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ORGANIZATIONS
ConsumerLab.com.Home page of ConsumerLab.com.
[Cited March 18, 2007]<http://www.consumerlab
.com/>.William Arthur AtkinsGluten-free diet
Definition
A gluten-free diet is a diet that is completely free of
gluten, which is a generic term for storage proteins
found in grains. Inceliac disease(also referred to as
celiac sprue), persons develop an inflammatory
immune system response to gluten that results in dam-
age to the small intestine, which inhibits absorption of
nutrients. Some persons also develop dermatitis her-
petiformis, an itchy and blistering skin condition.
Because of gluten intolerance, affected persons must
completely avoid foods that contain gluten.Origins
Guidelines for this diet have been developed by
dietitians for several organizations associated with
celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis, including
the Gluten Intolerance Group, the Celiac Sprue Asso-
ciation, and the Celiac Disease Foundation. The
American Dietetic Association also sponsored the
development of a gluten-free diet through a coopera-
tive effort of dietitian experts in celiac disease in
Canada and the United States, which was published
in October, 2000.Description
The gluten-free diet is the prescribed medical
treatment for gluten intolerance diseases, including
celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. Celiac dis-
ease is a genetically inherited, chronic digestive disease
that results in damage to parts of the small intestine
that are responsible for absorption of nutrients. Celiac
disease affects almost three million people in the
United States, about one percent of the population.
Celiac disease is found among North American and
European populations, where wheat is a staple food,
but is found infrequently among descendants of China
and Japan and persons with an African-Caribbean
background, where wheat is not as widely consumed.
In addition, dermatitis herpetiformis is an impor-
tant disorder or complication of gluten-sensitive enter-
opathy, which is manifested in the form of a skin rash.
Approximately 10% of persons with celiac disease
have dermatitis herpetiformis, but about 85% of per-
sons with dermatitis herpetiformis also have celiac
disease.
When a person with celiac disease consumes glu-
ten, the villi of the small intestine, where absorption of
key nutrients takes place, become damaged, resulting
in nutrients passing through the digestive system with-
out being absorbed. The person exhibits gastrointesti-
nal distress and eventually malnutrition. In infancy,
celiac disease manifests itself as failure to thrive, diar-
rhea, abdominal distention, developmental delay, and
in some infants, as severe malnutrition.
After infancy, the symptoms of celiac disease are
less dramatic. Older children may be short or exhibit
dental enamel defects. Women comprise about 75% of
newly diagnosed adult cases of celiac disease. Symp-
toms of celiac disease include diarrhea,constipation
alternating with diarrhea, intestinal gas, fatty, greasy,
foul-smelling stools, bloating, nausea, vomiting, skin
irritation, weight loss, anemia, neurological effects
(including seizures, and possibly migraine headaches),
fatigue, concentration and memory problems. In some
cases, there may be intestinal damage without signifi-
cant gastrointestinal symptoms. Celiac disease is diag-
nosed by blood tests for certain antibodies and small
intestine biopsy. A positive small intestine biopsy,
followed by an improvement in health after following
a gluten-free diet, is confirmation of celiac disease. A
gluten-free diet should not be started before diagnosis
is confirmed.
Some individuals may exhibit gluten intolerance,
with gastrointestinal symptoms similar to those seen
with celiac disease, but without its resulting intestinal
damage. Gluten intolerance is diagnosed by followingGluten-free diet