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).
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