Kevin Macadaeg, MD

With this blog entry, I will answer a question recently asked by one of my patients. What is celiac disease and is there a link between celiac disease and osteoporosis?

Celiac disease is a genetic, autoimmune disease affecting the digestive system. In this disease, the lining of the small intestine is damaged by a protein called gluten. This damage to the small intestine interferes with the absorption of nutrients. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley – and also some medications/vitamins. To learn more about celiac disease – visit this link.

In respect to osteoporosis; one side effect of celiac disease is “brittle bones”. Often celiac disease goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed, in that the symptoms vary in people and mimic other common aliments. As a result of this, a research study was conducted at the Washington University Bone Clinic to determine if there was a link between celiac disease and osteoporosis. This study concluded that celiac disease is uncommon, but individuals with osteoporosis were more likely to have celiac disease. As a result of this study, researchers recommend that individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis to be screened for celiac disease (blood test).