Gluten & cardiac disease
A recent case has put a spotlight on another potential effect of gluten allergy: cardiac disorders that arise from an autoimmune attack on heart tissue or the heart-regulating nerves. Here are several relevant studies:
- Celiac disease and autoimmune myocarditis
- Cardiomyopathy and celiac disease
- Cardiomyopathy and atrioventricular block in celiac disease
- Cardiomyopathy and the effect of a gluten-free diet
The good news: there is evidence that a gluten-free diet results in some degree of repair. From The Mayo Clinic Proceedings (#2): "Cardiomyopathy associated with celiac disease is a serious and potentially lethal condition. However, with early diagnosis and treatment with a gluten-free diet, cardiomyopathy in patients with celiac disease may be completely reversible."