Celiac disease, also known as sprue, is a condition whereby sensitivity to the protein gluten leads to intestinal damage, malabsorption of nutrients and immune system complications. Gluten is predominantly in wheat, rye and barley. Recent advances have revealed valuable information on the cause of celiac disease and the benefits of a gluten-free diet.
Genetic Component
Celiac disease is among the most prevalent forms of food intolerance throughout the developed world, according to a study published in the January 2011 "Cellular & Molecular Immunology" journal. A genetic component makes some people susceptible to celiac disease, which can have severe health effects if left untreated. Doctors have known about the disease for more than 100 years. New understanding of how the body digests gluten and how gluten activates the immune system in celiac patients has led to improved diagnostic techniques. Doctors can now detect celiac disease with greater sensitivity and up to six months earlier than before these techniques were available.
Better Understanding
Previously regarded as a rare childhood food intolerance, celiac disease is now seen as a common autoimmune disorder affecting 1 percent of the population, according to a study at St. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital published in the January 2011 "Cellular & Molecular Immunology" journal. Doctors now know celiac disease can develop at any age and present a variety of symptoms, including typical digestive complaints, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, as well as nonintestinal manifestations, such as anemia, osteoporosis and miscarriage. Accuracy of testing for celiac has improved tremendously in the past 20 years, with the development of tests for immune system antibodies to gluten. The authors expressed the benefits of early detection in avoiding severe intestinal damage and related health problems associated with celiac disease.
Improved Treatments
Developments to treat celiac disease by detoxifying gluten may alleviate considerable societal stress, given the pervasiveness of gluten in the modern diet, according to researchers at the University of Salerno, Italy, in a study published in the October 2010 "Enzyme Research" journal. Current research strategies include ways of removing gluten from foods and ways to stop the immune response to gluten. In some experiments, scientists incorporate gluten-digesting enzymes into foods to assist in processing the gluten, in effect, detoxifying it. Ultimately, gluten-sensitive individuals may thereby be able to consume gluten-containing foods.
Gluten-free Diet Speeds Healing
A gluten-free diet speeds intestinal repair in celiac patients, according to a study published in the January 2011 "European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology." In the study, children with celiac disease who ate a gluten-free diet for one month showed higher levels of a protein called citrulline, used as an indicator of intestinal repair. After three months on a gluten-free diet, the participants' citrulline levels were similar to a control group that did not have celiac disease, according to the authors.
References
- "Cellular & Molecular Immunology"; Novel Trends in Celiac Disease; T. Matthias, et al.; January 2011
- "Cellular & Molecular Immunology"; Antibodies in Celiac Disease: Implications Beyond Diagnostics; S. Caja, et al.; January 2011
- "Cellular & Molecular Immunology"; Celiac Disease: Diagnostic Criteria in Progress; U. Volta, et al.; January 2011
- "Enzyme Research"; Enzymatic Strategies to Detoxify Gluten: Implications for Celiac Disease; I. Caputo, et al.; October 2010
- "European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology"; Plasma Citrulline Levels in Paediatric Patients with Celiac Disease and the Effect of a Gluten-Free Diet; H.P. Ioannou; January 2011
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