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Celiac sufferers may benefit from vitamin supplements

Category: Autoimmune Diseases

Individuals who have received a positive celiac disease test may benefit from taking nutritional supplements. A new study has found that few individuals who suffer from the disease have adequate nutrition.

Lead researcher Diana Mager began the study after noticing that many children with celiac disease have low bone density, as well. She speculated that this may be because they do not get enough vitamins D or K - two nutrients that are vital for bone development.

She and a team of investigators from the University of Alberta tested the levels of these vitamins in 43 children with celiac disease. They found that fewer than 50 percent of the children had adequate levels of the vitamins.

Mager speculated that children who suffer from the autoimmune disease are more likely to have poor nutrition because the condition puts severe limitations on what they can eat. She said that dietary supplements may help them solve these problems.

"Children with celiac disease are at risk for poor bone health, but by adding vitamins K and D to their diets, it can help reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis," Mager said.