<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Hi, I wrote in last week and asked if you could possible have celiac disease but not have intestinal symptoms. I am having aborption problems with vitamin D and low calcium. I asked if this could be a symptoms of celiac disease. I received many interesting responses which I will outline here but at the end of my message I am going to copy a post of a very interesting articule that someone sent me that exactly sounds like the problem the doctors say that I have. I had over 20 responses to my question. Some people just wrote in to say that yes, you could have vitamin/mineral deficiencies and no intestinal problems and be diagnosed as a celiac. 13 people wrote in that they had no intestinal problems at the time of diagnoses but that celiac was found after presenting with anemia and other nutritional deficiencies. Some also had thyroid deficiencies (which I also have). 3 people wrote in with exactly my problem of calcium deficiency. Here is the interesting post that I received from someone explaining my problem. Sorry this is all so long! I am not good at this so if it needs changing, please do so. Thanks, kathy --------------------------------------- Ott, S.M., Tucci, J.R., Heaney, R.P. and Marx, S.J. 1997. Hypocalciuria and abnormalities in mineral and skeletal homeostasis in patients with celiac sprue without intestinal symptoms. Endocrinology and Metabolism 4:201-206. Abstract: Celiac sprue may be asymptomatic in terms of the gastrointestinal tract and, as a result, may go unrecognized for long periods of time. The objective of this report is to characterize patients who only show signs of abnormalities of mineral and skeletal homeostasis. We present data from six patients seen in academic clinics who eventually were diagnosed with celiac sprue. Serum and urine biochemical tests and bone density were measured. Results showed that the patients had variable initial presentations. Biochemical findings included hypocalciuria, hypocalcemia, low serum 25-OH vitamin D and carotene levels and increased serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25 (OH)2D] levels. Gluten-free diet resulted in clinical improvement. Low urine calcium was a consistent finding in these patients. We conclude that celiac sprue should be considered in patients with osteopenia or hypocalcemia, even in the absence of gastrointestinal signs or symptoms. The authors review the literature of aspects of mineral metabolism and skeletal homeostasis that may result from celiac sprue in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, from 1956 on; several case histories, with some bone pain, or multiple serious fractures, poor bone density, osteopenia. Several studies have shown that patients treated with gluten-free diets had higher bone densities than untreated patients. There is a paragraph on different responses to calcitriol (1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D), and another paragraph on the consistent finding of low urine calcium. [I quote from one paragraph in the discussion: "Two thirds of our patients were first cousins. There is evidence in support of a genetic component to celiac sprue with an increased incidence of this disease in other family members and a concordance of 70% in identical twins. First-degree relatives of patients with celiac sprue have an increased prevalence of the disorder that varies from 2-20%." And also, in a paragraph discussing asymptomatic celiac sprue: "Another study in Germany found that in 47 patients with celiac sprue, the interval from initial symptoms to diagnosis was 8.3 years. Approximately one-third of cases had predominantly skeletal symptoms without typical gastrointestinal symptoms. [Kruse, H.P., Ringe, J.D., Tomforde-Brunckhorst, R. 1987. Non-tropical sprue, a frequently unrecognized cause of high-grade generalized osteopathy. Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. 112:1155-1159.]" ------------------------------------------------------ ------ There is none like the God of Israel Who rides the heavens to your Help And through the skies in His majesty the eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms Deut: 33:26-27