Cholesterol is a type of fat the body needs to provide support to cell membranes, produce hormones and create bile acids for the digestion of dietary fat. The human body makes approximately 75 percent of your total amount of cholesterol, while food provides the remaining 25 percent, according to the American Heart Association. Since celiac disease inhibits the absorption of foods, including dietary fat, it more likely causes a low LDL cholesterol level, not a high LDL cholesterol level.
What is Celiac Disease?
Doctors classify celiac disease as an autoimmune disease. The disease occurs due to a combination of a specific set of genes and an environmental trigger. When patients with celiac disease consume foods containing gluten -- the environmental trigger -- their immune systems release antibodies that attack the cells lining the small intestine. Over time, the disease destroys the small fingerlike projections in the lining of the small intestine, known as villi. Since the body absorbs the majority of nutrients, including fat, through the small intestine, this reduces the absorption of nutrients.
Evidence of Fat Malabsorption
Many of the symptoms common to celiac disease occur as a result of the reduced absorption of fat. Patients often suffer from chronic diarrhea due to added fat in the stool. The stools may appear pale, smell bad and create an oily film that floats on the water in the toilet. Decreased fat absorption can impact the amount of dietary cholesterol absorbed as well as the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, which include vitamin A, D, E and K.
Impact on Cholesterol
Consuming foods high in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol can increase the total amount of cholesterol in the blood. Total cholesterol includes the two main types of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein, which are classified based on the specific protein that carries the cholesterol. Since LDL binds the majority of cholesterol, increases in total cholesterol due to diet result in higher LDL cholesterol levels. When the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged from celiac disease, the body fails to absorb both saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, causing total and LDL cholesterol levels to decrease.
Gluten-Free Diet
Since there is no cure for celiac disease the only way to control symptoms is to follow a strict gluten-free diet. Although only three cereal grains contain gluten -- wheat, rye and barley -- many processed foods contain ingredients derived from gluten. By carefully reading nutrition labels and eating a diet full of fresh foods, patients can eliminate gluten from their diets. A study published in the "American Journal of Medicine" found that after six months of following a gluten-free diet, celiac patients experienced an increase in their total cholesterol level, a significant increase in the HDL -- good cholesterol -- and a slight increase in their LDL cholesterol level.
References
- "The American Journal of Medicine": Change in Lipid Profile in Celiac Disease; Brar et. al.; 2006
- University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research: Celiac Disease FAQ
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Celiac Disease; September 2008
- Mayo Clinic: Celiac Disease -- Symptoms; December 2010
- PubMed Health: Celiac Disease; January 2010
