Nutrients May Reduce Onset of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance in Children
Article
In celiac disease, for those with a genetic predisposition, consuming gluten damages the small, fingerlike projections (villi) that line the intestinal wall, and that are responsible for absorbing nutrients into the body, eventually leading to nutritional deficiencies and often retarding growth. There is no treatment available other than observing a strictly gluten-free diet.
Researchers have recently looked at the possible role of certain nutrients–Vitamin A, Vitamin D and Probiotics–in alleviating this condition.
This first study followed 102 children, aged 9 to 13, weighing between 36 and 50 pounds, about half of whom had celiac disease. Doctors measured levels of vitamin A and found 33 percent of kids with celiac disease were deficient compared to none of the healthy children. For vitamin D, 61.5 percent of the celiac kids were deficient compared to 4 percent for healthy kids, and nearly all, 92.3 percent, of the celiac kids had insufficient levels of vitamin D compared to 18 percent of the healthy kids.
Reference: BMC Pediatrics; April, 2018, Published Online
(Am I the only one, by the way, who reads about studies like this, and cannot help but think about those “nobody needs vitamins” articles that appear regularly in the press and TV? . . . Don Goldberg)
The second study looked at the role of probiotic immune support. In order to detect celiac disease, doctors measure levels of an autoimmune antibody called tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTGA). In this study, 78 children with a genetic predisposition to celiac disease took a placebo or the probiotics L. plantarum plus L. paracasei.
After six months, doctors found lower levels of tTGA in the probiotics group, while tTGA levels increased for placebo.
Discussing the findings, doctors said the probiotics had a "surprisingly consistent" effect of suppressing celiac autoimmunity and gluten intolerance, and that probiotics appear to support the immune response and may delay the onset in children genetically predisposed to celiac disease.
Reference: International Celiac Disease Symposium, New Delhi; October, 2017, r4233, Published Online
Product Recommendations:
Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and combinations of the two are available in many different dosages, and are available from multiple suppliers.
An excellent probiotic formula designed for the intestinal system is
Ideal Bowel Support from Jarrow