Celiac disease.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: >>> celiac disease or non-tropical sprue?? <<<
From: ntlor.primenet.com (Sharon)
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 1995 00:23:43 +0000

> does anyone know anything about this condition?
> celiac disease or non-tropical sprue
> aka gluten enteropathty
> aka gee-herter disease
> aka geethaysen disease
> aka huberner disease
> my mom has this condition and was told to stay of off all wheat products. she was also told to stay of off millet. is this true? why?
> what therapies are effective for this?
> thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

A sensitivity to the gliadin part of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and to a lesser amounts in barley and oats. Most frequently affects people of Irish descent 1 in 300, also somewhat prevailant in India. Previously only diagnosed when malabsorption is found in conjunction with a jejunal biopsy. Now there is a blood test if you are still eating gluten products, it detects the antibodies. I have been eating gluten free for the past 6 years. Luckly there are plenty of alternative products out such as rice or corn pastas, rice bread (a bit crumbly) and other gluten free products. Often a person who has celiacs needs to avoid milk and some other foods to give the intestines a chance to heal.

Good luck,
Sharon.

From: jeffreyf27.aol.com (Jeffrey)

Non-tropical sprue/celiac dz is a condition of immune hyperresponsiveness to gluten. Gluten is present in wheat, rye, oats, bran, and barley (and to a much, much lesser degree in millet).

It is not the gluten itself, but rather the immune systems reaction to gluten which causes the destruction of the small intestinal villi. This is often inappropriately called an allergy, which it is not since the classic allergic pathways are not involved.

Fortunately, villi are one of the fastest regenerating cells in the body, so the condition quickly self corrects once glutens are removed (though in an acute crisis additional therapies may be necessary e.g. antiinflammatories, fluids, electrolytes etc.

There is no treatment necessary except avoiding gluten (and many sprue patients also have cross sensitivity to sulfites, msg, lactose etc.). After curing yourself by avoiding these foods, you can then try to add back small amounts of foods that you love that contain glutens to see if there is a reaction.

Hope this helps.

Jeff
a veterinarian with non-tropical sprue