Chemical pollutants can trigger celiac disease in young people: Study

A new study linked chemical pollutants with celiac disease and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in young people.

Pollution is like a slow poison. A new study ‘Persistent organic pollutant exposure and celiac disease: A pilot study‘ has linked chemical pollutants with celiac disease in young people. Celiac disease is a condition where the digestive process is hampered. It can cause pain and bloating in the abdomen, diarrhoea, nausea, gas, or constipation.

The study that appears in the journal Environmental Research, talks about the relationship between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and celiac disease. POPs are known endocrine disruptors and, given the interplay between the endocrine and immune systems, are plausible contributors to celiac disease. The current study aims to elucidate the association between POPs and celiac disease, read the study.

POPs are chemical pollutants that people have historically used as flame retardants in furniture and electronic products, detergents, pesticides, and nonstick cookware, said a report. These chemicals negatively affect human health.

Key highlights of the study:

* The odds of celiac disease increased with higher serum DDE in males and females.

* Females had greater odds of celiac disease associated with PFOS and PFOA.

* Males had greater odds of celiac disease associated with BDE153.

According to reports, senior investigator professor Jeremiah Levine, a paediatric gastroenterologist, said, “Our study establishes the first measurable tie-in between environmental exposure to toxic chemicals and celiac disease. These results also raise the question of whether there are potential links between these chemicals and other autoimmune bowel diseases, which all warrant close monitoring and further study.”

The study was based on 88 people, who visited New York University Langone’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital with gastrointestinal issues. The participants were under the age of 21 who underwent regular blood tests to check for celiac disease and consumed a diet containing gluten. Out of the 88 participants, 30 had received a diagnosis of celiac disease and 58 had not. The team checked all the participants’ blood for serum concentrations of POPs.

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