaches your intestines. Lactose Intolerance Enzymes needed to digest lactose are manufactured by the intestinal villi, which, in celiacs, are damaged by exposure to gluten. Many people with celiac disease suffer intolerance to lactose, a protein found in dairy products. Often, this intolerance subsides as the gut heals. Lactose intolerance is a common misdiagnosis in celiac patients, because the mucosal damage from gluten leaves them unable to digest lactose-containing products. Testing for lactose intolerance can be done with a hydrogen breath test, Lactose H2. Suggested treatment includes using an over-the-counter lactose enzyme when ingesting dairy products. Re-colonizing the small intestine with probiotic bacteria (see probiotics below) is also helpful. How is lactose intolerance related to celiac disease? Helicobacter Pylori A study by Villanacci, et. al, published 8/28/2006 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology noted that 44% of individuals diagnosed with celiac disease tested positive for helicobacter pylori at the time of, or within 1 year of their celiac disease diagnosis. Interestingly, patients with helicobacter pylori colonization have a decreased risk of celiac disease. An Iranian study showed a connection between helicobacter pylori and celiac disease. Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth In a report published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Vol. 98, No. 4, 2003 of 15 persons with continuing symptoms, 10 showed evidence of overgrowth of bacteria within the small bowel. Testing included Lactulose H2 breath testing. Suggested treatment includes the non-systemic, prescription antibiotic, Rifaximin (800 mg. per day for one week). Note that the antibiotic used is called Rifaximin in England and Xifaxam in the U.S. Digestive function should also be evaluated as the underlying cause of SBBO. For more information, check these related articles: Breath Tests for the Non-invasive Diagnosis of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis, and Rosacea and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Yeast Overgrowth Some individuals report continuing symptoms due to overgrowth of yeast. Testing includes blood antibody testing for Candida. Suggested treatment includes ½ tsp Nystatin powder (mix with water), twice a day and 200 mg Ketoconizole once per day for 2-3 months. Monthly liver function testing during treatment is recommended. Nystatin powder may be ordered, by prescription, through pharmacies which offer custom compounding of medications. Digestive function should also be evaluated as the underlying cause of yeast overgrowth. Dietary changes may also be considered. Other Food Sensitivities Additional IgG food sensitivities may be seen. An IgG sensitivity is different from the IgE allergies most allergy doctors check for. Common food sensitivities include dairy casein, corn, soy and eggs. Treatment includes avoiding the food, and food rotation. There are some reports of a reduction of food sensitivities when digestive function improves. To begin an elimination diet, it makes sense to start with the top most common food allergens, as identified by regulatory agencies like the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and health organizations like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and eliminate them one at a time for 2-3 weeks, then add the item back and record any symptoms or issues you might have. It might make sense to start this process in this order: Milk Eggs Peanuts Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) Soy Fish Shellfish (such as shrimp, crab, lobster) Sesame seeds Mustard Lately, there's also been focus on FODMAPS (See below). A low FODMAP diet has been shown to help reduce symptoms of IBS. This older article also has some interesting ideas. Cross-Reactivities for Celiac Patients A recent study indicates that Silicon Dioxide (Food additive E551) May Trigger Intestinal Damage and Inflammation in People with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity. Cross-reactivity between anti-gliadin antibodies and certain spice proteins indicates that patients with celiac disease or wheat allergies may also have an intolerance to many spices, even if they are gluten-free. Some spices can also be a source of cross-contamination, as wheat flour may be used as an anti-caking agent. This article explores this topic in more detail: Beyond Gluten: Exploring Lesser-Known Triggers and Cross-Reactivities for Celiac Patients Digestive Function Multiple problems with digestive function may be found. A complete evaluation should be done. One source for a comprehensive stool analysis may be obtained, by mail and by prescription. Intestinal Motility Increased intestinal motility may contribute to continuing diarrhea. Try reducing motility by using a fiber supplement like Benefiber or Citracel. Particularly in individuals who have had their gall bladder removed, consider Cholestid, a prescription drug used for lowering cholesterol, which may also slow motility. It acts by binding to irritating bile salts. Decreased Stomach Acid Low stomach acid (hypochlohydria) may interfere with the effectiveness of digestive enzymes, and promote yeast or bacterial overgrowth. A good source of information is the book "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You" by Wright & Lenard. For testing, using the Heidleberg Capsule or Gastrocap tests. Some celiacs with low stomach acid find benefits from taking supplemental Betaine HCl, bitters, digestive enzymes and probiotics, available at a health food store. Related articles include: Reduced Fecal Acidity Mirrors Rise in Celiac Rates. Beneficial Bacteria Probiotics are very helpful for regaining the balance of the intestinal flora. Use products that have multiple types of bacteria. Those found in the refrigerated section of health food stores will have the highest level of bacteria. Kefir, raw kimchee and raw sauerkraut, also found in the refrigerated section, have high levels of active cultures. Related articles include: Celiac Disease Onset Changes Gut Microbiota in Children; What Can Gut Microbiomes Teach Us About Gastrointestinal Distress in Children?; and Gut Microbiota Reflects Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients. Digestive Enzymes Pancreatic enzymes assist with more complete digestion, discouraging unhealthy bacterial growth. Many people with celiac disease prefer vegetable based enzymes. which may be purchased online, or at health food stores. Animal derived enzymes are available by prescription. Experiment to see what works best. To prevent heartburn, start by sprinkling ½ of a capsule on food, and increase as needed and tolerated. Be sure to make sure your enzymes are gluten-free. Watch out for Maltase, which can often be made from barley. Related articles include: Are Gluten-Busting Enzymes the Best Hope for Future Celiac Treatment and Maintenance?; Could Enzymes from Oral Bacteria Treat Celiac Disease?; Researchers Review Potential of Gluten Degrading Enzymes for Treatment of Celiac Disease; and Imagine a Gluten-Busting Enzyme that Worked Like LactAid. Carbohydrate Intolerance Some individuals do not digest carbohydrates and sugars well. The undigested carbohydrates encourage the growth of harmful yeasts and bacteria. More information on a diet low in carbohydrates may be found in the book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" by Gottschall, who recommends eliminating all complex carbohydrates to kill off "bad" bacteria. Parasites and other Bacterial Problems Check for parasites and other bacterial problems, including Giardia lamblia and Ascaris lumbricoides. Just because an individual has celiac disease, doesn't mean they cant have the bugs that a normal person with diarrhea may have! Other Autoimmune Diseases A number of autoimmune conditions are associated with celiac disease. At least one in three people diagnosed with adult celiac disease will also have another autoimmune disease. Many report a significant improvement in their other autoimmune disease after beginning a gluten free diet. However, some individuals with celiac disease may develop other autoimmune diseases even after beginning a gluten free diet. Watch for Type 1 diabetes, liver, thyroid, pancreas and adrenal diseases, peripheral and central nervous system damage, connective tissue and other rheumatoid inflammations. Related articles include: Celiac Disease is Linked to Autoimmune Thyroid Disease; and The Ten Risk Factors Most Associated with Celiac Disease. FODMAPS FODMAPs is an acronym, short for “fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols.” FODMAPs is a single name for a bunch of different molecules, common in many in foods, that are poorly absorbed by some people. People who can’t tolerate FODMAPs can suffer celiac-like gastrointestinal symptoms. A low FODMAP diet has been shown to help reduce symptoms of IBS, and could be helpful to some people with celiac disease. FODMAPs have also been shown to play a role in non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Now, a new app can help people zero in on FODMAPs in food. Related articles include: Can Low FODMAP Diet App Help Some Celiac and IBS Patients?; What's the Deal with FODMAPs and Gluten-sensitivity in IBS?; and FODMAPs, Food Intolerance and You. Article originally published 03/25/2007, updated 04/07/2021.
  15. Celiac.com 12/05/2022 - Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one possible cause for dyspepsia. However, dyspeptic symptoms are also common in H. pylori negative gastritis. Understanding the underlying causes could help improve treatment strategies for dyspepsia and chronic gastritis. A team of researchers recently set out to assess rates of dyspeptic symptoms in patients with H. pylori negative chronic gastritis, and explore any potential role played by autoimmunity. The research team included Noémi Zádori, Dávid Németh, Levente Frim, Nóra Vörhendi, Lajos Szakó, Szilárd Váncsa, Péter Hegyi, and József Czimmer. They are variously affiliated with the Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; the János Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; the Centre for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; the Division of Gastroenterology, First Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary For their retrospective study, the team included data from patients with H. pylori negative chronic gastritis. They excluded: patients with acute gastritis; reactive gastropathy; subjects without serology test results; H. pylori positivity; presence of atrophy, intestinal metaplasia (IM), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcer, or cancer. The researchers assessed the following endpoints: the rate of dyspepsia-like symptoms; links between dyspepsia and autoimmune disease-related seromarker positivity (AISP); frequency of other symptoms in chronic gastritis and its association with AISP; and location of the inflammation and its association with AISP. For their study, the team included 175 from a total of 285 patients. A total of ninety-five of these 175 patients, nearly 55%, experienced dyspeptic symptoms. Overall, AISP was more common in these dyspeptic patients, especially celiac seropositivity, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) positivity. The team found no significant connections with other tested autoimmune (AI)-related antibody positivity. Having positive seromarkers for autoimmune diseases in chronic gastritis may make people susceptible to dyspeptic symptoms, and may be the cause of many cases of dyspepsia. According to their findings: "From a total of 285 patients, 175 were included in this study. Among these patients, 95 experienced dyspeptic symptoms (54.29%) and were associated more with AISP (p = 0.012), especially with celiac seropositivity (p = 0.045), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) positivity (p = 0.043). A significant association was not found with other tested autoimmune (AI)-related antibody positivity." The data suggest that additional studies will help to clarify whether antibody screening in patients with dyspepsia will help shrink the time for autoimmune disease diagnoses, and whether screening is economically and medically beneficial. Read more at dovepress.com
  16. Celiac.com 10/08/2022 - Celiac disease is now recognized as a spectrum of gluten-sensitive illness in which the gut is no longer seen as the sole target. For example, dermatitis herpetiformis is a skin manifestation of gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease is no longer considered just in individuals with classic intestinal damage but in individuals with other signs of immune activation and/or degrees of gut involvement, triggered by the ingestion of gluten. Substantial evidence demonstrates that the nervous system also can be a target organ with or without the presence of gut involvement(1). Neurological Complications in Celiac Disease Approximately ten percent of celiac disease patients develop neurological complications(2) . Based on case studies, the most common neurological disorders associated with celiac disease are cerebellar dysfunction, epilepsy and peripheral neuropathy. From 1964 to 2000, data compiled from case reports of 83 celiac patients with neurological complications revealed that 70% of them were diagnosed with either ataxia or peripheral neuropathy(3) . A retrospective data survey of 620 patients attending the Derby Coeliac Clinic found the following neurological and psychiatric complications: Depression (12%), epilepsy (4%), migraine (3%), carpal tunnel syndrome (2%), stroke (2%), anxiety (2%), self poisoning (2%), myopathy (1%), learning difficulty (1%), sciatica (1%), meningitis (1%), Parkinson’s disease (1%), tension headache (1%), multiple sclerosis (1%) and peripheral neuropathy (1%)2 . However, further study needs to clarify the relationship between celiac disease and these complications. A recent study found 13 (8%) among 160 celiac patients had neurological disorders(4) . Ten of the thirteen patients had central nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, attention/memory impairment, and cerebellar ataxia. The remaining patients had peripheral nervous system disorders. In eleven out of thirteen cases, the celiac disease diagnosis came after the onset of the neurological disorder. Seven celiac patients were diagnosed and treated within six months of the neurological onset. All seven had either substantial or complete resolution of their neurological symptoms. In contrast, four out of five patients who were diagnosed with celiac disease from 10 to 264 months after the appearance of their neurological disorder showed no improvement in their neurological symptoms on the gluten-free diet. This study demonstrated that the crucial timing of treatment with a gluten-free diet in celiac patients who have neurological disorders might affect whether the neurological symptoms are reversible. While the incidence of neurological complications in celiac disease is estimated to be ten percent, the incidence of celiac disease in neurological patients is still unknown. Celiac disease can escape detection in blood antibody screenings(5). Not all gluten-sensitive individuals demonstrate classic biopsy evidence of celiac disease, but exhibit milder intestinal features. Also, not all celiac patients present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, neurological patients with gluten-sensitivity may be missed if they are evaluated for neurological symptoms alone. To identify gluten-sensitivity in neurological patients, antigliadin antibodies were determined in two groups of neurological patients. In a group with idiopathic neurological illness versus another group with identifiable neurological illness, a marked difference of 57% versus 5%, respectively, were antigliadin antibody positive(2) . Twenty-six (86%) of those in the idiopathic group consented to small bowel biopsy and nine (34%) of them had intestinal features characteristic of celiac disease. However, 12% of the healthy blood donors were also antigliadin antibody positive and no explanation was given. Therefore, it was unclear whether the rate of gluten-sensitive neurological illness could be overstated by 12 percent or that 12 percent of the normal population could have gluten-sensitivity. Gluten Ataxia Gluten ataxia is the most common form of neurological dysfunction to be attributed to gluten sensitivity1 . Up to 41% of sporadic idiopathic ataxia is caused by gluten ataxia, as evidenced by the presence of antigliadin antibodies. Patients with gluten ataxia have difficulty controlling their upper and/or lower limb movements. Hadjivassiliou et al found 79% (54 of 68) of gluten ataxia patients had damage to the part of the brain called the cerebellum which is involved in coordination and steadiness. Not all gluten-sensitive, neurological patients will also have classic intestinal biopsy evidence of celiac disease. Of 51 gluten ataxia patients who underwent duodenal biopsy, 24% of them had biopsy proof of celiac disease and only 13% had gastrointestinal symptoms1 . Yet, treatment with a gluten-free diet can be helpful, irrespective of gut involvement. For example, 26 patients with gluten ataxia were offered a gluten-free diet and were confirmed to be adhering to the gluten-free diet by evidence of negative serology within six months to one year of treatment(6). When compared to the control group of patients with gluten ataxia who did not receive treatment of a gluten-free diet, all 26 patients in the treatment group improved significantly in their ataxia based on a battery of tests. The response observed in the treatment group was irrespective of gut involvement or the duration of the ataxia (mean duration of nine years). These results contrasted with the expectation that the ataxia would remain despite evidence of the loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells which are the target cells in gluten ataxia(3, 6). Malabsorption or Autoimmunity? Two potential mechanisms to explain the neurological dysfunctions of celiac disease are nutrient deficiencies due to malabsorption, and autoimmune disease. Currently, it is unknown which of these, or both, is the underlying cause of neurological disorder in celiac disease. A reference to these potential mechanisms came in 1966 when Cooke and Smith reported a landmark study of 16 adult celiac patients with neurological complications3 . For most of them, symptoms of classic celiac disease pre-existed their neurological symptoms. All 16 were found with extreme weight loss and vitamin deficiencies along with anemia due to severe malabsorption. Subsequently, over half of them died, despite gluten restriction, due to the progression of their neurological complications involving sensory ataxia and/or other features. Post-mortem findings in four patients revealed cerebellar Purkinje cell loss and T-cells (type of white blood cell) infiltrating parts of the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord(7). Deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B-12, and vitamin E have been implicated as a potential cause of neurological complications(4). However, vitamin deficiencies alone do not explain the absence of neurological deficits in some patients(2). In addition, vitamin deficiencies are rarely found or can be attributed to neurological dysfunction in association with gluten ataxia patients of which the majority don’t have histological evidence of celiac disease(3). Furthermore, in a current study of 13 neurological celiac patients, only 2 had been diagnosed with malabsorption(4). In support of the hypothesis of an autoimmune mechanism of celiac disease neurological complications, Hadjivassiliou et al found that gluten ataxia patients with inflammation located in the white matter of the cerebellum part of the brain was marked by the loss of Purkinje cells. The inflammation in celiac disease, which is thought to be mediated by T-cells, is not confined to the small bowel as gliadin-specific T cells and antigliadin antibodies are found in the blood(8). Antigliadin antibodies also have been found in the cerebrospinal fluid(3) . In gluten ataxia patients, antigliadin antibodies were found to bind to Purkinje cells in the cerebellum that might result in damage to this part of the brain(9). This finding suggests that common binding sites are shared between cerebellar Purkinje cells and gliadin proteins. Patients with gluten ataxia also have anti-Purkinje cell antibodies. How antigliadin antibodies gain access to the cerebellum might be due to possible alterations of the blood-brain barrier. In further support of an autoimmune basis of celiac disease neurological complications, 8 of 13 celiac patients with neurological dysfunction had anti-neuronal antibodies to the central nervous system(4). This was significantly higher when compared with only 1 in 20 celiac patients who had anti-neuronal antibodies but no neurological involvement. Furthermore, 30 non-celiac control patients, who had other autoimmune gastrointestinal diseases or had donated blood, had no detectable anti-neuronal antibodies. After one year of treatment on a gluten-free diet, anti-neuronal antibodies disappeared in 6 of the 8 celiac patients with neurological dysfunction. In 5 of these 6 patients, the neurological symptoms partially or completely resolved. However, anti-neuronal antibodies are not specific for neurological disorders associated with celiac disease since they are also found in other patients with nervous system disorders. Identification of neurological patients with gluten-sensitivity with or without histological evidence of celiac disease is necessary in order to provide them the opportunity for treatment with a gluten-free diet. Identification should be further aided when the exact mechanisms of neurological complications in gluten-sensitive patients are understood. Finally, immediate treatment with a gluten-free diet early in the progression of the disease may be crucial in the prognosis of whether the neurological disorder is reversible. Glossary of Terms: ataxia: impaired muscle coordination Central Nervous System (CNS): the portion of the nervous system involving the brain and spinal cord cerebellum: portion of the brain involved in equilibrium and coordination; cerebellar (adj.) dementia: impaired intellectual function epilepsy: neurologic disease resulting in convulsions or loss of consciousness idiopathic: the disease has an unknown cause neurological: having to do with the nervous system neuron: nerve cell neuropathy: any disease of the nervous system paroxysm: convulsion Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): the portion of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord; peripheral (adj.) Purkinje cell: a type of neuron that is highly branched, mostly found in the cerebellum References: Hadjivassiliou M et al 2003. Gluten ataxia in perspective: epidemiology, genetic susceptibility and clinical characteristics. Brain 126: 685-91. Tengah D et al 2002. Neurological complications of coeliac disease. Postgrad Med J 78: 393-98. Hadjivassiliou, et al. 2002. Gluten sensitivity as a neurological illness. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 72: 560-3 Volta U, et al. 2002. Clinical findings and anti-neuronal antibodies in coeliac disease with neurological disorders. Scand J Gastroenterol 37: 1276-81. Tursi A et al 2001. Low prevalence of antigliadin and anti-endomysium antibodies in subclinical/silent celiac disease. Am J Gastroenterol 96: 1507-1510. Hadjivassiliou M, et al. 2003. Dietary treatment of gluten ataxia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 74: 1221-24. Will AJ. 2000. The neurology and neuropathy of coeliac disease. Neuropathy and Applied Neurobio 226: 493-96. Cross A, and Golumbek, P. 2003. Neurologic manifestations of celiac disease. Neurology 60: 1566-1568. Hadjivassiliou M, et al. 2002. The humoral response in the pathogenesis of gluten ataxia. Neurology 58: 1221-26.
  17. Celiac.com 09/03/2022 - Anemia is one of the most common presentations in adults with newly diagnosed celiac disease. In 1996 approximately 3.4 million Americans were diagnosed with anemia, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and out of these 2.1 million were under the age of 45. Celiac disease can present with classic and/or atypical symptoms. Atypical symptoms of celiac disease are associated with malabsorption and can include iron deficiency anemia in both adults and children. Celiac disease was once thought to be a childhood disease. However the average age at diagnosis today is 40 to 50 years old. It is more commonly seen in women than men. Celiac disease is a disease that can begin in infancy with gastrointestinal symptoms, in childhood, or even late in life. Many persons diagnosed later in life may have no gastrointestinal symptoms. Often, in older adults, routine health checks discover silent celiac disease, because of undefined anemia or bone disease(3). Anemia can be a symptom of many conditions, including excess blood loss from bleeding or surgery; autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease; chronic infections, or from the use of some medications. There are different types of anemia. Blood studies are used to help determine the type of anemia, its possible cause, and the correct treatment. Macrocytic anemia is usually caused by a folate or vitamin B12 deficiency. Microcytic anemia is a caused from iron deficiency. Inflammation, either chronic or acute, can alter ferritin levels in persons with iron-deficiency anemia. When inflammation is present, iron levels can appear either normal or elevated in iron deficiency. Folate deficiency should be considered in persons who have both celiac disease and anemia. Folate is absorbed in the jejunum, the upper part of the small intestine. This is the part of the small intestine that is largely damaged in untreated or undiagnosed celiac disease. Celiac disease is a disease of malabsorption due to inflammation and damage of the microvilli and villi of the small intestine. The microvilli and villi normally increase the absorption capacity of the small intestine by expanding its surface area to nearly 500 times its length. When there is damage to the jejunum and duodenum, the absorption of many nutrients, including iron, is altered. Celiac disease is not often suspected when a person is diagnosed with persistent anemia that does not respond well to traditional therapies, even though iron absorption can be significantly altered by the damage to the intestine. Studies suggest that persons with celiac disease may present with anemia as a single symptom or one of many symptoms. The incidence of anemia in the patients with newly diagnosed celiac disease ranges from 4% in the United States, to 24% in Romania, and over 66% in East Indian patients. In surveys of members of national celiac support groups in Canada and the U.S., anemia is a common pre-celiac diagnosis. Three recent studies in the United Kingdom screened men and women with anemia for celiac disease and found undiagnosed celiac disease in 2.3 to 6.7 percent of subjects. Another study in the UK screened 1,200 people in the general population and found celiac disease in one percent, a frequency similar to that of the U.S. study. It is possible to conservatively estimate that 78,000 people with anemia in the US could have celiac disease as the cause of their anemia. Clearly, physicians treating patients with anemia should consider screening them for celiac disease, especially if the anemia is unresponsive to traditional therapy. Anemias Found in Celiac Disease Several conditions can contribute to the development of anemia, including blood loss, poor diet, genetic disorders, chronic illnesses, and damage to the bone marrow from radiation or chemotherapy. Gastrointestinal conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, that decrease the absorption of iron, folate, or vitamin B12 can also cause anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia found in women. The most common causes of iron-deficiency anemia are blood loss due to menstruation or pregnancy, and poor absorption of iron from foods(15). Iron deficiency is uncommon in postmenopausal women. If iron-deficiency anemia is discovered in postmenopausal women, it is generally the result of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract or malabsorption. Both iron-deficiency anemia and B12 deficiencies are common in celiac disease. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia found with celiac disease. Decreased iron and folate absorption are often seen in untreated celiac disease. Many physicians overlook iron and folate malabsorption as a cause of anemia. As part of the evaluation process for iron-deficiency anemia endoscopic procedures are often performed, generally without taking biopsies of the small intestine. If biopsies are not taken, celiac disease would be overlooked as the causal factor for the anemia. Anemia generally develops slowly with symptoms worsening over time. Common symptoms of anemia include extreme fatigue, pale skin, weakness, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia symptoms may also include with cracks at the sides of the mouth, complaints of inflamed or sore tongue, brittle nails, pica, headaches, decreased appetite, and increased infections. Some people may also experience Restless Leg Syndrome. If not treated, iron-deficiency anemia can lead to other severe health problems, such as heart irregularities; complications with premature and low-birth-weight infants; and delayed growth and development in children. Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause yellowing or darkening of the skin, colorblindness to yellow-blue colors, and confusion or forgetfulness. Signs of vitamin B12 deficiencies such as neurological problems, peripheral neuropathy, mental confusion and forgetfulness can be seen before anemia is diagnosed. The most likely cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in celiac disease is due to damage in the small intestine, which makes it difficult to adequately absorb B12. Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine is another possible cause of B12 deficiency. Anemia, as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency is considered to be uncommon in celiac disease that is diagnosed early. In a small study of 39 patients, Dahele, et al., 16 (41 percent) were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency and 16 were anemic. After four months on a gluten-free diet all patients with B12 deficiency had B12 levels that normalized. Only five patients with combined folate and B12 deficiencies received B12 therapy. Dickey found in screening celiac patients with low serum vitamin B12 levels that low B12 is common in celiac disease without having pernicious anemia, and may be the only presenting manifestation of celiac disease (14). Studies by Dahele and Dickey suggest that vitamin B12 deficiency is a common condition in untreated celiac disease, however their studies do not support that pernicious anemia is associated with celiac disease. Dahele and Dickey indicate the vitamin B12 deficiency usually resolves on a gluten-free diet, without vitamin B12 replacement. Treating Anemia in Celiac Disease The most important issue in anemia as a result of celiac disease is to follow strict gluten-free diet. The small intestine must heal in order to absorb nutrients correctly and adequately. Studies indicate that it can take several months to years to heal the small intestine in persons with celiac disease, and it is imperative that all persons with celiac disease have regular follow-up visits with a dietitian to check the adequacy of their diet. A gluten-free diet alone has been shown to reverse signs of anemia in most newly diagnosed celiac patients. In otherwise healthy individuals, it takes six to 12 months of diet therapy to correct anemia. Reversing anemia in persons with celiac disease may take several months longer, even with supplementation. Iron replacement therapy may not be necessary in mildly-depleted persons. In these cases a gluten-free diet high in iron-rich foods and a good gluten-free multi-vitamin supplement should be tried for six to 12 months before further therapy options are considered. Persons taking iron supplements should take iron with vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus juice, which will help increase iron absorption. They should also avoiding calcium and dairy products within an hour of eating iron-rich foods, as calcium binds with iron and neither nutrient is absorbed well. Iron-rich foods including fish, poultry, and red meats should be included at each meal. Use of coffee and tea should be restricted. Iron supplementation therapy recommendations for persons with celiac disease vary by physician. Recommendations of up to one gram of iron per day, with close monitoring for clinical and blood level improvement are sometimes recommended. In severe situations, blood transfusions are used to boost the patient’s initial iron and hemoglobin levels. As with other medications, all supplements used must be gluten-free. Foods rich in iron that are naturally gluten-free include: lean red meats, liver, kidney, clams, oysters, shrimp, chicken, haddock, crab, tuna, salmon, turkey, broccoli, parsley, leafy greens, peas, dried beans, lentils, peaches, pears, dates, raisins, dried prunes, and blackstrap molasses. Many of the special seeds and flours used in the gluten-free diet are rich in iron, including amaranth, buckwheat, Montina™, quinoa, and teff. These foods are also high in other nutrients, including calcium, amino acids, magnesium, zinc and fiber. When compared to whole wheat and enriched all-purpose white wheat flours (iron content 4.7 mg and 5.8 mg, respectively), many of the gluten-free flours are nutritionally equal or superior to wheat flour. Amaranth, buckwheat, flax, garfava, millet, Montina™, quinoa, rice bran and soy all have higher iron content than wheat flours. In gluten-free baking, a blend of flours is required for best results. Many of the flours mentioned above are used as secondary ingredients in the flour blends, in combination with refined starches such as rice flour, potato starch and tapioca or corn starch, all of which are much lower in iron than wheat flour. Using the whole seed or groat of these seeds in cooking can significantly increase the iron content of the gluten-free diet. Many of these products make wonderful side-dishes and starches in casseroles or soups. Teff is used as a staple food in Ethiopia. It is extremely high in iron and it is speculated that it is the extensive use of teff that keeps the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia low in Ethiopia. For persons with celiac disease who are also lactose intolerant or choose to follow a vegetarian diet, inclusion of these seeds helps to assure adequate nutrient intake. Anemia is common in the general population and even higher in celiac disease. Malabsorption is a common cause of anemia. Persons with anemia are at risk for celiac disease. Patients with anemia from unknown reasons or those who do not respond to traditional treatments require further evaluation which should include screening for celiac disease. If celiac disease is discovered, appropriate treatment with a gluten-free diet that includes foods that are rich in iron is normally all that is necessary to treat anemia in most cases. The Dietary Reference Index (RDI) for Iron: 7 to 10 mg/day for young children 8 to 11 mg/day for males 15 to 18 mg/day for females of menstrual age 8 mg/day for older females 27 mg/day during pregnancy References: Anemia, Vital and Health Statistics, Series 10, No. 200 , 1996. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/anemia.htm> Accessed 9/10/03 Fasano A, Berti I, et al. Prevalence of Celiac Disease in At-Risk and Not-At-Risk Groups in the United States Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:286-292. Guandalini S. Celiac disease. School Nurse News. 2003 Mar;20(2):24-7. Sood A, Midha V, et al. Adult celiac disease in northern India. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2003 Jul-Aug;22(4):124-6. Sachdev A, Srinivasan V, et al. Adult onset celiac disease in north India. Trop Gastroenterol. 2002 Jul-Sep;23(3):117-9. Dobru D, Pascu O, et al. The prevalence of coeliac disease at endoscopy units in Romania: routine biopsies during gastroscopy are mandatory (a multicentre study). Rom J Gastroenterol. 2003 Jun;12(2):97-100. Zipser RD, Patel S, et al. Presentations of adult celiac disease in a nationwide patient support group. Dig Dis Sci. 2003 Apr;48(4):761-4. Cranney A, Zarkadas M, et al. The Canadian celiac health survey – the Ottawa chapter pilot. BMC Gastroenterol. 2003; 3 (1): 8. Ransford RA, Hayes M, et al. A controlled, prospective screening study of celiac disease presenting as iron deficiency anemia. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2002 Sep;35(3):228-33. Howard MR, Turnbull AJ, et al. A prospective study of the prevalence of undiagnosed coeliac disease in laboratory defined iron and folate deficiency. J Clin Pathol. 2002 Oct;55(10):754-7. Brooklyn TN, Di Mambro AJ, et al. Patients over 45 years with iron deficiency require investigation. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2003 May;15(5):535-8. Sanders DS, Patel D, et al. A primary care cross-sectional study of undiagnosed adult coeliac disease. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2003 Apr;15(4):407-13. Dahele A, Ghosh S. Vitamin B12 deficiency in untreated celiac disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Mar;96(3):745-50. Dickey W. Low serum vitamin B12 is common in coeliac disease and is not due to autoimmune gastritis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2002 Apr;14(4):425-7. Iron-deficiency anemia in women. Harvard Women's Health Watch, Nov 2002, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p3 Anemia Patient Education Sheets. Mayo Clinic website. www.mayoclinic.org. Accessed 9-5-03. Annibale B, Severi C, et al. Efficacy of gluten-free diet alone on recovery from iron deficiency anemia in adult celiac patients. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Jan;96(1):132-7.
  18. Celiac.com 03/08/2018 - A team of researchers recently set out to study delays in diagnosing patients who have biopsy-proven celiac disease with gastrointestinal complaints, compared to those without non-gastrointestinal complaints. The research team included Marco A. Paez, MD, Anna Maria Gramelspacher, MD, James Sinacore, PhD, Laura Winterfield, MD, and Mukund Venu, MD. They are variously affiliated with the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Howard College of Medicine, Washington, DC; the Department of Medicine, the Department of Public Health Sciences, the Division of Gastroenterology, and the Department of Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. The research team first conducted a medical chart review of 687 adult patients diagnosed with celiac disease. All patients they studied had biopsy-proven celiac disease and were grouped according to presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms before diagnosis. The team found 101 biopsy-proven celiac patients that met their study criteria. The groups were roughly equal in size, with 52 patients showing gastrointestinal symptoms before diagnosis, and 49 with no gastrointestinal symptoms. The results for the groups were starkly different. Statistical analysis revealed an average diagnosis delay of 2.3 months for the group with gastrointestinal symptoms, while the group that showed no symptoms showed an average delay of 42 months. That’s a difference of nearly 3½ years. Nearly half of the patients with non-gastrointestinal symptoms had abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone, as opposed to 15.5% in the gastrointestinal symptom group (P = .004). Nearly 70% of patients without gastrointestinal symptoms had anemia, compared with just 11.5% of the group with gastrointestinal symptoms. Also, nearly 70% of patients in the non-gastrointestinal symptom group showed abnormal bone density scans, compared with 41% in the gastrointestinal symptom group. The team saw no sex differences on chi-squared analysis between the 2 groups. Although there is growing awareness of celiac disease, the delay in diagnosis for patients without gastrointestinal symptoms remains prolonged, with an average delay of 3.5 years for celiac diagnosis, compared with just over two months for those with symptoms. Clearly, more needs to be done with regard to diagnosing celiac disease in patients who show no symptoms. On the upside, researchers are currently working on ways to better diagnose celiac disease via faster, more accurate tests, even in patients who have already gone gluten-free. Source: amjmed.com
  19. Celiac.com 08/22/2022 - Researchers present a case series of patients with chronic low-back pain and spondyloarthritis related features, who respond well to the gluten-free diet, despite celiac disease being ruled out. Currently, people who suffer from chronic low-back pain, with spondyloarthritis related features, are treated with immunosupresive drugs for both diseases. Prior studies have shown that gut involvement is a well-known association of spondyloarthritis, but limited to a few disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease. A team of researchers recently set out to test the hypothesis that non-celiac gluten sensitivity is associated with chronic low-back pain related to spondyloarthritis, and that treatment with a gluten-free diet would be beneficial in certain patients. Researchers Carlos Isasi, Alexander Stadnitsky, Fernando Casco, Eva Tejerina, Ana Royuela, Blanca Esteban, and Natalia Fernandez Puga present results from a case series of patients with chronic low-back pain, spondyloarthritis related features, and positive response to a gluten-free diet, despite celiac disease being ruled out. The team's retrospective case report covers 110 patients from a tertiary hospital rheumatology clinic, which specializes in treating chronic pain and gluten sensitivity. All patients suffered from refractory low-back pain and spondyloarthritis features, and all patients followed a gluten-free diet despite celiac disease being ruled out. The team sought a measure of improvement called, "demanding improvement," which they defined based on the achievement of at least one of the following improvements: Asymptomatic status, remission of chronic low-back pain, returning to normal life, returning to work, changing from confinement to bed/wheelchair to being able to walk, returning to self-sufficiency for hygiene and personal care, discontinuation of opioids. Average patient age at low-back onset pain was 30 years old, while the average disease duration was 15 years. Nearly eighty percent of the patients experienced improvement, while nearly seventy percent achieved demanding improvement. Average duration of a gluten-free diet in patients with demanding improvement was five years. A total of 56 out of 69 patients with demanding improvement ingested gluten, with 54 of those experiencing clinically worse symptoms, considered to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Two main factors for making demanding improvement were oral aphthae and having a relative with celiac disease. Nearly four out of five patients retrospectively classified with axial spondyloarthritis showed demanding improvement. Nearly all patients with uveitis showed demanding improvement. Meanwhile, well over half of patients with fibromyalgia showed demanding improvement. The team's data support the hypothesis that non-celiac gluten sensitivity is associated with chronic low-back pain related to spondyloarthritis, and a gluten free diet has a therapeutic benefit for some patients. These results are important, because the could point the way to using a positive response to a gluten-free diet in people with non-gluten sensitivity to help improve chronic low-back pain related to spondyloarthritis in those patients. Read more in Med Hypotheses. 2020 Feb 28;140:109646 The researchers in this study are variously affiliated with the Rheumatology Department of Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Family Medicine at Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; the Pathological Anatomy Department of Unilabs, Madrid, Spain; the Pathological Anatomy Department of Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda Madrid, Spain; the Biostatistics Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; the Asociación de celíacos y sensibles al gluten de Madrid (Association of Celiacs and Gluten-Sensitives of Madrid, Spain; and the Digestive Medicine Department of Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
  20. Hello! I am looking for some advise on what to do in the midst of being diagnosed. So far I have had blood tests and tested positive for Tissue Transglutaminase. I am due to have an endoscopy with biopsy in August and until then I will not receive a diagnosis of Celiac Disease. I have had some serious stomach/GI issues for years and only now have had some light shed on the cause. I am even having my gallbladder removed next week due to these GI issues. My question is: should I start cutting gluten out now, or should I wait for diagnosis? I have read on a few sites that cutting gluten now can in turn result in a false negative for some celiac testing. The thing is my stomach is in such bad shape right now that I'm almost exclusively living off of yogurt and rice bowls. Waiting a month like this might not be an option. I'm hoping my gallbladder removal will help mitigate some symptoms, but I'm not so sure. Please let me know if you have any advise. Thank you all!
  21. Hey there, I'm new! I've spent quite some time on this site reading up and thought I'd ask the experts. In end of November I started experiencing symptoms (toilet and gas focus) which in January really started escalating enough to send me to the doctor. I explained my symptoms and got a blood test and results about 10 days ago. My 'Deamidated Gliadin IgA was high at 31 U/mL (normal being <15) while the other results were all normal. Doc told me to go to GI for endoscopy, although stated this isn't a 'huge' increase. Meanwhile my symptoms started escalating to the occasional vomit, massive fatigue and feeling like I would collapse while walking to work. I'm reading a lot about this now (though still don't feel knowledgeable at all), and I'm wondering 1) does this number give any indication of celiac as a stand alone? No family history. 2) Is it possible that if it could be celiac, that it can happen so quickly? It just seems to be so sudden so I'm quite confused. I'm seeing the GI next week for next steps. It's just been a tough couple of weeks and I don't seem to get much help from the GP. Any tips would be appreciated!
  22. Celiac.com 02/27/2019 - Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition with numerous symptoms, and associated conditions. People with celiac disease often have gastrointestinal symptoms, including upset stomach, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea. Some suffer from many of these on a regular basis. However, many people show few or no symptoms. No single set of signs or symptoms is typical for everyone with celiac disease. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Symptoms of Celiac Disease Fall Into 7 Major Categories Digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, and steatorrhea (fatty stools); Non-digestive symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, anemia, weight loss, malnutrition, delayed growth, irritability, depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment; Dermatological symptoms such as skin rash, itching, blistering, and dermatitis herpetiformis; Musculoskeletal symptoms such as joint pain, muscle pain, muscle cramps, and osteoporosis; Neurological symptoms such as headache, migraine, ataxia, neuropathy, seizures, and cognitive impairment; Reproductive symptoms such as infertility, menstrual irregularities, and recurrent miscarriage. No obvious symptoms or asymptomatic; Symptoms Can Vary Between Children and Adults The signs and symptoms of celiac disease can vary greatly and are different in children and adults. The most common signs for adults are diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss. Adults may also experience bloating and gas, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, and vomiting. Many symptoms caused by celiac disease are the result of nutritional deficiencies caused by flattened villi and subsequent malabsorption. Symptoms in Children Children under 2 years old celiac symptoms often include vomiting, chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, muscle wasting, poor appetite, and swollen belly. Older children may experience diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, irritability, short stature, delayed puberty, and neurological symptoms, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, headaches, lack of muscle coordination and seizures Vague Symptoms Can Delay Celiac Diagnosis It is not uncommon for symptoms of celiac disease to be vague or confusing. Vague or confusing symptoms can include dental enamel defects, bone disorders like osteoporosis, depression, irritability, joint pain, mouth sores, muscle cramps, skin rash, stomach discomfort, and even neuropathy, often experienced as tingling in the legs and feet. To make matters more challenging, celiac symptoms can also mimic symptoms of other diseases, such as anemia, Crohns disease, gastric ulcers, irritable bowel, parasitic infection, even various skin disorders or nervous conditions. Vague or confusing symptoms can delay celiac disease diagnosis. Signs and Symptoms of Celiac Disease Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating Acne Anemia Ataxia (gluten ataxia) Borborygmi—stomach rumbling Coetaneous bleeding Delayed puberty Dental enamel defects Diarrhea Dry skin Easy bruising Epistaxis—nose bleeds Eczema Failure to thrive or short stature Fatigue or general weakness Flatulence Fluid retention Folic acid deficiency Foul-smelling yellow or grayish stools that are often fatty or oily Gastrointestinal symptoms Gastrointestinal hemorrhage General malaise, feeling unwell Hematuria—red urine Hypocalcaemia/hypomagnesaemia Infertility, or recurrent miscarriage Iron deficiency anemia Joint Pain Lymphocytic gastritis Malabsorption Malnutrition Muscle weakness Muscle wasting Nausea Obesity/Overweight Osteoporosis Pallor—pale, unhealthy appearance Panic Attacks Peripheral neuropathy Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression Skin Problems—acne, eczema, DH, dry skin Stunted growth in children Underweight Vertigo Vitamin A deficiency Vitamin B6 deficiency Vitamin B12 deficiency Vitamin D deficiency Vitamin K deficiency Vomiting Voracious appetite Weight loss/gain Zinc deficiency Conditions Associated with Celiac Disease People with one or more of these associated conditions are at higher risk for celiac disease: Addison's Disease Anemia Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Arthritis Asthma Ataxia, Nerve Disease, Neuropathy, Brain Damage Attention Deficit Disorder Autism Bacterial Overgrowth Cancer, Lymphoma Candida Albicans Canker Sores—Aphthous Stomatitis) Casein / Cows Milk Intolerance Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cognitive Impairment Crohn's Disease Depression Dermatitis Herpetiformis Diabetes Down Syndrome Dyspepsia, Acid Reflux Eczema Epilepsy Eye Problems, Cataract Fertility, Pregnancy, Miscarriage Fibromyalgia Flatulence—Gas Gall Bladder Disease Gastrointestinal Bleeding Geographic Tongue—Glossitis Growth Hormone Deficiency Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Heart Failure Infertility, Impotency Inflammatory Bowel Disease Intestinal Permeability Irritable Bowel Syndrome Kidney Disease Liver and biliary tract disorders (transaminitis, fatty liver, primary sclerosing cholangitis, etc.) Low bone density Lupus Malnutrition, Body Mass Index Migraine Headaches Multiple Sclerosis Myasthenia Gravis Celiac Disease Obesity, Overweight Osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteomalacia Psoriasis Refractory Celiac Disease & Collagenous Sprue Sarcoidosis Scleroderma Schizophrenia / Mental Problems Sepsis Sjogrens Syndrome Sleep Disorders Thrombocytopenic Purpura Thyroid & Pancreatic Disorders Tuberculosis Nutritional Deficiencies Associated with Celiac Disease and their Related Clinical Manifestations .divTable{ display: table; width: 100%; } .divTableRow { display: table-row; } .divTableHeading { background-color: #EEE; display: table-header-group; } .divTableCell, .divTableHead { border: 1px solid #999999; display: table-cell; padding: 3px 10px; min-width: 120px; } .divTableHeading { background-color: #EEE; display: table-header-group; font-weight: bold; } .divTableFoot { background-color: #EEE; display: table-footer-group; font-weight: bold; } .divTableBody { display: table-row-group; } Nutritional deficiency Most frequent signs and symptoms Iron Hypochromic, microcytic anemia, glossitis, koilonychia, fatigue, pallor, cognitive impairment Folate Megaloblastic anemia, glossitis, diarrhea, cognitive impairment Vitamin B12 Megaloblastic anemia, posterior columns syndrome, dementia, depression, psychosis Vitamin D Osteomalacia (deformity of bone, pathologic fractures), osteoporosis, cognitive impairment, secondary hyperparathyroidism Zinc Growth retardation, hypogonadism, infertility, dysgueusia, poor wound healing, diarrhea, dermatitis on the extremities and periorificial, glossitis, alopecia, corneal clouding Less frequently occurring Protein Edema, muscular atrophy Vitamin B1 (thiamine) Irritability, fatigue, headaches, peripheral neuropathy, wet Beriberi: congestive heart failure; Wernicke: nystagmus, ophtalmoplegia, ataxia; Korsakoff: hallucinations, impaired short-term memory and confabulation Vitamin B3 (niacin) Pellagra: diarrhea, dementia, pigmented dermatitis; Glossitis, stomatitis, vaginitis, vertigo, burning dysesthesias Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) Stomatitis, angular cheilosis, glossitis, irritability, depression, confusion, normochromic normocytic anemia Vitamin A Follicular hyperkeratosis, night blindness, conjunctival xerosis, keratomalacia Vitamin E Hemolytic anemia, peripheral neuropathies, ophtalmoplegia, posterior columns syndrome Vitamin K Easy bleeding Top Scientific References on Celiac Symptoms University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center Mayo Clinic Celiac Disease Center Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies Common in Newly Diagnosed Celiac Disease Patients Celiac Disease: Extraintestinal Manifestations and Associated Conditions
  23. Celiac.com 06/27/2022 - Consumer gluten-free diet and sales of gluten-free products have increased immensely over the last decade, fueled in part by allergies and sensitivities in some, and by the popular perception that the diet is healthier by many others. The popularity of the gluten-free diet has led a group of researchers to explore the physical and mental effects that gluten might have on young people, especially in those with existing stomach and gut issues. The research team set out to assess the effects of gluten in adolescents and young adults with existing gastrointestinal symptoms and enrolled nearly 275 eligible adolescents, with at least four different gastrointestinal symptoms, from a population-based cohort of nearly thirteen-hundred. In phase one of the study, fifty-four participants lived gluten-free for 2 weeks. Thirty-three participants who improved during phase one then moved to phase two. Phase two was a blinded randomized cross-over trial, in which participants were blindly randomized either to start with 7 days of gluten, eating two granola bars containing 10g of gluten or to 7 days on placebo, eating two granola bars without gluten, followed by the reverse and separated by a 7-day washout period. The team measured any effects of the intervention on gastrointestinal symptoms and participant mental health. Overall, just under sixty of the 273 participants entered the run-in phase, with 35 eligible for randomization. A total of 33 were randomized, while 32 completed the trial. Average age was just over 20 years old, and nearly all participants were women. The team found that, compared with placebo, adding gluten to the diet did not trigger gastrointestinal symptoms or negatively affect mental health in adolescents who participated in this trial. Read more in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 29 March 2022 The research team included Caecilie Crawley, Nadia Savino, Cecilie Halby, Stine Dydensborg Sander, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen, Manimozhiyan Arumugam, Joseph Murray, Robin Christensen, and Steffen Husby. They are variously affiliated with the Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; the Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; the Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; the Section for Biostatistics and Evidence-Based Research, the Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Research Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
  24. Celiac.com 05/23/2022 - Many people with celiac disease know to be cautious of possible gluten that might be hidden in selected spices and spice blends. However, there's some evidence to support the notion that some people suffering from celiac disease, wheat allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity may react to certain spices. A team of researchers recently set out to see if extracts from selected spices, such as caraway, ginger, chili, sweet peppers, anise, sesame, nutmeg and black pepper, might be harmful to people suffering from celiac disease, wheat allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. For each spice, they looked at the reaction of spice proteins with serum antibodies from celiac patients and rabbit antibodies raised to specific glutamine/proline-containing peptides. The research team included Marta Słowianek, Dorota Mańkowska, and Joanna Leszczyńska. They are affiliated with the Institute of General Food Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology in Lodz, Poland. The team used ELISA, SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting to assess potential adverse reactions. They found that each of the spice extracts triggered some reaction from antibodies found in sera from two celiac patients, and to sera from rabbits that had been sensitized to the specific peptides, QQQPP, PQQQ and QQQP. The QQQP peptide is one of the α-gliadin tetrapeptides that has been shown to have in vivo activity in the pathogenesis of celiac disease, and, according to the researchers "The highest level of immunoreactivity to anti-QQQP antibodies was reported in sweet (1054 ± 22) and chili pepper (698 ± 9), and "The most intense reactions in anti-QQQPP rabbit serum occurred with anise (61.8 kDa) protein and caraway (58.7, 53.9 and 21 kDa) proteins. The largest number of proteins that reacted with anti-QQQPP antibodies within a single group was among sesame proteins." They noted that these peptides shared sequences that might be included in active epitopes for celiac disease and wheat allergy. The reactions seen by the team indicate that spice proteins could trigger adverse reactions in celiac patients, patients with various wheat allergies or with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and the study's conclusions are: The researchers are calling for further study to better determine the likelihood of their hypothesis. Certainly, it would be a big deal if research shows that certain spices trigger reactions in people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Right now, the evidence does not support that idea enough to warrant any concern or action. Stay tune for more on this and related stories. Read more in Food & Agricultural Immunology
  25. Celiac.com 10/29/2021 - Ron Hoggan's book Dangerous Grains has been an enormous help toward understanding something bizarre that happened to my 19 year old son, Lee, in the past year. Lee suddenly began acting psychotic one day last October and eventually had what appeared to be some kind of seizure. He lay on the couch, tensed up, and started shaking violently. His eyes were rolling back into his head and he was vocalizing loudly. After a period of time he came out of it and was somewhat lucid but seemed dazed, and very confused. We took him to the emergency room where he underwent a battery of tests that revealed nothing out of the ordinary. During the wait, he had two more of the seizure-like episodes. A psychiatrist was phoned and he was given neuroleptic drugs. He went to the epilepsy ward for further testing -EEG, CT scans and MRI's that did not reveal anything obviously wrong. Fortunately, we were able to stay with him. On the morning of the second day he seemed better and we talked while he ate breakfast. Thirty minutes later he was having an episode- again shaking and vocalizing, and after a couple of hours started to come out of it. We noticed this pattern- eating, followed shortly afterward by seizure-like episodes and psychosis which gradually cleared enough to converse. I started to notice what he was eating and the common denominator was wheat. I gave him some rice and vegetables from home and there was no reaction, but bagels, bread, muffins and gravy all seemed to bring about the same violent reaction. I have food allergies and am aware that wheat is a common allergen (I learned to avoid it years ago), but I couldn't understand how he could be affected in such an extreme manner, so quickly after eating. He was moved to a locked psychiatric ward, diagnosed with possible bipolar disorder or non-specific schizophrenia, and the neuroleptics were continued. Of course, his psychiatrist didn't want to hear about my observations regarding Lee's apparent reaction to wheat. (My wife and daughter also witnessed it on several occasions.) I told the psychiatrist that Lee hadn't been having any mental changes lately but had been complaining about digestive problems and I requested a biopsy to confirm celiac disease. It was promptly denied, but I was able to get the hospital dietitian to put him on a gluten-free diet (unknown to the psychiatrist who rarely saw him, but was happy to prescribe ever increasing doses of neuroleptics). The seizures stopped the very next day- the staff no doubt assumed the drugs were having an effect in spite of my revelation about the gluten-free diet. Over the next several weeks Lee became more psychotic and suffered terrible side-effects from the drugs. The county brought him to court and had him committed. He was ordered to continue the neuroleptics, and there seemed to be little we could do. Eventually he was sent to a halfway house, but a couple of weeks after arriving he started to become catatonic. (I had told the staff about the wheat reaction but they were unable to provide a gluten-free diet). We took him to the emergency room where we learned that he was extremely dehydrated. He had lost the urge to eat or drink and was becoming very psychotic. The hospital was full, so he was sent to a sister hospital. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was completely catatonic - unable to speak and incontinent. At the new hospital, he had a new psychiatrist. She was alarmed at the dosages of drugs he was receiving and felt he was probably experiencing the beginning of ‘neuroleptic malignant syndrome,' a potentially fatal reaction to neuroleptics. The drugs were discontinued but he remained catatonic and was given Electro Convulsive Treatment several times a week. (I also spoke with the dietician when he was admitted and had Lee placed on a gluten-free diet - which was halfheartedly followed). After a few ECT treatments (and a mostly gluten-free diet) he started to come out of it. His new doctor began to realize that he didn't seem to have any mental illness at all (now that the neuroleptics had been discontinued, the catatonia was lifting and diet was improving) and called in several specialists for a more thorough evaluation. I told her about the reaction to wheat but she refused to believe there could be a connection. Finally, another neurologist was brought in and he had the insight to give him a gliadan antibody test and found that he was extremely reactive. He was finally "officially" put on a gluten-free diet (we had been bringing him food from home and doing everything we could behind the scenes to keep gluten from him). He continued to improve, in spite of the side effects of the ECT. His psychiatrist couldn't really understand what was going on with him but began to trust us enough to release him, drug-free, into our care. Three months after the ordeal began, he finally came home and is clearer now than he's been in years. He's always been kind of quiet and we realize now that gluten has probably been affecting him for years. He has done an excellent job of following the gluten-free diet, is working full time, and starts college in a few weeks. Shortly after he came home, my mother came across Dangerous Grains and bought it for me. It all finally makes sense and I plan to send copies to Lee's psychiatrist and neurologist. We saw countless people in the locked psychiatric wards who were suffering and, with the exception of the chemical dependencies everyone was on some type of drug or drugs. Many were receiving ECT on a routine basis. I know my son is not unique - testing and gluten-free diets could save many of these poor souls from a lifetime of drugs and suffering. I want to do everything I can to increase the knowledge of these professionals and Dangerous Grains seems the perfect vehicle. So great thanks to Ron Hoggan (and Dr. Braly and the rest) for doing what you're doing. I know it's only a matter of time before the people that control the mental health system become enlightened enough to stop doing harm and truly begin to heal these patients. It was a close call for us and I realize Lee is a living example.
  26. Celiac.com 03/30/2022 - I am the mother of two teenage children—both recently diagnosed with celiac disease. I manage an International Student Exchange program based in New Jersey. My hobbies include writing fiction and painting and I hold a black belt in Karate. Do I have celiac disease? I believe so. As a matter of fact I made myself very sick trying to prove it. What can I say? I was desperate! I spent the past twenty-five years doing everything the doctors told me and I was getting sicker instead of better. All I concentrated on was eating healthy and doing anything that promised to settle my stomach. Nothing worked. Whenever I complained to a doctor they would run a few tests and tell me that I probably had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Their advice was to lose weight and watch what I eat—easy for them to say! Since it wasn’t the in bed, out of work, desperately ill kind of sick at that point, I did my best to manage daily life. For the most part my family understood I had a “sensitive stomach” and learned to live with it—but I knew it was slowly getting worse and I was getting scared. Finally, I came to the point where I would just break down and pray to God, “I don’t care what it is, just give me an answer. Any answer!” When I first explained to doctors that I seemed to always be in the bathroom with severe nausea, stomach cramps, gas, and bloating they would say: “Must be something you ate.” To which, I’d answer, “Everyday?” and they would just shrug their shoulders. It wasn’t like I was dying, losing vast amounts of weight, or exhibiting symptoms that would raise the red flag—but I was in pain and embarrassed. I don’t think the doctors realized what it took for me to come forward with my complaints. As before, I left the doctor’s office without any answers and went on with my life, managing it as best as I could. One minute I could feel fine and the next I would be overcome with cramps. Some days I could barely manage to leave the house. It got so bad I would just not eat as I tried to “shut down” the digestive process. Doctors kept saying IBS. Frankly, I didn’t think that was much of a diagnosis. I mean, I already knew my bowels were irritated! What causes it? What can I do about it? I was told over and over again, “everyone gets it.” Watch what you eat, avoid junk food, alcohol, etc. Yeah right, I’d been trying that for years and it didn’t work. One day I’d eat something and be fine, the next day I’d eat the same thing and get sick. What did that tell me? I’d keep food diaries, take vitamins— even those made me nauseous— but I wasn’t feeling any better. Finally, I resigned myself to carrying a pack of Imodium in my purse wherever I went. It was so bad that everything I ate caused pain. If I had to do any traveling I would just not eat the day before or the day of the trip. Everywhere I went I just resigned myself to not eating. Once I got home and felt safe I would be so hungry that I would stuff everything I could find into my mouth. Of course, that would make me as sick as a dog. My biggest question was why could I eat something one day and be fine, then eat it a week later and be extremely sick? The medical community answered with “It’s IBS.” I know the real answer now. It’s because different brand names use different ingredients. One burger restaurant may add wheat, the other might not. Though the years I developed other problems. Lethargy made me go back to the doctor for blood tests, and I was diagnosed with hypothyroid. The medication for this gave me more energy but did nothing for my IBS. Scourge of my life. When I complained about having rough, blister-like breakouts on the back of my legs and arms I was told it was either eczema or “winter dry skin.” The recommendation was to use moisturizer and someone even told me to take vitamin E. None of this healed my skin but it did ease the breakouts a bit. Since the IBS was an even bigger problem, I pushed these other stressful problems to the back of my mind and tried to find foods that I could eat. At that point everything made me sick. I again mentioned the problems with my stomach during one of my normal thyroid checkups, and the fact that even a plain old slice of bread made me nauseous. “How could that be?” I cried. “Bread was what you give to sick people!” The doctor stopped and looked at me for a moment, then told me about his mother who had celiac disease. He told me I probably didn’t have it because of my weight—5 foot 6 inches and 160 pounds—because “people with celiac disease are very thin,” a belief that I later found out was incorrect. When I pressed him for more information he wrote down the name and told me to look it up on the Internet, but he still doubted that I had it. At this point in my life I was desperate for an answer and I prayed to God everyday that he would send me a clue as to what was tormenting me. Could this be it? I logged onto my computer the first chance I got and started reading everything I could find on this disease. I started looking into how many things in our everyday life contain gluten—breads, cereals, pastas, pizzas, and cakes were the obvious sources, but I was soon to learn that gluten is also mixed into many other processed foods. I immediately started a quest to get gluten out of my diet—which was a lot harder than I ever imagined. As much as ninety percent of the soups, canned foods, and prepared foods on the market today contain gluten. It is also used in certain medicines, sauces, spices, cough drops, stamps, and even envelope glue! For a while it seemed like everything I looked at had gluten in it. Another issue was cross-contamination. I needed to thoroughly clean those things which could be contaminated with gluten, including: toasters, cutting boards, pans, and plastic spatulas! It was incredibly depressing—yet the more research I did the easier it got. People with celiac disease can live normal, healthy lives, and I found a lot of support on the Internet. There, people from all over the world join together to share hints, problems, and commiserate. It made the transition much easier. I also went to my local health food store with a printout from a company that makes gluten-free foods, and they ordered some of them and now stock a wide variety of gluten-free products. I’m finding gluten-free pastas, breads, and even some cookies that are so good most people wouldn’t know that they were not made from wheat flour. There are also several good mail order bakeries that have good breads, bagels, and other products made from rice, tapioca or potato flour. I order online in quantity and freeze them. It definitely gets easier as time goes on. Within a month on a gluten-free diet my “IBS” and stomach cramps were gone! The nausea took a bit longer to improve but each day it improved. When I returned to the doctor and shared that I believed that I had celiac disease he was doubtful. At my insistence he ordered the blood test. At that point I had been off of gluten for about six to eight weeks. The test was negative. By this time I had met other people with celiac disease through the Internet who informed me that the tests would not be accurate unless I had been eating gluten daily for at least six prior to the test. I verified this information online and found it to be correct. My dilemma now was whether or not to go back on gluten for an accurate diagnosis. It was a hard decision. I have two daughters and I felt I needed to know since this can also be hereditary. My father suffered for years with gastrointestinal problems before dying at age 65 of colon cancer. I’m sure now that he had celiac disease. With all of this hanging over my head I decided to go back on gluten to get a definitive answer. My first meal was a pizza! Yum! The next day I was fine. So I continued to eat gluten. Within two days the cramps and diarrhea were back. By two weeks I was sick everyday and having trouble getting myself to work, but I didn’t give up. My husband thought I was crazy. He kept telling me that I already knew what was making me sick—so why was I doing this to myself? But I had already made the decision to find out if I really had celiac disease—so on I ate. On really bad days I took Imodium and sometimes didn’t eat until I was at home. The nausea was constant. Some days the cramping and pain were so bad that I just couldn’t eat at all. I don’t know if this hurt my test results or not but there were times when I just couldn’t bring myself to swallow any food at all. Eating caused the pain to worsen. This continued for six weeks! On the day of my blood test I did not eat before I went to the lab at two in the afternoon. I was afraid that if I ate anything at all I’d get sick at the lab and that would be too embarrassing. Have you ever sat in a room full of people waiting for your turn—fighting nausea and just knowing that everyone in there was watching every time you got up to use the bathroom—five times in a row?! Let alone having to sit still long enough to get the blood drawn. The blood work all came back negative. At this point I dragged in my sixteen-year-old daughter for a blood test. The doctor thought that I was crazy. She didn’t fit the profile. I asked him to do it anyway to put my mind at ease—so he did. The blood work was positive. After that my nineteen-year-old daughter tested positive as well. Both of them opted out of the endoscopes, even though this is thought to be the gold standard for diagnosis. They went gluten-free and both are feeling much better on the diet. Two weeks later I went for my endoscopy. I asked the gastroenterologist how many biopsies he was planning to take and he told me: “Enough, don’t worry.” But I did worry. What if it’s not enough? Celiac damage can be patchy and I desperately wanted an accurate diagnosis. The doctor called two days later and said the biopsy was fine. So I am an undiagnosed celiac. I went gluten-free the day of my endoscopy and today I am feeling better than I have in my whole life! The “IBS” is gone, my skin is clearing and I never get nauseous. Today I feel healthy and I am living a much better life. Traveling still makes me nervous but it’s getting easier as I learn to trust my body once again. Would my tests have been positive if I had been tested before going gluten-free? I don’t know and at this point I don’t care. I know what makes me sick and I avoid it. It’s as simple as that. I only wish I had understood that before going on the gluten challenge as it would have saved me a lot of pain. My biggest problem now is when people say things like, “Oh, I couldn’t live without pasta!” Would they say to a diabetic: “I couldn’t live without sugar”? I hope not. To these people I just say: “You could if it made you sick.” I also thank God everyday for the answer I prayed for so often: celiac disease. It’s a different way of life that takes some getting used to, but it is quite do-able. Pizza never tasted as good as being healthy feels! ©A Personal Touch Publishing, LLC. This article originally appeared in the book A Personal Touch On...™ Celiac Disease.
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