Gluten causes a withering disease
Gluten, is a naturally acting protein. It is present in wheat, and some other grains such as barley, rye and even in oats. We have grown and consumed wheat for more than 10,000 years now and this food-grain is now an inherent part of diets across the world. It is also an essential part of many religious rituals, and cultural practices. While most wheat is carbohydrate or starch, less than 5% of it has an intriguing protein – gluten. This Gluten affects digestion in some, who are sensitive to it. The sensitivity to gluten is quite variable, and till about three decades ago, we were aware only of its most severe form – Celiac disease. This is a disease seen in children, which does not allow one to absorb nutrients and really withers you down.
Celiac disease
While indigestion is well known, Celiac disease is relatively new to modern medicine. Greek physician, Aretaeus of Cappadocia seems to have described indigestion in 2nd century AD which he called “koiliakos” for abdomen. Celiac is a 19th century translation of this Greek word. In 1856, the term was used by Francis Adams (a Scottish doctor and a medical historian) in his translation of “Works of Aretaeus.” While over the years some medieval physicians also described severe indigestion and its remedies, It was a British Pediatrician Samuel Gee in 1888, who gave a modern description and suggested that modifying one’s diet could treat “Celiac disease”.
Celiac and its link to wheat
The link between wheat and Celiac disease was discovered out of a tragedy. In 1944-45 there was a famine in Netherlands, and wheat became scarce. A Dutch pediatrician Willem Karel Dicke observed that some children with severe indigestion, actually became better. The disease relapsed in them, when wheat was again available. Later around 1952-54, British scientists discovered Gluten as a culprit, and a physician John W. Paulley described that the disease affects villi (or absorptive surface) in our intestines.
More common than previously thought
Despite these discoveries, the condition was considered as rare, especially outside of Europe. Avoidance of wheat (or Gluten) could treat it, and such Gluten free diets were mostly home made, consisting of potato, starch, maize or rice. Less than 1% of all individuals would have it, and that too in spcific population groups.
It was in 1997, that we discovered an anti-body against tissue transglutaminase or TTG. When more and more people were tested, it was found to be quite common, in at-least 10% of all. These include children as well as adults, some who have more indigestion, and others who have less or almost none. In fact some individuals have a genetic tendency to react to gluten in their diets and hence produce anti-TTG antibodies. These antibodies in turn destroy our intestinal villi, causing defective absorption of nutrients. We can detect them in blood tests, and find an answer for previously unexplained indigestions.
Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity and Gluten free diets
Many individuals who were previously labelled as having non-specific indigestion, or minor nutrient absorption defects, are today classified as having “gluten sensitive”. These include those with an irritable bowel, iron deficiency, drug allergies, and even rheumatoid arthritis. These individuals show TTG antibodies but have a milder form of Celiac disease. They have much less inflammation, but not without its health effects.
Gluten free diets heal many such individuals. This demand has increased commercial availability of gluten free food products. In last two decades, the demand for these products has grown so much so that many healthy individuals are using it for a purpose other than true gluten sensitivity, such as to loose weight. Some scientists however believe that eliminating gluten from diet is not really an answer. Search is on for a vaccine, that will change the way some of us react to gluten. If this approach becomes successful,we will be able to absorb nutrients, despite the presence of gluten in wheat.
