Study Reveals Celiac Disease and Osteoporosis Link

A study has shown that celiac disease sufferers could develop osteoporosis because their immune system attacks their bone tissue.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that weakens bones, making them more susceptible to fractures, especially the bones in the spine, hip and wrist. Osteoporosis is a silent disease, there are usually no symptoms until a bone is fractured. Exercise and a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D can help to prevent osteoporosis.

Celiac disease (CD) is a digestive condition that that affects 1 in 100 people and damages the small intestine, interfering with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have CD cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. The only treatment for CD is a gluten-free diet.

It is the first time an autoimmune response, a condition whereby the body can attack itself, has been shown to cause damage to bones directly.

Researchers studied a protein called osteoprotegerin (OPG) in people with celiac disease. In healthy people, OPG plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health by controlling the rate at which bone tissue is removed. Twenty per cent of celiac patients produce antibodies that attack the OPG protein and stop it working properly. This results in rapid bone destruction and severe osteoporosis.

It was previously thought that osteoporosis, a known complication of CD, develops in celiac patients because they cannot properly absorb calcium and vitamin D from their diet. Both nutrients are essential for healthy bone development.

The researchers found that this new form of osteoporosis did not respond to calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Professor Stuart Ralston, who led the team, said: "Testing for these antibodies could make a real and important difference to the lives of people with CD by alerting us to the risk of osteoporosis and helping us find the correct treatment for them."
References:
1. Stuart Ralston, et al. Osteoporosis Associated with Neutralizing Autoantibodies against Osteoprotegerin. The New England Journal of Medicine. Volume 361:1459-1465. October 8, 2009, Number 15.
2. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
3. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.

Fructans From Tequila Plant Could Protect Against Osteoporosis

The plant that gave the world tequila contains a substance with health benefits over and above serving as a source of nutrients. Foods spiked with "fructans" from the agave plant may help

Calcium, High Blood Pressure, Osteoporosis Link in Postmenopausal Women

According to research, Italian postmenopausal women who have a low calcium intake show a higher risk of developing both osteoporosis and high blood pressure or hypertension (a chronic medical

Researchers Have Identified 20 Genes Associated With Osteoporosis

A team of international researchers has identified 20 genes associated with osteoporosis and bone weakness, including 13 genes never previously associated with the disease. Osteoporosis is a

Study Finds Link Between Depression and Osteoporosis

According to researchers, there is a clear connection between depression and a loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis and fractures, and the relationship between depression and bone loss

Device Created For Astronauts May Predict And Heal Bone Loss

A new form of ultrasound that assesses multiple parameters of hard tissue like bone may lead to early prediction of bone loss, a hallmark of osteoporosis, a disease affecting millions of