A new report in the New England Journal of Medicine identifies antibodies against osteoprotegerin (a protein that prevents bone breakdown) in several patients with celiac disease. This protein is responsible for helping maintain bone density. When it is attacked by the body’s immune system, bone loss becomes accelerated leading to osteoporosis.
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7 Responses
thx for sharing this!
I just got diagnosed with fibromyalgia in March this year and osteopenia in the spine (-1.5) and osteoporosis in the hips (-3.7) a few weeks ago…..I just turned 40 in July. I’ve had fatigue, gastrointestinal problems since middle school, et. I think I am a classic case!
I’ve been gluten free pretty much for a year and the gastro problems have disappeared but the fatigue remains
My daughter, her family & I have been GF ~ 19 months, & have recently noticed that the excess curvature of our lower spine (lordosis) seems to be much less now!
Ashley, sometimes other grains (oats & corn) may trigger some of the same issues, & many people benefit by going dairy free for at least 6 months while the gut heals. Digestive enzymes can help, & noticing which other things make you tired! Good luck
Ashley, I was told I had osteopenia when I was 45 and it actually worsened two years later, even after two years on a GF diet. I had my Vitamin D level checked after that and it was extremely low. My naturopath put me on a short term high dose and then a maintenance dose until blood work showed it was at the optimal level. The next bone scan I had (after another two years) showed actual improvement in both values, so much that I was back to a bit better than the first scan. The nurse at my old doctor’s office said, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it.” I started to tell her about the Vitamin D level since I thought it was something they should look in to with other patients with bone loss, but she reacted as if “I wasn’t taught this so I don’t know what you’re talking about.” All kinds of good reasons to have optimal D levels though, so if you haven’t checked, please do so.
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This is such an exciting article! I became osteoporotic in my early 50s, after a life of gut issues, which started in childhood when I was treated with antibiotics for frequent infections.
About five years ago, I fell off a chair and broke my wrist in 22 places. This was a wake-up call! After lots of internet research, I went grain-free, and within six months my bone density had improved markedly. I am now back to normal – and in addition my depression disappeared and has never returned, my gut is working fine, and seasonal allergies are a thing of the past. I’m no longer a vegetarian (which I was very committed to, but which in retrospect was really bad for my health) and am thriving on a low carb, high fat diet, which has fixed my blood sugar issues and my mood swings. YES YOU CAN get better with age!