Celiac Disease Study Guide

The classic presentation of Celiac Disease is chronic diarrhea, with abdominal bloating, sometimes pain, weight loss, iron deficiency and other evidence of nutrient malabsorption. The disease is immune mediated. Proteins in the cereal grains are responsible for the disease. The suspect group of proteins are called "Gluten."

We think that the people diagnosed with celiac disease are a sub-population of a much larger group with gluten allergy. Latent disease may manifest as non-specific illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, depression, sometimes with iron deficiency anemia, but little or no diarrhea. Celiac disease is associated with an alarming variety of autoimmune disorders, carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract and lymphomas.

Diabetes, thyroid disease, purpura, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, sacroileitis, sarcoidosis, vasculitis, lung disease, myositis, eye inflammation, and schizophrenia are all linked to gluten allergy. These associations suggest a tendency to immune hypersensitivity diseases and a role for food antigens in causing systemic autoimmune disease.

The Alpha Nutrition Program is gluten-free and is recommended as the best diet revision strategy for anyone with diagnosed celiac disease, or any person with symptoms suggestive of gluten allergy. When symptoms are active or recurrent after initial diet revision, a food holiday on the Alpha ENF meal replacement formula will often lead to complete remission of symptoms. Alpha Nutrient Formulas are gluten free.

(Please note that maltodextrin, used in Alpha ENF and Alpha PMX, does not contain gluten and is not related to barley-derived malt).

Celiac Nutritional Rescue