Here, learn to identify and manage this issue. Learn how gluten may…. Rheumatoid arthritis RA is a chronic condition that causes pain and swelling in the joints. A growing body of scientific research suggests that…. What is the link between gluten and rheumatoid arthritis? Medically reviewed by Nancy Carteron, M. Can gluten make RA symptoms worse? Share on Pinterest There may be a link between diet and RA, but it is not entirely clear. How common is celiac disease in RA?
Testing for gluten sensitivity. Foods to eat. Share on Pinterest Rice and beans are good gluten-free alternatives to other types of food. Foods to avoid. What to ask a doctor. Share on Pinterest Keeping a food diary is a good way to track what elements of a diet trigger RA symptoms.
Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Related Coverage. What to know about rheumatoid arthritis and weight loss.
Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Can a gluten-free diet help with psoriasis? Medically reviewed by Owen Kramer, MD. What is gluten intolerance? Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. Pam E. Gluten has earned a reputation for promoting inflammation and causing a host of health problems. As such, many arthritis patients have adopted a gluten-free diet, though to mixed success. Could eliminating gluten help improve inflammation and arthritis symptoms? In one Italian study , 35 percent of people with celiac also had another autoimmune disease, compared to a rate of 15 percent of those without celiac the control group.
Here, we looked at the latest studies on gluten and talked to rheumatology and GI experts for their take on whether going gluten-free is beneficial to people with arthritis. Gluten is a protein found in certain grains such as wheat, barley, and rye.
Celiac is an autoimmune disease. For those with celiac, eating gluten triggers an immune response in the body that attacks the lining of the small intestine, causing GI symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating as well as dangerous nutrient deficiencies from not absorbing vitamins and minerals from your food. Celiac disease patients are treated with a strict gluten-free diet. The diagnosis is one of exclusion.
It may be the case that some people who have inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The human leukocyte antigen HLA complex is important here. If the latter happens, it triggers inflammation. There are many different variations of HLA genes, which are involved in various immune-related diseases, including celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and others.
For instance, people who carry two specific variants of HLA are at an increased risk of celiac; those who carry different HLA variants are more at risk of developing other diseases. During digestion, gluten breaks down into proteins called peptides, which enter the superficial layer in the small intestine, explains Gauree Konijeti, MD, a gastroenterologist with Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California explains. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system recognizes the gluten peptides as foreign and mounts an attack that causes inflammation in the intestine.
Swelling and inflammation occur, which leads to joint tissue damage. The tissue damage ultimately causes chronic pain, stiffness, and sometimes deformity. Several studies have linked RA with celiac disease. And researchers have even suggested that it may start in the gut and be triggered by food antigens , such as gluten. In this case report , a year old man presented with chronic diarrhea for two months.
He also lost weight and his feet and legs were swollen. Antibodies for gluten proteins were found in his blood and damage to the lining of his small intestine was confirmed.
The patient was diagnosed with celiac disease and treated with a gluten-free diet. After three months, his initial symptoms improved significantly. However, he soon started to experience pain in his joints and laboratory tests confirmed he had RA. Sixteen of the children with gluten protein antibodies had intestinal biopsies performed and celiac disease was confirmed in all cases. So the children were treated with a gluten-free diet, which reduced their joint-related symptoms as well as improved their growth.
This is a really important study because it proves those with RA and other pain-related conditions should be tested for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Because unless grains are removed from the diet, permanent pain relief may be impossible in many cases. In fact, science has shown that a change in diet is equally as effective as prednisone, a standard steroid medication used to treat the symptoms of RA.
But, when the patients went off the liquid diet or prednisone, the progress they made was lost. This tells us that treatment must be long-term. However, chronic steroid use is not a good option. Steroids have serious side effects that can affect your body physically as well as emotionally. On the other hand, eating grain-free for the rest of your life is safe and will benefit your body in many ways. Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack connective tissue, including cartilage and the lining of blood vessels.
Since it can affect multiple organs and systems in the body, symptoms are widespread and may be unique to each individual. However, fatigue, muscle weakness, and muscle and joint pain are common manifestations. Similar to rheumatoid arthritis, SLE is associated with celiac disease.
Likely caused by inflammation and an overactive immune system. One hospital reported 5 cases in a period of 4 years.
The onset of SLE and celiac disease occurred at the same time with one patient. Celiac disease occurred before SLE with another patient. And SLE occurred before celiac disease with the remaining 3 cases. Only three of the five patients experienced abdominal symptoms.
However, all five patients responded favorably to a gluten-free diet. This study set out to determine the risk of patients with biopsy-confirmed cases of celiac disease developing SLE. They concluded those with celiac disease were 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with SLE than the general population. Interestingly, there have also been patients that were falsely diagnosed with SLE and later correctly diagnosed with gluten sensitivity.
One case was a month-old girl. She was irritable. And she had skin rashes, including a mild case of eczema. Blood tests given at the time suggested the presence of inflammation as well as autoimmunity. Based on her symptoms and test results, she was diagnosed with SLE and treated with steroids.
At age 4, she started experiencing side effects from the steroids. Thus, another drug called azathioprine was prescribed. At age 17, she went to an adult SLE clinic.
At the time, she was only experiencing a skin rash. Due to her history, she was tested for gluten sensitivity. And sure enough, they found gluten protein antibodies in her blood as well as small intestinal damage. So the doctor took her off all medications and prescribed a gluten-free diet. After 6 months the girl was symptom-free, her rash was gone, and all signs of inflammation diminished.
Another woman was diagnosed with SLE when she was She was experiencing headaches, extreme fatigue and weakness, and heaviness in her legs. She was prescribed aspirin. Then, a few years later, she developed joint pain throughout her body and continued to have debilitating headaches. She was finally tested for gluten sensitivity. She was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and told to follow a strict gluten-free diet. After 6 months, her headaches diminished and she was able to stop her medications.
The important point here is that those diagnosed with SLE should also be tested for gluten sensitivity. A person may have both. Or gluten sensitivity may be presenting as SLE. Because clinical symptoms of gluten sensitivity include pain and fatigue. Plus, many find it hard to work as well as socialize with friends and family. However, science has shown that following a gluten-free diet can alleviate symptoms of FM and even put patients in remission.
This immune response attacks the small, finger-like projections on the walls of the small intestine called villi. Over time, this assault on the villi degrades their ability to absorb nutrients.
People with celiac disease have a percent higher risk of developing coronary artery disease and percent higher risk of developing small bowel cancers. Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is to strictly avoid gluten. Even crumbs from gluten foods may be enough to trigger an episode that can damage the small intestine.
New studies suggest that there may be a link between gluten and joint pain. It has long been known that auto-immune forms of arthritis like rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis raise the risk of developing celiac disease.
There is mounting evidence that people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity produce inflammation that can cause joint pain. Although there are diagnostic tests for celiac disease, there are not comparable tools for gluten sensitivity.
Gluten sensitivity may not be a formal condition but a broad range of responses where someone cannot tolerate gluten. The best way to determine if you have a gluten sensitivity is to adopt a gluten-free diet for several weeks. If certain symptoms like gastrointestinal distress or joint pain clear up during this period, you may have some strong evidence that you cannot tolerate gluten.
You should, however, ask your doctor to make a final determination.
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