Celiac Disease and The Gluten Free Diet

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than three million people have celiac disease while only I% of the population has actually been diagnosed. Another 39% of the population may be susceptible to celiac disease or gluten intolerance or sensitivity. Some studies show that gluten is associated with some other forms of inflammation in the body for those with auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine (villi) which helps us absorb nutrients. When people with celiac disease eat foods that contain gluten their immune system will react by damaging these villi. Damage to villi causes malnutrition and can put you at risk for other autoimmune disorders as well. The consumption of gluten, a protein found in barley, wheat, rye and oats triggers celiac disease in gluten susceptible individuals.

Women are affected more often men and celiac disease is most common in persons of European or Caucasian ancestry. People who have celiac disease are more likely to have other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal lymphoma or intestinal cancer. Symptoms of celiac disease can vary from person to person. Some symptoms include abdominal pain, indigestion, gas, bloating, and weight loss or growth delay in children. Other symptoms can include constipation, diarrhea or no problems with stool at all.

Celiac disease was thought to be rare and recent increases in the number or reported cases may be seen as changes in diagnostic practices. Current medical testing for celiac disease include a blood test to detect antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies(EMA). It the test is positive the doctor will order an upper endoscopy (biopsy) to sample a piece of tissue from the small intestine. This will show if there is a flattening of the villi.

Incidences of celiac disease seem to rise with age. A study in Finland revealed that elderly people were twice as likely to develop the disease when compared to the general population. Scientists have identified specific genetic markers for the development of this disease but nobody really knows why patients lose gluten tolerance.

What can you do if you have celiac disease?

At the present time there is no cure for celiac disease but the lining of the intestines will heal if you eliminate gluten from your diet. Healing on a gluten-free diet can occur within 3-6 months in children, but it can take 2-3 years in adults. As more cases of celiac disease are diagnosed gluten-free foods have become a booming market.

It is a challenging exercise to eliminate all gluten from the diet. It not that easy to eliminate foods with gluten because it’s not only avoiding foods made with flour; gluten is in beer, soy sauce, food additives, flavorings, stabilizing or thickening agents. For example, gluten is used as a thickener in products like ice cream and ketchup so to consume a gluten free diet you must consider the ingredients. In addition to the foods we eat, gluten is in many prescription medications and vitamins. Gluten is even in cosmetics such as lipstick, lip balms and glosses. Even the glue on envelopes may contain gluten. Gluten comes in many forms: vegetable proteins and starch, modified food starch, and malt flavoring.

Some ingredients contain wheat or barley derivatives. There are many foods containing gluten that are not always included in the ingredient lists. Some products use gluten in food preparation or manufacturing. An example of this is the dusting of conveyor belts with gluten products to prevent foods for sticking. These types of gluten contamination will not be listed on labels and requires consumers to contact the food manufactures directly for information.

Unless indicated as a gluten free product all cereal grains can be cross-contaminated with gluten. Gluten can become contaminated by sharing the same farm, mill, truck or bagging facility. To be truly gluten-free products must be manufactured in a dedicated facility that operates within gluten free guidelines.

Many countries do not require labeling of products containing gluten. In the United States, the FDA has issued regulations limiting the use of "gluten-free" in food products that must contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. Gluten may not be listed on the labels of certain foods that the FDA has classified gluten as GRAS or (Generally Recognized As Safe). It is up to the manufacturers to guarantee their claim that foods are "gluten-free".

Some new approaches are now being studied to reduce the need for gluten-free products. Genetically engineered wheat species that have been selectively bred are being developed but are not expected to be available to the general public for a while.

Gluten-free products

Today there are many markets that cater to the food production of the gluten-free dieter. A gluten-free diet does not mean you must do without the types of foods you love. Gluten-free foods include everything from pizza, pasta, cake mixes, bagels, waffle and beer. The gluten-free food and drink market has increased 74% and is expected to reach over $2.6 billion in sales by the year 2012. It may seem like a daunting task to eliminate gluten from the diet on your own but there is much help out there. One only needs to check out gluten-free products online to discover all the choices available. With all the new products available, it is much easier to live with celiac disease.