Someone with celiac disease on strict gluten-free diet should absorb needed vitamins without the need for special supplements, unless there’s: Incomplete healing (persisting symptoms, clinical signs of malnutrition, an abnormal repeat biopsy); or Laboratory evidence of nutritional deficiencies (anemia, low bone mineral density, low cholesterol, low prealbumin, low iron, etc.). We do, however, recommend a… Read more »
(Updated .)Keyword: absorption
Can celiac disease cause problems absorbing and responding to orally administered medications?
Yes, but only if celiac disease is undiagnosed; in other words, only if the intestinal inflammation due to celiac disease is still actively impairing absorption.
(Updated .)Are vitamin tests valuable to determine if there are ongoing absorption problems?
In someone with celiac disease, full absorption should return once on a gluten-free diet. Depending on the patient, we may continue to monitor levels of certain vitamins once diagnosed.
(Updated .)Have any studies been done on the absorption or non-absorption of medications in persons with celiac disease?
Yes, they have been done in the past. We know that in untreated celiacs many drugs are poorly and unpredictably absorbed, but after beginning a gluten-free diet all should return to normal quickly.
(Updated .)Do those with celiac disease have trouble absorbing calcium?
When celiac disease is active it prevents the absorption of the proper amounts of many nutrients, but once following a strict gluten-free diet, absorption levels should come close to, meet and possibly exceed normal levels. Even if the gut doesn’t totally heal, most people will absorb enough calcium.
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