Gluten’s Effect on the Liver and Hepatitis
Gluten, a protein found in wheat, oats, barley, and rye, is often unable to be absorbed in people with primary biliary cirrhosis. An inability to absorb gluten, known as a gluten intolerance, occurs in the autoimmune disease known as celiac sprue. Celiac sprue typically causes diarrhea and weight loss. Celiac sprue is approximately ten times more likely to occur in people with PBC than among the general population. Treatment consists of eliminating all gluten products from the diet. Both PBC and celiac sprue are discussed in Chapter 15. People with celiac sprue often have elevations in liver enzymes even if they do not have PBC. In some cases the cause of these liver enzyme elevations is probably due to NAFLD. However, once a gluten-free diet has been instituted, liver enzyme elevations typically normalize. In fact, one study demonstrated that dietary treatment with gluten restriction may have contributed to the prevention of progression to cirrhosis and liver failure.
All contents of this article are Copyright © Melissa Palmer, MD
Melissa Palmer, MD is the author of " Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide of Hepatitis and Liver Disease". (Published 2004. Penguin Putnam).
Dr. Palmer is an internationally renowned hepatologist who has been practicing medicine since 1985. Prior to 2012, she maintained perhaps the largest medical practice devoted to liver disease in the United States. Dr. Palmer is Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York University Medical Center. Dr. Palmer graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and was trained in hepatology (as well as medical school) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Palmer is Board Certified in Gastroenterology and in Internal Medicine.
She has authored numerous scientific publications in the field of hepatology in such peer-reviewed journals as Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Seminars of Liver Disease, Transplantation and Archives of Internal Medicine.
She is frequently called upon by the media for her opinion on various topics related to liver disease. Dr. Palmer has appeared many times on television as a liver disease expert and has been quoted in such publications as TIME magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Prevention magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. She also has appeared in numerous videos and CD-Roms aimed at educating doctors and the public about hepatitis C and other liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis. Dr. Palmer lectures to the medical and general public on liver disease-related topics on a regular basis.
Dr. Palmer has performed numerous clinical trials on various experimental medications for the treatment of hepatitis.
Dr. Palmer is currently available for lecturing, investor and hedge-fund consultations, consultations to industry, and media interviews and appearances-- including television. For such matters, she can be contacted through hepatitismedia@gmail.com.