There is certainly an abundance of talk, these days, about probiotics. One can hear anything from probiotics can control Inflammatory Bowel Disease to prevention of disease in newborns to overall improvement in health due to a boosted immune system. However, much of it was speculation, until now.
A study released yesterday in The Journal of Leukocyte Biology concentrated on the link between celiac disease and probiotics. In short, the study tried to simulate the environment of an actively ill celiac patient’s intestine which included certain types of harmful bacteria (ie. gram negative bacteria). Beneficial bacteria (ie probiotics) were then introduced. In this study, the probiotic used was bifidobacteria. The harmful bacteria, alone, produced a large amount of inflammatory mediators called cytokines. These cytokines, in turn, “revved” up the cells that cause the most inflammation in celiac disease. Once the bifidobacteria was introduced, an extreme anti-inflammatory effect was seen. The authors of the study were so optimistic about the findings, they stated that this “evidence could be the first step toward changing how celiac disease is treated and possibly prevented”.
This is real concrete evidence in favor of the use of probiotics in celiac patients. There are further theories that probiotics can alleviate symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and IBD ( both Crohn’s and UC). I will look forward to more studies and more positive findings in the future. But, for the meantime, my suggestion to all celiac patients would be to start a probiotic and help to build up healthy bacteria in the gut. You might find that you feel better.
To read more about the study, you can visit http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429102818.htm.
October 6, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Well I was searching the net to find a link between Pro-Biotics and Celiac Disease, but with different results. I am wondering if the Probiotics I have taken regularly for the last couple of years have only masked symptoms that could be Celiac Disease. I remember doing some research years ago and wondering if that was my problem (Celiac) I had lots of gas, and cramping, and mostly constipated, but would alternate with loose stools or diarea. I came to conclusion it must be IBS and chiropractor suggested probiotics. It helped immensely. Now, I have suddenly developed a B12 & Vit D deficiency, and tested positive for both Lyme & ANA. So I’ve been doing a lot of research on all these things, and once again Celiac disease is popping up with connections to the B12 def. So I was wondering if maybe I’ve had CD all along and the probiotics just have been masking the symptoms, and now it has gotten to the point of malabsorbtion, therefore the Vit deficiencies. What do you think of that theory? I was bit by a tick in June and had a nasty reaction, but not the bullseye rash. So very possible I do have Lyme Disease. And I’ve read that the ANA can have a false positive because of that. And that Lyme Disease can cause a B12 def also, so maybe it’s just that. But just a theory.
October 7, 2010 at 12:02 am
Hi Sara,
First, I am so sorry for all that you have been thru. It sounds like quite an ordeal. I would like to preface my next statements by saying that I have not examined you and do not know the intimate details of your case. Having said that, I will tell you that it would be unusual for Celiac Disease to present with alternating constipation and diarrhea. Usually, it takes one course or the other. In addition, I do not believe that probiotics can “mask” celiac disease. Although you maybe changing over the flora in your intestine, probiotics cannot control the inflammatory response that we see in a celiac patien’ts small intestine. It is this inflammation that then causes all the symptoms as well as malabsorption. If the probiotics made you feel better, then I would continue to take them. If your condition is IBS, it has been shown to respond nicely to probiotics as well as other dietary changes.
As for your positive ANA, this is not something we see with Celiac Disease. A positive ANA can be caused by other autoimmune diseases of the GI tract like Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, but not Celiac Disease. I would continue to investigate and treat the positive Lyme titer, however. If not treated properly, there can be long-term consequences.
If you really feel strongly about testing for celiac disease, I would find a doctor in your area that knows something about the disease. There are genetic tests at our disposal that can help delineate if you can ever develop celiac disease. If there is no gene, there can be no celiac disease. Make sure you continue to eat gluten-containing foods, as, should you go gluten-free prior to the testing, it is rendered inaccurate and will give you a false negative.
I hope this helps! I hope you feel better.
October 7, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Thanks for you the info. I am currently taking antibiotics for the Lyme Disease and have an appt on Mon with an Infectous Disease Dr. So I will be asking him a lot of questions. So it sounds like if you have Celiac disease the pain & discomfort is very very bad. And to my knowledge no one in my ancestry has ever had it. So probably is unlikely that I would. Thanks again!