Tag: science

Dietary gluten in pregnancy is related to an increased risk of type one diabetes in the child

kaitiscotland2 Comments

Adapted from Antvorskov JC et al. Association between maternal gluten intake and type one diabetes in offspring. BMJ 22 September 2018

This research was based on a study of Danish women’s food frequency questionnaires completed 25 weeks after their first pregnancies ended. The incidence of diabetes in the children was then noted from January 1996 till May 2016 from the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes. After certain exclusions had been made over 63,500 were analysed.

The mean gluten intake per day was 13g ranging from 7g to more than 20g per day.

The incidence of diabetes in the child increased proportionately according to gluten intake. The women who had  20g or more intake had double the type one diabetes in their offspring compared to those who ate 7g or less.

As type one diabetes has risen seemingly inexplicably over the last few decades, there has been a lot of consideration into possible environmental triggers. Gluten is a storage protein found in wheat, rye and barley.  In animal studies, a wheat free diet in the mother has been found to dramatically reduce the incidence of diabetes in the child.

It has been suggested that gluten can affect gut permeability, gut microbiotica and cause low grade inflammation.

Although there is this association between gluten and type one diabetes it could be that other factors, for example the advanced glycation products from the baking process, that are to blame.  Unwanted additives to grain  could also be a factor eg mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides and fertilisers.

Mothers who eat a lot of gluten may similarly feed their children a lot of gluten. They also may pass gliadin from wheat into the breast milk.

Although this research suggests that high amounts of gluten may be problematic in pregnancy, further research will need to be done before dietary recommendations are likely to be changed.

Should you get tested for coeliac?

kaitiscotland3 Comments

From Allergy and Autoimmune Disease for Healthcare Professionals October 9 2019

Apparently 70% of people who have coeliac have yet to be tested for it.

Who may have it?

4.7% of those with irritable bowel syndrome.

20% of those with mouth ulcers.

8% of infertile couples.

16% of type one diabetics.

7.5% of first degree relatives of people with coeliac.

About 50% of people who are diagnosed have iron deficiency diagnosis  at the time of coeliac diagnosis.

Other people who need to be tested may have:

Pancreatic insufficiency

Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia

vitamin and mineral deficiencies

gall bladder malfunction

secondary lactose intolerance

peripheral and central nervous system disorders

Turner’s syndrome

Down’s syndrome

Dental enamel defects

persistent raised liver enzymes of unknown cause

peripheral neuropathy or ataxia

metabolic bone disorders

autoimmune thyroid disease

unexplained iron, vitamin D or folate deficiency

unexpected weight loss

prolonged fatigue

faltering growth

second degree relative with coeliac disease

My comment: I had years of  the mouth ulcers, iron deficiency anaemia and irritable bowel symptoms which all resolved completely on a wheat free diet. The problem is that if I did want tested I would need to go back on wheat for a minimum of six weeks to give my antibodies a chance to build up sufficiently to test positive.  Thus, best to get a test BEFORE you go on a wheat free diet.

 

 

Relax your hand when you get a blood sample taken

kaitiscotland2 Comments

From BMJ 2 Feb 19 by J Ian Robertson and M Gary Nicholls

Sometimes neither patient or clinician pay attention to what happens during venepuncture. But clenching the hand before or during the procedure can cause blood potassium levels to rise markedly. This effect is increased if a tourniquet is used.

Therefore if possible it is best to keep the hand relaxed especially if potassium levels are considered critical. Other chemistry measurements that are adversely affected include  calcium, aspartate amino transferase, chloride, creatine kinase, magnesium, sodium and phosphate.

These effects are widely unrecognised. Since no one wants a repeat blood test,  remember this at your next appointment.

 

High dose Vitamin D improves cardiovascular health markers

kaitiscotland3 Comments

Adapted from UK Medical News 17 July 2018

Several different health measures, all which improve your cardiovascular outcomes, have been found to result from high dose vitamin D supplementation. You are likely to need to take at least 4,000 iu a day though, depending on how much extra sunshine you are exposed to regularly.

A meta-analysis of 81 randomised controlled trials looked at almost one thousand patients randomised to taking supplements or to a control group who did not. The active and control groups were both roughly 5,000 each.  The durations of the trials varied but averaged out at ten months. The doses ranged from 400 iu a day to 12,000 iu a day. The average taken was 3,000 iu a day.

The outcomes were related to the blood level of vitamin D achieved. Levels had to be over 86 nmol/L to get benefits. You need to take over 4,000 iu a day to get vitamin D concentrations of 100 nmol/L or more.  My comment:This does mean that the minimum levels advised by the Scottish Chief Medical Officer last year are way too low to see the benefits discussed here.

So what extra benefits do you see?

lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

lower high sensitivity C reactive protein.

lower serum parathyroid hormone.

lower triglycerides.

lower total cholesterol.

lower low density lipoprotein.

high density lipoprotein increased.

All benefits were numerically small but did reach statistical significance. Cardiovascular outcomes were not measured directly, only blood markers and blood pressure.

Mirhosseini N et al. Vitamin D Supplementation. Serum 25(OH)D Concentrations and cardiovascular disease risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018 July 12.

 

 

 

 

EC-Funded Project Researches T1 Diabetes Cure

Emma6 Comments

Have you heard of the LSFM4LIFE project? This week, I received an email about European Commission funded work into a potential permanent cure for type 1 diabetes.

The base of the research is a cellular therapy, growing human pancreas organoids (mini organs) from adult stem cells. The organoid of the pancreas then produces insulin, freeing type 1s from daily insulin injections.

Currently, the project is at the research stage. It involves eight partner teams from six different countries who are working to develop tools and technologies for cell-based therapy. The partners come from academia and industry, and include Goethe University, the University of Cambridge, InSphero and Sparks and Co.

Incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing by 3 to 4 percent every year, especially among children.

You can read more about the project here: https://lsfm4life.eu/lsfm4life-in-depth/ and there’s a quick explanation of it on YouTube here.