Monday, November 13, 2017

Celiac Disease Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risk- World Journal of Cardiology



A few years back I heard Dr. Houston, cardiologist say that 50% of heart 
attacks are from eating gluten in someone who is an untreated person with celiac disease, that is they are celiac (CD) and were not eating a gluten free diet either because they were undiagnosed or they were not serious about the treatment for CD which is a gluten free diet.

This figure shocked me at the time. Not now.

The August 2017 issue of World Journal of Cardiology published a review article worth reading, entitled Cardiovascular involvement in celiac disease. This review article delves into current research and knowledge about untreated celiac disease and its systemic effects on the heart and circulatory system. Read carefully: untreated celiac disease.   Gluten free diet did show in many studies to improve the condition. 

Celiac disease is a public health issue and more people need to be screened and diagnosed. If for every celiac diagnosed there are 13 to 31 people not diagnosed according to research on the incidence, then there are a lot of people with undiagnosed CD.

Here is an excerpt from a review of that paper by Linda J. Dobberstein, Chiropractor in the news letter Wellness Resources.   Bold is mine,


"Since 2000, increasing evidence points to several common cardiovascular diseases related to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects millions of Americans, with many of whom are undiagnosed. There is, however, more to celiac disease than gastrointestinal symptoms.

Celiac disease is due to the immune system attacking the intestinal tract after gluten is consumed. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Classic celiac disease symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, gas, heartburn, indigestion, cramping, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, anemia, and weight loss.

Several cardiovascular disorders have been linked or found to be higher in individuals with untreated celiac disease. These disorders include cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, heart attacks, atherosclerosis, POTS, and several other cardiovascular disorders. Evidence shows that these cardiac disorders are more common in individuals with celiac disease than those without the disorder...........Here is a brief synopsis on this topic".

She goes onto summarizing the original review. Get the gist of the topic which demonstrates there are dozens of variations of cardiovascular and stroke risks associated with CD and eating gluten. And it affects all age groups including children.


Good news is that the gluten free diet has been shown to improve the conditions when it was studied. 
If you are not sure if you are celiac or gluten sensitive get tested. 
50% of people with celiac disease don't have GI or gastrointestinal problems, but have problems in other parts of the body including mental health issues. 
Be safe rather than sorry and get tested. 

To Your Health

Dr. Barbara (TM)
Celiacbrain.blogspot.com (TM)