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On Jan. 23, Joe Murray wrote

>There is a well known association between CD and diabetes mellitus...a
>rate of association of 3-10%...(diagnosis) may have advantages for the
>diabetes due to more reliable absorption of nutrients.

As a Type I diabetic (43 years) and biopsy diagnosed celiac (1 year), I
routinely measure my blood glucose level several times a day. Thus, I
have an immediate monitor of carbohydrate (and protein I believe)
metabolism and hence the preceding intestinal absorption. Blood sugar
typically peaks 2 hours after a meal except for foods like legumes with
so-called "low glycemic index".

Following introduction of the gluten free diet, my insulin needs indeed
rose and I've since regained all the lost weight.

The question of interest to all celiacs is what is the effect of a
single gluten challenge on nutrient absorption?

I haven't consciously tried that experiment yet myself, but can relate
an unexpected result from a brief period last year when I was eating
Kellog's Corn FLakes perhaps every other day for breakfast.  The "malt
flavoring" therein has both corn and barley. Perhaps twice a week for a
month, my blood sugar would plummet mid-morning so that I had to eat
about half my breakfast again in carbohydrate to make it to lunch time.
Strangely enough several of these occurred on days when my breakfast
was gluten free. This kind of drop, not rise, 2 hours after a meal had
never happened to me in the preceding 42 years of diabetes before
celiac diagnosis.

It was almost as if that small percentage of gluten in those breakfasts
had managed to wipe out most of the potential nutrient absorption. Yet
in a temporary way as everything then would be normal perhaps  until
the aftermath of another gluten challenge.

Are the intestines that sensitive to gluten? Perhaps other diabetics
here have had similar experiences?

                Kemp Randolph
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