Celiac Disease Diet: New Supplement May Soon Replace Gluten Free Food

Many health-conscious individuals often incorporate gluten-free diets in their lifestyle because of connotations that it is better. However, people with Celiac Disease would rather not eat them because gluten-free foods are the only food they can consume. Fortunately, a new study has discovered supplements that can block immune response and can allow these patients to enjoy a normal diet.

Medical Daily writes that a study from the University of Alberta in Canada has developed a supplement that can counter the effects of Celiac Disease. The supplement is made from chicken egg yolk and works by absorbing the protein gliadin, a component of gluten that is usually found in food products with rye, oats, wheat and other grains.

Hoon Sunwoo, an associate professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, explained the supplement can be bound to gluten to help neutralize the stomach and provides the much-needed defense of small intestines against gliadin damages. Professor Sunwoo, together with Jeong Sim, a retired professor from the Faculty of Agricultural, Life, and Environmental Sciences, hopes to improve the lifestyle of people suffering from Celiac Disease.

UPI adds that the pill should be taken before a meal, and individuals may be able to consume gluten after one to two hours. The supplement has completely passed trials last May and is anticipated to undergo efficacy trials for a year. If they are proven effective, then it can be ready for public use within three years.

The two professors have partnered with IGY Inc. and the Vetanda Group to develop and market the supplement. Claire Perry, communications director for Vetanda Group tells Medical Daily that through this groundbreaking health product, people with Celiac Disease can experience dietary freedom and proceed to spend the rest of their lives in a less worrisome state.

Celiac Disease has affected about three million Americans and is one of the most common life-long diseases affecting women, reports National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. When people suffering from this disease consumes gluten, their immune system makes a defense so strong it actually affects the small intestines, providing damage to the villi. If the villi gets damaged, then the body is unable to absorb nutrients properly, making it weak and prone to complications.

Symptoms include anemia, headaches, bloating, fatigue, and if left untreated, can further develop to other autoimmune diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, epilepsy and stomach cancer.