Celiac Disease connected to Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis – and now Asthma and Parkinson's Disease?

by Frann Leach

As you probably know, celiac disease is not an allergy (though many people call it that), but an auto-immune disease. As such it's related to various other similar conditions. Gluten seems to be responsible for many of the diseases which afflict the world in the 21st century.

The gene doctors are getting more and more data about celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance. It's beginning to look as if there is a whole spectrum of diseases that are related to many people's difficulty to digest wheat, rye, barley and other gluten-containing grains (which after all only entered the diet around 12,000 years ago – virtually yesterday in evolutionary terms).

None of this is any real surprise to the many people who have discovered that their symptoms – which are very often not obviously related to any gastro-intestinal problem – reduce to manageable levels or go away completely when gluten is excluded from the diet.

About 6% of people suffering with type 1 diabetes has celiac disease – that is a much higher proportion than the level in the general population (current estimates are that around 1% of the general population have celiac disease). Other diseases which are associated with celiac disease include autoimmune thyroid disease, autoimmune liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Addison’s disease, and Sjögren’s syndrome.

But two studies carried out in Finland in 2001 and in Malta in 2005 show that the incidence of asthma in patients with celiac disease was also extremely high. The Finnish research found 25% of CD patients suffered from asthma, and the Maltese study found 28% of CD patients had asthma. This contrasts with around 6% in the general population. Anecdotal evidence from celiac patients with asthma suggests that ingesting gluten worsens their breathing. It definitely seems that there is a close relationship between asthma and gluten intolerance.

And I can confirm that my breathing has improved a lot since I got more strict with the gluten free diet – and when a friend visited recently for a few days and I had a couple of morning rolls and some hot cross buns with her, as well as my joint pain recurring, my breathing got worse. I didn't make the connection until I read about the possible asthma/CD connection.

Then there's Parkinson's Disease.

There's a condition called “gluten ataxia” which seems to have some similarity to Parkinson's disease. The main difference is that gluten ataxia is known to improve when gluten is excluded completely from the diet.

Wendy Cohan (who I don't know and have no connection with) recently wrote an article “Is there a link between Parkinson's Disease and Gluten Intolerance/Celiac Disease?” (which you can find at http://www.celiac.com/blogs/128/Is-there-a-link-between-Parkinsons-Disease-and-Gluten-IntoleranceCeliac-Disease.html), which she wrote after seeing Michael J Fox on Oprah.

One of the comments to her article talks about 2 different people who were initially diagnosed with Parkinson's and then later rediagnosed with Celiac Disease with a secondary myoclonus (shaking). So, is Parkinson's Disease another form of gluten intolerance?

Research into these areas is more and more fascinating, and the more they find out, the more it seems that gluten really is the Devil in disguise. Maybe that's why pizza, pasta, cookies and other gluten-filled goodies are so tempting!

For more information about gluten and gluten-free recipes, visit Free-Easy Publications

©2010 Frann Leach. All rights reserved.

This article is included in Weekly Factsheet number 42, which also includes a recipe for Avocado Mousse

Take our Quiz: Are You Gluten Intolerant?

If you would like to publish this article on your site, please click here

Other articles you may find interesting:

Let's have a gluten free party!

by Frann Leach

Oftentimes, people want to invite friends who are gluten intolerant to a party. Then they start to worry about what food they can serve!

There are two ways to go about this: 1. Have separate food just for the gluten-free folks, or 2. Don't serve anything that contains gluten.

Option 1
Read this article in full

Kid Approved Gluten Free Desserts

by Tricia Ryan

Whether you have a child who is allergic to wheat or you just want your kids to avoid wheat products for another reason altogether, there are many gluten free desserts and snacks that are kid approved. We've checked out some of the best ones and listed them here.

Riceworks™ Crisps -
Read this article in full

I stopped eating gluten and the weight just fell off

by Frann Leach

Ever wondered why low-carb diets work really well for 6 months, and then quite often, with no change in eating pattern, the weight piles back on again? Seems we may be missing something here.

One thing about low-carb is that in the process of cutting out the carbs, most people end
Read this article in full

A Gluten Free Christmas - How to Make it Happy at School For Your Celiac Child

by Kirsty Cussens

For the celiac child, Christmas can be a difficult time. It's easier to manage at home, but making it a gluten free Christmas at school can be a tricky one. There are parties, students - and teachers- bringing in Christmas treats (few of which will be gluten free) and all
Read this article in full

Master of Disguise: How Gluten Hides Where You Least Expect It

by Frann Leach

Here's a list of 14 places you might not expect to find gluten:

Sausages contain breadcrumbs (the bread is one of the ways in which the texture of the sausage is obtained, without including an unacceptably high proportion of fat), except the most high class variety of butcher's sausage, and even
Read this article in full

Getting Glutened in Your Bathroom?
by Frann Leach
The jury's out as to whether gluten can be absorbed through the skin, but it can definitely by absorbed by mucous membranes - that is any 'wet area' such as the eyes, inside the nose, genitals, anus and so on.

So even if you're not eating sneaky gluten-rich snacks in
Read this article in full

Food intolerance isn't an allergy - but it can still damage your health
by Frann Leach
Food intolerance used to be called 'food allergies'. However, there is a world of difference between a true food allergy, such as the infamous peanut allergy which can kill almost instantly, and an intolerance to, for example, gluten leading to general poor health and obesity (although there is some evidence
Read this article in full

Gluten can drive you nuts! True!
by Frann Leach
Until recently, I've tended to play down the effects of gluten on the brain, because I didn't want to be sensationalist. But information I've been receiving over the past month or so has been quite worrying, and I've decided that it's time I gave a clear warning.

Gluten intolerance used to
Read this article in full

Gluten Free Desserts - Forget about the "Free From" Shelf
by Frann Leach
When it comes to gluten free desserts, you're best to stay away from the "Free From" shelves. Well, to be honest, apart from pasta, I would give those a miss anyway. Most of the products are very much below par, and very pricey indeed.

But when it comes to desserts, really,
Read this article in full

IBS - diagnosis of last resort?
by Frann Leach
When you look at a list of symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, it looks as if someone has just lumped all possible difficulties connected with the gut together under one heading and then stuck a label on it. Two of the main indicators are listed as constipation or
Read this article in full

Is there a connection between Chronic Fatigue and Gluten?
by Frann Leach
CFS or chronic fatigue syndrome is a growing problem. But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are: "no physical signs that identify CFS... no diagnostic laboratory tests for CFS... no known cure for CFS [and] no single therapy exists that helps all CFS patients." In
Read this article in full

How can you find out if you are gluten intolerant?
by Frann Leach
Many people suffer for years with the symptoms of gluten-intolerance, without any idea that their ill health is caused by bread, pasta, and other flour-based foods we all eat every day.

If you suffer from symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, wind, general aches and pains and even obesity -
Read this article in full

Gluten and Depression - How does that work?
by Frann Leach
For a lot of years, there has been anecdotal evidence linking depression with gluten (along with more serious mental disorders, up to and including schizophrenia). The problem is, scientists in general, and doctors in particular pay little or no attention to evidence of this type. However, new discoveries have begun
Read this article in full

Diagnosing food intolerance
by Frann Leach
Food intolerance used to be called 'food allergies'. However, there is a world of difference between a true food allergy, such as the infamous peanut allergy, which can kill almost instantly, and an intolerance to, for example, gluten leading to general poor health and obesity.

Food intolerance is not the same
Read this article in full

Living without gluten can be Fun
by Frann Leach
Yes, it's true. Life without gluten (or gluten and dairy, or your flavor of choice) doesn't have to be dreary, miserable or frustrating. But it's up to you to make it different.

It's easy to look at your reduced food options and feel unhappy. Just as some people look at people
Read this article in full

Why are so many people having problems with gluten nowadays?
by Frann Leach
Celiac disease is not new. The first doctor to write about it was Arctaeus, a Greek who lived around the first century, although up until the 1920s, no cure was known. This is despite many anecdotal reports of great improvement in patients deprived of flour.

In 1924 Dr Sidney Haas
Read this article in full

I'm going gluten-free - what can I eat?
by Frann Leach
Good question.

It would be easier to say what you can't eat!

But the question is, what can you eat. So let's start there.

Well, for a start, obviously you can eat meat, poultry and game. That's unprocessed meat. Avoid burgers, sausages, grillsteaks and similar items, as they almost always contain filler
Read this article in full

Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Gluten Factor
by Frann Leach
Though your General Practitioner may not have caught up with recent research (we all know how busy they are), over the last 10 years some interesting discoveries have been made linking diet with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Not only that, but it seems that orthodox treatments for this disease, while dealing
Read this article in full

Can't Eat Gluten, Can't Eat Lactose? What CAN I Eat?
by Tara Catt
More and more people are suddenly finding themselves either unable to handle gluten in their diets, or unable to handle lactose, or both.

It is a known fact that most animals can't handle cows milk, and that it is quite bad for adult humans to drink, so why is so
Read this article in full

Allergy? Food intolerance? What's in a name?
by Frann Leach
Lots of people think that allergy and food intolerance are just two expressions meaning the same thing. This even includes some Doctors! In fact, there is a big difference.

There is one thing allergies and food intolerances have in common: both can cause physical reactions, ranging from mild to severe. But
Read this article in full

Gluten Dairy Free: Who needs it?
by Frann Leach
This diet is not for the faint hearted, nor for anybody who doesn't need to follow it. It is not a weight loss diet, for example. So if you don't have a problem with gluten and dairy, there's no point in following a gluten dairy free diet.

That sounds like a
Read this article in full

Gluten Free Food List
by Frann Leach
Often I'm asked “Is there a gluten free food list I can use?” And I always answer, “Trust no-one but yourself when it comes to your health!”

Perhaps I'm over-stating the case a bit – but only slightly. When it comes right down to it, it's your health, not theirs. And
Read this article in full

How Gluten Can Affect Your Mental Health
by Frann Leach
It's well known that gluten is the primary factor in celiac disease (CD), the primary symptoms of which mainly involve the digestive system. (CD, in fact, is the only disease where gluten is the undisputed cause.)

But CD has other symptoms apart from wind, stomach pains and constipation or diarrhea. Other
Read this article in full

Is gluten harmful to non-celiacs?
by Frann Leach
For starters, it seems that a high proportion of autistic children improve when gluten (along with casein, a protein in milk) is excluded from their diet. Other mental conditions ranging from brain fog (common in celiacs when they accidentally consume gluten) to ADD/ADHD, headache, migraine, depression, temporal lobe epilepsy with
Read this article in full

What makes you think you're gluten intolerant?
by Frann Leach
Awareness of gluten intolerance is rising. Lots of people who have had obvious symptoms, with no really obvious cause are waking up to the fact that they might be a sufferer, as well.

I grew up thinking that regular diarrhea was normal. It's not, of course, but it's not something you
Read this article in full

Avoiding Gluten Recipes - How to Steer Clear of Ingredients Which Contain Gluten
by Hailey Jones
If you've been diagnosed as celiac or have gluten intolerance, then you know how hard it can be to manage a gluten free diet. Finding gluten free products or ingredients in supermarkets or local shops isn't easy. Finding gluten free recipes that are easy to make and taste good can
Read this article in full

Living with Gluten Intolerance
by Frann Leach
Many people suffer from embarrassing wind, chronic pain from stomach upsets, muscle cramps or joint pains, or other seemingly unshakable complaints that seem to have no cause. Surprisingly often, eliminating gluten from the diet results in a marked improvement - even the complete elimination - of ailments of many years'
Read this article in full

Can a gluten free diet cause malnutrition?
by Frann Leach
A gluten free diet is not something anyone will take up just for fun, as unless you have a sensitivity to gluten, it is of no benefit. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a weight loss diet. It's true that some people lose weight when they first start on
Read this article in full

Can I include fibre in a gluten free diet?
by Frann Leach
To keep your digestive system working properly and avoid constipation, it's important to include fibre in your diet. There are also studies that show increasing fibre intake reduces the risk of various types of cancer and other serious health problems such as ischaemic heart disease.

When people talk about including fibre
Read this article in full

Who needs a gluten-free, dairy-free diet?
by Frann Leach
Since its discovery in the 1980s, many parents of autistic children have been trying them on the gluten free casein free diet, often with striking results.

The difficulty ASD kids have with dairy is specifically related to the protein casein, which is found in almost all dairy products. But it's not
Read this article in full

What is gluten intolerance?
by Frann Leach
Gluten intolerance affects a large proportion of the population. Yet many people who may be affected aren't even sure what it is. This article sets out to explain what gluten intolerance is, how it can affect you, and, just as important, what it is not.

Let's start by looking at what
Read this article in full

A Gastroenterologist's Personal Journey Down the Gluten Rabbit Hole
by Dr Scott Lowey
Celiac disease and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

Gluten intolerance resulting in symptoms and illness similar to celiac disease (CD) without meeting diagnostic criteria for CD is a new concept. This concept of non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or gluten related disease (GRD) may be a new paradigm that is hard for some
Read this article in full

Could gluten be damaging your health?
by Frann Leach
Do you suffer from some or all of these problems: IBS, depression, difficulties with your weight, aches and pains in your bones and joints, chronic fatigue? If so, you may be gluten intolerant.

Gluten is a protein found in cereals, specifically, wheat (the main culprit), barley and rye. A similar protein
Read this article in full

Celiac Questions - Brown Rice Flour Vs White Rice Flour - What's the Difference?
by Mark Fodchuk and Tricia Ryan
If you've been diagnosed with celiac disease, your doctor probably advised you on the many foods and food ingredients you must avoid. Definite no-no products are those made with wheat, rye and barley, the popular gluten-bearing grains found in many breads, cereals, pastas, crackers and other baked goods. Gluten also
Read this article in full

Quick and Easy Meals without Gluten
by Frann Leach
Someone asked me the other day, "how do i keep my meals easy/simple but without gluten?" Sounds like an easy question, doesn't it? But if you're gluten intolerant, you will know it's not so simple.

I used to keep some ready meals for when I was in a hurry or too
Read this article in full

Eating Out Gluten Free
by Frann Leach
Most of us like to go out for a meal or get a take out once in a while. But for coeliacs and others on a gluten free diet, buying food ready cooked can be a bit of a minefield.

For starters, most take away food will be a problem. For
Read this article in full

Schizophrenia and gluten
by Frann Leach
More than 20 years ago (can’t pin it down precisely), my partner at the time was a schizophrenic. Because I’m the type of person who always tries to solve problems, I did a lot of research on the subject, and tried him on what we thought was a gluten free
Read this article in full

Could your weight problem be caused by gluten intolerance?
by Frann Leach
The Establishment always denies anything that doesn't match the current dogma. Look what it did to Galileo for saying the Earth went round the Sun. That's probably why there's so much misinformation out there about obesity and its connection to gluten intolerance.

There are many people that say, if you're
Read this article in full

Keeping a food diary
by Frann Leach
A food diary is a way of discovering hidden causes of your health problems. After you have kept it for a while, you will be able to detect patterns that you were never able to see before. In fact, the whole process of finding out what is going on becomes,
Read this article in full

Living Gluten Free: Your Kitchen
by Frann Leach
As you already know, almost all processed food contains gluten for one reason or another. So your kitchen stores and refrigerator are most likely full of food which you can't eat - whether temporarily or permanently.

If you're not sure you are gluten intolerant

\These instructions are for someone who knows they
Read this article in full

Gluten free Snacks you can just Pick up and Eat
by Frann Leach
One of the things I miss most about the gluten free diet (apart from bacon sandwiches) is stuff you can just get from the fridge or cupboard and eat. I spend most of the day at my desk, and "pick up and eat" is one of those things that I
Read this article in full

Doctors Frequently Fail to Diagnose Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity - Why?
by Dr Scot Lewey
Doctors frequently fail to diagnose a very common condition known as Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. The average delay in diagnosis is 11 years in adults. There are several reasons for this delay. Celiac disease was once considered to be rare and affect only young children. This is what most
Read this article in full

Do bacon sandwiches make you depressed?
by Frann Leach
Depression is one of those things that people don't really talk about, and even when they do, it's often obvious they don't really understand it (even if they have experienced it themselves).

The misunderstanding arises because of a problem with the English language. We use metaphors and similes without even thinking
Read this article in full

Cooking Gluten Free
by Frann Leach
When you start living gluten free, it seems really difficult. The problem is that most processed food contains gluten, even stuff you don't expect, like low fat yogurt.

So you spend ages looking at all the ready-made meals and tv dinners you used to eat, reading the ingredients lists, and you
Read this article in full

Tell a Friend Links Add URL About us Articles Privacy Disclaimer

Web site design by: TheWebsiteDesign.Co.UK Copyright ©2007 TWSD Services, All rights reserved

Celiac Disease connected to Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis – and now Asthma and Parkinson's Disease?

Other articles you may find interesting:

Celiac disease and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)