Celiac disease study - nutrition celiac

Celiac disease has been the subject of ongoing research in medicine. Although great advances have been made in its understanding and treatment, there is still much to be learned about this condition and its impact on those who suffer from it. It is a disease that has been described since ancient times, although its cause and treatment were not fully understood.

The first known record of celiac disease comes from a treatise by the Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia, who referred to "koiliakos," people suffering from intestinal problems, giving rise to the current term. Although Aretaeus did not understand the cause, he tried to treat it by fasting and natural remedies to alleviate its symptoms.

The next breakthrough came at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the British scientist Samuel Gee, who described the disease as a chronic disorder related to the diet of those affected.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first book on the subject was published, in which Dr. Christian A. Herter observed that infants with this condition tolerated fats better than carbohydrates.

Over time, bread began to be investigated as a possible aggravating factor in the disease, and diets that eliminated its consumption emerged. One of the best known was the banana diet, although it was later found that carbohydrates were not responsible for the condition.

During the 1940s and 1950s, physicians identified celiac disease as being related to gluten consumption.

Dr. Willem-Karel Dicke, a Dutch pediatrician, observed that during World War II, when gluten-rich foods were scarce, celiac children showed marked improvement in their symptoms. Dicke proposed that celiac disease was linked to gluten, and his findings were corroborated by other researchers.

A crucial breakthrough at this stage was diagnosis, when Dr. JW Paulley noted during surgery the type of damage to the small intestine associated with the disease, leading to the development of techniques for collecting and analyzing intestinal samples.

In the 1960s, it was discovered that celiac patients have antibodies to gliadin, a gluten protein. Since then, it has been established that celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed.

In recent decades, significant advances have been made in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease. Previously, diagnosis was complicated due to the variability of symptoms and their similarity to other gastrointestinal conditions. However, today, there are antibody detection tests that are useful for diagnosis, as well as genetic tests to confirm predisposition to the disease.

Endoscopy with biopsy has become the standard for diagnosing celiac disease, as it allows the physician to examine the lining of the small intestine and take tissue samples for laboratory analysis. If the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment consists of following a gluten-free diet for life.

Eliminating gluten from the diet can improve symptoms and decrease the risk of long-term complications, such as autoimmune diseases, neurological problems and certain types of cancer.

Current Research

As knowledge about celiac disease has increased, broader dietary options and new lines of research have been developed:

• Identification of gluten-containing ingredients in processed foods has improved.

• The use of digestive enzymes to eliminate gluten and minimize its effect on the small intestine is being investigated. These treatments may be useful for those who have difficulty following a strict gluten-free diet and are expected to improve their quality of life.

• Several genes have been identified that are associated with a high risk of developing the disease, suggesting that these genes influence how the immune system interacts with gluten.

• Environmental factors that may contribute to celiac disease are being studied, including early exposure to gluten and certain infections that could trigger the disease in genetically predisposed individuals.

• Researchers are also looking at the relationship between celiac disease and other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

• An active area of celiac research is the development of new dietary options. While eliminating gluten remains the standard treatment, work is underway to create gluten-free products that are healthier and more nutritious. In recent years, progress has been made in this area, resulting in a wide variety of gluten-free products available on the market.

• An emerging approach involves the application of immunotherapy, which involves administering small amounts of gluten to help the immune system develop a tolerance. Several clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this immunotherapy in people with celiac disease, and the results have been promising so far.

• In addition, the relationship between celiac disease and the intestinal microbiota is being investigated, as well as diets that can help restore the balance of the microbiota in people with this condition.

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