Doctors explore link between liver disease and gluten intolerance

Every year we are introduced to a new way of eating or an exciting new diet plan that promises to solve all of our health problems.  In years past, we have seen a raw food revolution, no carb diets, and various types of cleanses, among others.  Although some of these eating recommendations border on being fad diets, there are some nutritional changes that may in fact benefit everyone, whether they need to lose weight or not.  In recent years, more and more people are being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which requires them to eat a diet free of gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt.  Although this gluten-free diet is geared toward people who suffer with Celiac Disease, more and more nutritionists and doctors are finding that gluten hastens the development of liver disease in certain individuals and should be avoided.

According to a report on the website Liver Support, more and more physicians are finding a connection between liver disease and gluten intolerance.  The article notes that although full blown Celiac Disease may be rare, many people suffer from a form of gluten intolerance.  Gluten may harm individuals with liver disease by causing the intestinal lining to become inflamed and eventually weakening, allowing food particles to the bloodstream.  When the body’s immune system attempts to attack these molecules, it may also attack the liver’s tissues, thereby causing inflammation and possible scarring.  Furthermore, the food in the bloodstream may also lead to a higher instance of toxic substances further weakening the liver, which attempts to get rid of the waste.  If it cannot discard these toxins, it is again subject to inflammation and further scarring.  In fact, researchers in Finland found that individuals who suffered from Celiac Disease and liver damage prevented further damage to the liver by refraining from ingesting gluten.

It may be beneficial for you to experiment with a gluten free diet to see if your body responds well to consuming less of the particular protein.  There are so many products on the market today that act as great substitutions for the food you are used to.  After discussing it with your doctor, see if you can gradually introduce gluten free items into your diet and after a couple of months have some blood work done to see if your liver enzymes have improved.  There is nothing harmful about gluten free products, and you may just be able to thwart the progression of your liver disease.

If you are interested in learning more about the gluten free lifestyle, I suggest you visit Gluten Free Fox, the gluten-free search engine. There, you will find a wealth of gluten-free related info and resources.