Could Temporarily Avoiding Gluten During An Infection (Cold, Flu Or Gi Infection) Prevent Celiac Disease From Initiating?

[glutenmaestro]

I used to be under the impression that celiac disease was a condition that arose when one was born.

 

According to Dr. Fasano's more recent research, we now know that this is not the case. People can go 70 years tolerating gluten just fine before it causes problems.

 

One of the things that has intrigued me is the recommendation to keep infants away from gluten until 4-6 months have lapsed. I believe this has to do with intestinal permeability allowing greater quantities of gluten to travel through thus making the immune system not cope well and thus resulting in it malfunctioning and destroying the gut and developing defective memory cells that will be there for the rest of their lives. 

 

I also often hear of people being diagnosed with celiac disease after a cold, flu or gastrointestinal infection.

 

If this is the case, is it possible that avoiding gluten during a time of emotional stress or infection (and then re-introducing after fully recovering from the event) may prevent the onset of celiac disease?

 

Let me know your thoughts.

[shadowicewolf]

I used to be under the impression that celiac disease was a condition that arose when one was born.

 

According to Dr. Fasano's more recent research, we now know that this is not the case. People can go 70 years tolerating gluten just fine before it causes problems.

 

One of the things that has intrigued me is the recommendation to keep infants away from gluten until 4-6 months have lapsed. I believe this has to do with intestinal permeability allowing greater quantities of gluten to travel through thus making the immune system not cope well and thus resulting in it malfunctioning and destroying the gut and developing defective memory cells that will be there for the rest of their lives. 

 

I also often hear of people being diagnosed with celiac disease after a cold, flu or gastrointestinal infection.

 

If this is the case, is it possible that avoiding gluten during a time of emotional stress or infection (and then re-introducing after fully recovering from the event) may prevent the onset of celiac disease?

 

Let me know your thoughts.

I don't think so.

 

Those events are the 'trigger' sort to speak. It is very possible that the person had symptoms prior to that were minor and that cold/flu made it worse.

[kareng]

I used to be under the impression that celiac disease was a condition that arose when one was born.

According to Dr. Fasano's more recent research, we now know that this is not the case. People can go 70 years tolerating gluten just fine before it causes problems.

One of the things that has intrigued me is the recommendation to keep infants away from gluten until 4-6 months have lapsed. I believe this has to do with intestinal permeability allowing greater quantities of gluten to travel through thus making the immune system not cope well and thus resulting in it malfunctioning and destroying the gut and developing defective memory cells that will be there for the rest of their lives.

I also often hear of people being diagnosed with celiac disease after a cold, flu or gastrointestinal infection.

If this is the case, is it possible that avoiding gluten during a time of emotional stress or infection (and then re-introducing after fully recovering from the event) may prevent the onset of celiac disease?

Let me know your thoughts.

I don't think the infant feeding studies have determined what exactly is going on. In fact, the studies seem to say that introducing gluten before 4 months or delaying to after 6 months both increase the chances of celiac development.

Also, there is no scientific evidence that there is a " trigger" for Celiac. It seems like it might be true but doesn't seem to have been studied.

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[glutenmaestro]

I don't think the infant feeding studies have determined what exactly is going on. In fact, the studies seem to say that introducing gluten before 4 months or delaying to after 6 months both increase the chances of celiac development.

Also, there is no scientific evidence that there is a " trigger" for Celiac. It seems like it might be true but doesn't seem to have been studied.

Open Original Shared Link

 

I meant to say before 4 months or after 6 months. I just thought that consuming gluten when the immune system was not properly regulated (e.g. during an infection) might be a risk factor for onset of coeliac disease for the first time.

 

It would be interesting to see any other thoughts here?

 

[Adalaide]

The evidence of a trigger seems to be entirely anecdotal and there is no actual scientific evidence or studies to back that up. That doesn't mean though that it isn't the case, we just don't know. All we do know is that basically something trips a switch, like someone turning on a light switch. As far as I have been able to find there is no evidence that avoiding gluten for any period of time can prevent that switch being tripped. Nothing saying it can't either.

 

If I were to share my opinion on it? By the time you are having symptoms of a cold or infection, your immune system is already ramped up and God knows what is in your intestines. I think the idea is  pointless because by the time your small intestine is empty of whatever you ate last your immune system is probably in full swing. Keep in mind that every time you cut yourself your immune system responds and it also responds to thousands of threats that don't make you sick, which is why they don't make you sick. Living life in fear of a disease so easily managed, especially during times of stress like when you have a cold and all you want is a 50 cent can of chicken soup, seems positively silly imo. This is of course going on the assumption that illness can trigger celiac.