Celiac disease (CD) is not as rare as it once was. You just have to make a trip to your local supermarket and you’ll find an aisle or two dedicated to gluten-free products. Then again, when you see big companies like Anheuser-Busch and General Mills introducing gluten-free (GF) products you know the market is headed for even bigger trends in Gluten-free manufacturing.The growth in GF products can be directly attributed to the special needs of a rising population of people suffering from Celiac Disease (CD). Celiac disease is a genetic disorder for which there is no known cure. It is characterized by an intolerance to glutenâ€"a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is an autoimmune disease that gradually damages the intestinal lining preventing normal digestion and absorption of nutrients from food.One out of every 133 Americans suffers from Celiac disease. This figure rises to one out of 22 people amongst first-degree relatives. While these statistics include only recorded cases of Celiac disease, the Federal government estimates that there are 3 million people who are living with CDâ€"a little less than one percent of our population. This includes people who have the disease but show no signs or symptoms since it takes about four years for the disease to manifest itself. It is said that 97 percent of people with CD are undiagnosed and therefore untreated.Logically, this disease is rising and will continue to rise producing an even greater demand for GF products. The only treatment for those with CD is a diet that is totally free from gluten. Even the most minute or negligible amounts of gluten in products can produce an autoimmune reaction. Many of the additives, preservatives and stabilizers in processed foods contain gluten. Even products, such as corn and rice, produced in manufacturing units that also produce wheat products, may contain traces of gluten due to cross-mingling of raw materials. Certain medications contain gluten, as do common items like lipstick and play dough. There is, therefore, a growing market for a wide variety of GF products for this marginalized, but rising, population.For most people suffering from CD, maintaining a strict gluten-free diet helps to alleviate symptoms, heal the damage done to intestines and prevent any further damage. The June 2005 issue of the American Journal of Nutrition reported, â€A long follow up of a cohort of patients already diagnosed as having Celiac disease and put on a gluten-free diet shows that the diet substantially and rapidly improved all the gastrointestinal symptoms previously reported, not just the typical ones.†Gradually, by maintaining a GF diet, the intestines will be able to perform normal functions of digestion and absorption of nutrients. But, a lifelong GF diet must be maintained.One of the most ripe markets for GF products is in the arena of nutritional supplements Not only does CD prevent the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients, maintaining a GF diet itself can compromise nutrition. This brings about unique nutritional challenges.Common nutritional deficiencies in those suffering from CD relate to:
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