A new study has identified a possible link between exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and celiac disease in young people.
New research has found that young people with higher amounts of POPs in their blood are more likely to have celiac disease.
The research, which now appears in the journal Environmental Research, lays the groundwork for future research to confirm the findings and help explain the relationship between POPs and celiac disease.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, celiac disease is a type of digestive condition that triggers when a person eats foods that contain gluten.
Celiac disease damages a person’s small intestine because their immune system overreacts to the presence of gluten in the gut, causing an autoimmune response. This can lead to significant issues.
In the short term, celiac disease can cause pain and bloating in the abdomen, diarrhea, nausea, gas, or constipation. In the long term, it can cause malnutrition, speed up osteoporosis, give rise to problems related to the nervous system, and lead to reproductive issues.
There is no known cure for celiac disease. Instead, the recommended treatment is following a gluten-free diet.
Experts believe that celiac disease is primarily due to a person having the gene variants HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, which are heritable.
However, previous animal studies have found that other factors may also be at play in determining whether or not someone develops celiac disease. This could explain why some people who are genetically susceptible to the condition do not develop it.
The researchers behind the new study hypothesized that one factor that could affect a person’s chance of developi