Children with Celiac Disease (CD) are often significantly underweight and malnourished. To summarize the findings from this study:
29 children with CD were matched with 23 healthy control children
At the start of the study, CD children weighed significantly less than controls
Fat mass, bone mineral content, and lean muscle mass of the limbs, were also significantly lower in CD children
CD children were placed on a gluten-free diet for 1 year
According to the authors "Appropriate dietary treatment reverses body-composition abnormalities quickly and the beneficial effects of gluten withdrawal are persistent." This study illustrates the importance of children getting diagnosed promptly and are maintained on a proper gluten-free diet.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000;72: 71-75
Dr. Patricia Kane, PhD, wrote a paper in which she discusses a possible relation between gluten and autism. The concept of opiate-like peptides affecting children with autism was led to by investigators through examining the breakdown products from gluten and casein (a milk protein) in the urine. Dr. Matson found that these compounds literally are created by the patient, evoking hallucinogenic symptoms. This led to the finding that children with autism over-methylate. Dr. Friedman stated in a public forum that through tandem mass spectrum analysis in 1998, abnormal peptides originally derived from casein/gluten as well as the bacterium Clostridium created hallucinogenic effects.
Related Articles:
The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in At-Risk Groups of Children in the US Celiac and Indigestion The Neurobiology of Lipids In Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Patricia C. Kane, PhD
The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in At-Risk Groups of Children in the US
Celiac and Indigestion
The Neurobiology of Lipids In Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Patricia C. Kane, PhD