Gluten sensitivity and RA

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

The following statements are from the chapter " Rheumatoid Arthritis

and Gluten " in the book " Dangerous Grains " by Braly, M.D., and

Ron Hoggan, M.A.

" A variety of antibody tests have revealed non-celiac gluten

sensitivity in 34% of juvenile arthritis patients and 47% of adult

rheumatoid arthritics. Although such elevated antibody levels were

long considered to be the result of increased intestinal permeability

caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) pain

management, there is now solid evidence to counter this view... They

suggest that their results may point to a gluten factor that begins

this destructive inflammatory joint disease in these patients. We agree.

Reports of arthritis, after discovery of celiac disease, indicate

that the arthritis pain either improves or completely resolves on a

gluten-free diet. There is often little need for pain relieve after a

few months on the diet. There are only a very few exceptions where

the condition continues to progress, perhaps due to some mechanism

that becomes independent of gluten, making the condition chronic.

The agonies imposed by arthritis require medications for pain

management that risk significant, often debilitating , side effects,

including kidney failure, bleeding ulcers, perforation of the

intestine, acceleration of joint destruction after ten years on

medication, and early death. Yet many arthritis patients are reported

to suffer from 2 to 15 years before they are finally tested for

celiac disease.

We strongly urge the routine blood testing of all arthritis patients

for delayed-onset food allergy and gluten sensitivity. If allergic

foods are identified, strict exclusion of those foods should be prescribed.

Both food and infection may contribute to rheumatoid arthritis.

To further complicate the issue, one group of researchers has

presented evidence revealing that a combination of dietary protein

and bacteria contributes to the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

Diet-induced intestinal permeability allows leakage of " friendly "

bacteria from the intestine into the bloodstream, where it travels

to, and becomes bound to, join tissues. The immune system attacks,

damaging both the intestinal bacterial and the joint tissues to which

these bacterial are bound. "

A personal note. After having been diagnosed with rheumatoid

arthritis, pseudogout, polymyalgia rheumatica and most recently

reactive arthritis over the past 10 years, I started on the

gluten-free diet 4 weeks ago. I have made amazing progress. I am also

taking D-Ribose, a food-supplement sugar.

I would be most interested in hearing from other Group members who

have been on the gluten-free diet. I will also try to answer

questions on the the gluten-free diet.

Sincerely, Harald