Crypto News: Let's get this bread

Hi! It's Madison in New York. I've got some news for people, who, like me, are allergic to a protein that's found in everything from bread to beer. But first...

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Following a gluten-free diet in 2023 is so much easier than it was when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease more than a decade ago.

Gluten, a protein found in certain grains, such as wheat, rye and barley, has made its way into the mainstream in recent years both as a fad diet and because studies have suggested gluten allergies are actually becoming more common.

Experts still don't really know why Celiac disease has become more prevalent, but it could be due to changes in the way wheat is processed, or the widespread use of gluten in medications and packaged foods. The global gluten-free products market was valued at $5.9 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% from 2022 to 2030, according to a report from Grand View Research.

When people who have Celiac ingest gluten, their immune systems go haywire and begin attacking the small intestine. That can lead to serious damage, including malabsorption of nutrients and a slew of other health problems. Eating even the smallest amount of gluten or using the same cooking appliances as gluten-containing products can be destructive.

Fortunately, most people experience remission of symptoms by adhering to a strict gluten-free diet. That's become much easier in the last decade thanks to the Food and Drug Administration setting strict standards for food labels that claim to be gluten-free.

But avoiding gluten entirely can still be tricky.

For example, doctors in New York couldn't figure out why a 9-year-old patient with Celiac disease continued to experience symptoms despite following a gluten-free diet. The culprit? Her retainer. Because of its binding properties, gluten is commonly used as an additive in other products, such as water bottles, medications and even make-up.

Plus, gluten-free products are typically costlier and can be a significant economic burden. Another study from researchers at Columbia University found that gluten-free foods were on average 139% more expensive than wheat-based versions of the same product. (Fun fact: In Italy, people with Celiac disease get a monthly stipend to help offset the higher costs).
But there soon could be more options on the horizon. The US government is starting to fund more research on Celiac disease and pharmaceutical companies are in the early stages of testing drugs that could help minimize the autoimmune response to gluten and interrupt disease development. GSK, for example, has a candidate in early trials and Takeda Pharmaceuticals has a whole portfolio of different therapies it's testing.

About one out of every 133 Americans has Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition, according to Boston Children's Hospital. Almost 30% of those people are undiagnosed. As more people are diagnosed, interest in understanding Celiac and how to best treat it will only grow.

So, here's to hoping I can try a real New York slice sometime soon!
— Madison Muller

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