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Is gluten-free diet the key to better health outcomes for children with celiac disease?

Medical News 1 min 79

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Created On: 11/02/2025

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Gluten-free diet improves liver function, growth metrics, quality of life, and extraintestinal symptoms like obstructive sleep apnea and cardiac dysfunction in children with celiac disease.

A recent comprehensive review has revealed the benefits of a gluten-free diet (GFD) for tackling both gastrointestinal and extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease in children. This study published in "Cureus" sought to determine GFD's impact on symptoms of pediatric celiac disease (a serious autoimmune condition elicited by gluten ingestion). Researchers gathered data from several prominent databases and registers, including ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, EBSCO Open Dissertations, Europe PMC, Medline, PubMed.

Overall, 12 studies were included. As found, GFD led to remarkable improvements in multiple health parameters, including liver function, growth metrics, and overall quality of life. Additionally, extraintestinal symptoms—like obstructive sleep apnea and cardiac dysfunction—exhibited marked improvement in children adhering to the diet.

The study emphasizes the critical role of personalized nutritional support to address common deficiencies seen in these patients and highlights the need for further long-term studies. The authors call for a more comprehensive strategy to optimize treatment outcomes and boost the quality of life for children living with celiac disease.