Summary: A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology gives some new hope for celiac sufferers.Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients whenever gluten is ingested. Gluten is a protein that's found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. According to National Foundation for celiac Awareness, about one in 33 Americans, or one percent of the population, has celiac disease. The only treatment for those who suffer from celiac disease is avoiding gluten in foods. However, a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology might shine a little hope on new treatments. Scientists recruited 12 people with celiac disease and gave each individual 20 hookworm larvae to ingest. Over the course of 52 weeks, the scientists gave varying amounts of gluten to the participants. These amounts included: 10-50 mg for 12 weeks 25 mg daily plus one gram twice weekly for 12 weeks three grams daily (60-75 straws of spaghetti) for two weeks Scientists took tissue and blood samples to see if this therapy worked (please note that only eight out of the 12 individuals completed the trial). Scientists found that gluten toxicity levels did show improvement, and by the end of the trial, participants were able to eat about a bowl of pasta without any symptoms. Does this mean a new treatment will soon be available? Listen in as Dr. Mike shares the findings of this noteworthy study and what this means for those who have celiac disease.
