Can Oats Or Dairy Raise Antibodies?

[MitziG]

My 11 year old son has been feeling lousy for a few months, stomach pain, diarrhea, very tired and very depressed. Since this was EXACTLY how he was before his diagnosis 4 yrs go, I took him to the GP for bloodwork. Low Vit D, Iron and Zinc, and his ttg is sky high. Last check was about 18 months ago and everything was normal.

We have three celiacs, so the whole house is gluten-free, and we know the drill regarding cross contamination. He is homeschooled, and when he goes to a friends house the parents are very conscientious about how to feed him. We eat out about once a month, at the two places we know take extra precautions to avoid any cc- Pizza Ranch and Red Robin. His sister and I are doing fine, antibodies at zero, and I just had an EGD with no damage...so if he is getting cross contaminated somewhere, it would be unlikely that we wouldn't be also.

I do suspect a sensitivity to both dairy and oats. (dairy seems to cause skin issues, oats make him gassy.) He doesn't eat a ton of things with oats, but definitely has regular exposure to them. The ones he does eat are gluten-free oats.

I know about molecular mimicry, but am a little fuzzy on the science. If that is what is going on, could his exposure to oats and/or dairy cause the increase in antibodies? And if so, is it logical that for approx. 3 years they did NOT cause an issue, but NOW the immune system has become confused?

He will be following up with a GI, waiting for a call back, but am really puzzling over this and would appreciate your insight! Thanks

[kareng]

We have had a few articles about oats on here recently

 

https://www.celiac.com/articles/23826/1/Oats-Not-Safe-for-Some-People-with-Celiac-Disease/Page1.html

[nvsmom]

Like Karen's link pointed out, oats can cause an autoimmune reaction (like a glutening) in a minority celiacs.  I don't think it is because of a molecular mimicry but because the protein in oats triggers the reaction just like gluten...Oats don't have gluten but it has avenins (sp?) that can bother us.  

 

Technically, gluten is made of gliadins and glutenin found in wheat, gliadins being the protein that celiac disease tests look for a reaction to (DGP tests - deaminated gliadin peptides), butbarley and rye are made of a slightly different combination of those proetins and is sometimes not considered to be a true gluten (BUT it still makes celiacs ill).

 

Anyways, if his tTG is elevated, I would cut out the oats since it could be the cause of that immune reaction.  If the tests are normal, try cutting out the oats and dairy anyways.  The foods may not be causing an autoimmune reaction but if they are making him feel poorly, you don't want that in his diet. Food sensitivities can really negatively impact a person's health.

 

Best wishes.

[cap6]

I recently read an article that explained that oats can be very hard on some celiacs as the kernel of the grain is similar to that in wheat. I can not give specifics as don't remember the details and where I read it. At the time it made total sense as I don't tolerate oats at all well.

[bartfull]

I have read that both soy and dairy can cause villous atrophy. Maybe an elimination diet is in order?

[RMJ]

I suspected that oats might be causing my DGP level to remain elevated so, as a scientist, I've tried to find information about it. I have not found any studies where people were fed oats and their TTG levels rose. However, there have been studies in test tubes where the avenins in gluten free oats caused the immune cells of a small percentage of celiacs to react. Also, different strains or cultivars of oats caused different degrees of reaction! So it is theoretically possible that he is eating a new strain of oats to which he reacts.

[nvsmom]

I have read that both soy and dairy can cause villous atrophy. Maybe an elimination diet is in order?

I've heard that too... I wonder if they'll label it as an autoimmune disorder some time in the future, if it is in fact an autoimmune reaction causing it.