Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition.
About Bone density scans for Celiac Disease
A bone density scan is an x-ray to check how dense your bones are. It can be used to check for osteoporosis(weak brittle bones).
Celiac disease damages the intestinal lining which causes malabsorption of nutrients.This includes calcium and Vitamin D, both needed for bone health. When your body does not get in enough calcium, it will draw it from your bones, resulting in weak bones.
Bones are a living organism. The cells within are constantly being reabsorbed and renewed. It’s important to keep your bones strong and healthy through sufficient VitD and calcium intake through food and sunlight exposure and supplement accordingly. Exercises (especially load bearing).
By the time a person is 25, bone mass begins to drop which makes it even more important to take care of your bones.
Who should get a bone density scan?
Regular blood tests to check your vitamin status is recommended, especially if you have Celiac or osteoporosis runs in the family.
A newly diagnosed Celiac should have a bone density scan, regardless of age. Speak to your health care provider if this wasn’t offered to you. Alternatively many dieticians have this machine in their practice and you could get it done through them. It is recommended to repeat it one year after being on the gf diet.
references:
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/5/1089