A gluten-free diet is a dietary plan often prescribed for people with celiac disease. Although following a gluten-free diet will not help people with Crohn's disease, many people with Crohn's disease have celiac disease as well. Following a gluten-free diet is recommended to relieve the symptoms of intestinal inflammation associated with celiac disease.
Crohn's Disease
Following a gluten-free diet appears to have no effect on Crohn's disease since gluten does not play any role in Crohn's. Crohn's disease is an autoimmune condition -- a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy cells. In Crohn's, the immune system attacks the cells in the intestines, causing intense inflammation that damages the intestinal tissue; the result is pain, impaired digestion and bleeding in the digestive tract.
Celiac Disease
People most commonly follow a gluten-free diet because they have celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue. In celiac disease, antibodies in the immune system attack gliadin, a peptide found in gluten, which is a type of protein found in a number of grains. If you have celiac disease and eat gluten, these antibodies trigger an inflammatory reaction in your intestines, resulting in pain, diarrhea and damage to your intestinal lining. Celiac disease is typically diagnosed using a biopsy or blood tests that look for these antibodies.
Link Between Celiac and Crohn's Disease
A gluten-free diet may help you if you have both Crohn's and celiac disease. According to Celiac.com, two of the genes implicated in celiac disease are also risk factors for Crohn's. A 2003 study in "Inflammatory Bowel Diseases" showed that some people with Crohn's disease also have celiac disease, which can aggravate the symptoms of Crohn's. A gluten-free diet is effective only if you have celiac disease along with Crohn's.
Gluten-Free Diet
Gluten is found in grains including barley, rye and wheat. A gluten free-diet involves avoiding all foods made with these grains, including baked goods made with flour from barley, rye or wheat. If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can still consume foods made with other types of flour, like rice and quinoa flour, though the taste and consistency of the foods may be different.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders: Celiac Disease
- MayoClinic.com: Crohn's
- "Inflammatory Bowel Diseases"; High Prevalence of Celiac Disease Among Patients Affected by Crohn's Disease; A. Tursi et al.; December 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Gluten-Free Diet
- Celiac.com: Celiac Disease and Crohn's
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