A new study published in the July 2009 issue of the medical journal Gastroenterology says the digestive disorder celiac disease is becoming more common.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
The Canadian Celiac Association says that, “Celiac disease is a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.”
Symptoms that are common with the illness include: weight loss, fatigue, anemia, cramps, bloating, chronic diarrhea, as well as irritability. Many of these symptoms occur in other disorders that are more common than celiac and this can lead to misdiagnosis. Fortunately, a simple blood screening test is now available to make diagnosis more accurate.
Because people with celiac disease (CD) suffer from a lack of nutrients they are at risk of developing other ailments such as osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
Avoiding Gluten as Therapy
There is no cure for celiac disease, although strictly following a gluten-free diet is an effective treatment. That means avoiding all foods that contain wheat, rye, barley, and oats.
However gluten may turn up in a number of surprising places such as baked beans, imitation crab, prepared soups, salad dressings, potato chips, or yoghurt. Fortunately, there are several food processing companies that specialize in making gluten-free products.
There are also comprehensive diet guides available at the Canadian Celiac Association.
Blood Sample Studies Show Increased Prevalence of Celiac Disease
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota have been looking at blood samples taken during two different time periods.
“This study included 9,133 healthy young adults at Warren Air Force Base (sera were collected between 1948 and 1954) and 12,768 gender-matched subjects from two recent cohorts from Olmsted County, Minnesota.”
Those who gave blood samples decades ago were given a medical follow-up as part of the study.
What the researchers found was that among the Air Force personnel in the first time period 0.2% had undiagnosed celiac disease. Within the two later groups the incidence of undiagnosed celiac disease was 0.8% and 0.9%.
The authors of the study concluded that, “During 45 years of follow-up, undiagnosed CD was associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of death. The prevalence of undiagnosed CD seems to have increased dramatically in the United States during the past 50 years.”
Environmental Cause for Celiac Disease Suspected
Reporting on the study in The Globe and Mail (July 3, 2009) Paul Taylor quotes Dr. Joseph Murray, who led the research. Dr. Murray “speculated that modern food production and processing could be to blame…But, he is quick to add, ‘it could be something entirely different.’ ”
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