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Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Prolactin Structure. Courtesy Boris TM at Wikipedia.
Prolactin Structure. Courtesy Boris TM at Wikipedia.

What Is Hyperprolactinemia?

H yperprolactinemia is an excess secretion of prolactin hormone causing an elevated blood level that is characterized by its effects on reproduction: in females causing  amenorrhea and in males causing reduced sexual potency.

Q: What is prolactin?

A: Prolactin is a hormone produced by the the anterior pituitary gland that is transported by the bloodstream to stimulate androgen hormone production in male and estrogen hormone production in female sex glands. However, too much prolactin inhibits hormone production of estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

In pregnant females upon delivery of a baby, prolactin stimulates breast development and milk production for the purpose of feeding the infant. Sucking by the infant stimulates the release of prolactin which keeps the milk supply adequate.

Prolactin also promotes autoimmune mechanisms. Prolactin interferes specifically with B cell tolerance induction, enhances proliferative response to antigens and mitogens and increases the production of immune globulins, cytokines and autoantibodies.1

Other conditions that can stimulate prolactin release include nutritional deficiencies, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by the pituitary gland, stress, exercise, and anterior pituitary tumors.

What Is An Elevated Prolactin Level In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Shelly S, Boaz M, Orbach H. Prolactin and autoimmunity. Autoimmun Rev. 2012 May;11(6-7):A465-70. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2011.11.009. [↩]

Hypoparathyroidism, Idiopathic

hypocalcemia celiac disease gluten symptomWhat Is Hypocalcemia?

H ypocalcemia, or low plasma calcium, means the level of calcium in blood is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for calcium.

Low blood calcium is characterized by bone and tooth demineralization (loss of calcium causing weak teeth and fragile bones), and these impaired functions: nerve conduction, muscle contraction, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, glycogen to glucose conversion, many hormone actions, many enzyme activities, and acetylcholine production.

Q: Where is calcium found in the body?

A: Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with 99% residing in bones and teeth where it constitutes 40% of skeletal bone weight along with 45% phosphorus. As a component of bone (hard tissue), calcium fulfills a structural role to maintain body size and act as attachments for musculoskeletal tissues. The remaining 1% of calcium is present in blood and soft tissues.

Calcium levels in the blood are maintained within very strict limits by dietary intake, hormonal regulation by the parathyroid gland and a rapidly exchangeable pool in bone tissue.

What Is Hypocalcemia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Nails, Rounded With Curved Ends

What Is Angina Pectoris?Coronary Artery Lesion

A ngina pectoris, or simply angina, is a coronary syndrome characterized by an oppressive substernal pain (pain under breastbone) or pressure brought on by exertion and relieved by rest that results from failure of coronary arteries to deliver adequate oxygen to heart tissue due to ischemic heart disease.

Q: Why do coronary arteries fail to deliver adequate oxygen to heart tissue?

A: Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that serve the heart. In angina, these vessels fail to deliver adequate oxygen to heart tissue because they are narrowed or blocked by fatty buildups, called atherosclerotic plaques or by a blood clot which impair their ability to carry adequate blood that carries the oxygen. Diseased coronary arteries cannot deliver adequate oxygenated blood pumped by the heart to its own muscle cells.

The heart is a muscular organ that is working all the time without rest, so it needs a constant supply of oxygen. When heart muscle has to work harder, it needs more oxygen. Lack of oxygen causes pain which makes the affected person stop activity and rest.

Angina can be stable or unstable. Unstable angina is much more serious and can be life-threatening.

  • Stable angina produces predictable pain and responds to rest and/or medication. It is less serious than unstable angina but can be very painful or uncomfortable. Anything that makes the heart muscle need more oxygen can cause an angina attack in someone with heart disease, including: smoking, cold weather, exercise, emotional stress, obesity, and large meals. Other causes of angina include: abnormal heart rhythms (usually ones that cause the heart to beat quickly), anemia, coronary artery spasm, heart failure, heart valve disease, and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).1
  • Unstable angina produces unpredictable pain that may occur at rest, lasting more than 20 minutes. It is more severe than stable angina and less responsive to medication. Atherosclerosis is by far the most common cause of unstable angina. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein, so-called bad cholesterol, and oxysterols play an important role in atherogenesis, the development of atherosclerosis. Coronary arteries that are narrowed by atherosclerotic plaques can rupture causing injury to the coronary blood vessel resulting in blood clotting which blocks the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Blood clots may form, partially dissolve, and later form again and angina can occur each time a clot blocks blood flow in an artery. People with unstable angina are at increased risk of having a heart attack.2

What Is Angina In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001247/ [↩]
  2. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/SymptomsDiagnosisofHeartAttack/Unstable-Angina_UCM_437513_Article.jsp# [↩]

Edema

Cachexia with Wasted Muscles, Weakness, and That Developed over 3 Years Time.
Cachexia with Wasted Muscles, Weakness, Weight Loss, Anemia, Skin Hemorrhages, Anorexia. GFW

What Is Cachexia?

C achexia is a state of ill health involving deteriorating body composition that is characterized by general malnutrition and loss of lean tissue such as muscle.

Q: What are typical findings in cachexia?

A: Arm muscle triceps (the muscles at the back of the upper arm), skin folds, subscapular skin folds, fat area index, and bone mineral content are significantly lower than normal.

Cachexia may develop in protein-losing enteropathy such as celiac disease, chronic or severe infection such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, malaria, or many chronic diseases such as heart failure and cancer.

Cachexia can develop in persons of any age.

What Is Cachexia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Follicular Hyperkeratosis (goose flesh or corkscrew hair)

increased appetite gluten celiac symptomWhat Is Increased Appetite?

I ncreased appetite is the increased desire for food.

Q: What causes appetite.

A: Appetite is caused by hunger.

The brain monitors nutritional needs and employs a hunger mechanism to alert us when fresh food is needed. Hunger is mainly caused by the need for protein. Low blood sugar also triggers hunger.

The tempting sight, smell, taste and expectation of food stimulates involuntary sensory nerves. By reflex action, these sensory nerves cause muscle and sensory activity in various digestive organs. Salivary glands in the mouth begin to secrete saliva as stomach glands and muscles become active.1

What Is Increased Appetite In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Cleo Libonati. Recognizing Celiac Disease. Gluten Free Works Publishing, Fort Washington, PA 19034 USA [↩]

Hangnail

Aphthous_ulcer[1]What Are Aphthous Ulcers?

A phthous ulcers, also called canker sores, are a chronic disorder of soft mouth tissue characterized by small, painful purpuric, papular, or erosive lesions that are often surrounded by erythematous (red) margins.1

Q: What soft mouth tissues develop canker sores?

A: Canker sores can erupt on the mucosal surface of the inside lip, sides of mouth, under the tongue and along the side of the tongue. When they are forming, the area swells into a papule, or small bump. Later, the surface erodes and a crater forms with firm pus.

What Are Aphthous Ulcers In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Lahteenoja H, Toivanen A, Viander M, Maki M, Irjala K, Raiha I, Syrjanen S. Oral mucosal changes in coeliac patients on a gluten-free diet. European Journal of Oral Sciences. Oct 1998;106(5):899,8p. [↩]

Ichthyosis, Acquired  

cheilosisWhat Is Cheilosis?

C heilosis is a painful feature of nutritional deficiencies, especially riboflavin and/or pyridoxine deficiency, and less frequently, from vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron. It is characterized by redness of the lips with cracking and weeping in the corner of the mouth.

Q: What is the consequence of weeping at the corners of the mouth?

A: The open sores that develop at the corners of the mouth invite infection by candida albicans, a yeast organism, and less commonly by bacteria normally present on the skin such as staphylococcus aureus.

These sores make opening the mouth very painful and so restrict eating, talking, socializing, and dental care.

What Is Cheilosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Melanoma

Enamel_celiac[1]What Are Dental Enamel Defects?

D ental enamel defects (DED) comprise a variety of abnormalities in the dental enamel of the second or permanent teeth and of primary or baby teeth.

Teeth may appear with pits, thin or missing enamel, non-white enamel (yellow, orange, or gray colored teeth), and demarcated opacities (very white spots) even if teeth are white.

Q: What is enamel?

A: Dental enamel is the shiny, hard, white, dense, inorganic substance covering the crowns of the teeth. The crown is the tooth portion above the gum. Under the enamel is hard dentin which surround the living pulp. In teeth with missing enamel, the areas with exposed dentin appear dull and tan colored.

What Are Dental Enamel Defects In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris

Vitamin C Deficiency: Clean Teeth with Swollen Gums.
Vitamin C Deficiency: Swollen Gums.

What Are Bleeding / Swollen Gums?

B leeding and/or swollen gums is  an inflammatory disorder characterized by changes in gum integrity that may result in tooth loss.

Sponginess of the gum (swelling) indicates inflammation, called gingivitis. 

Q: What causes gingivitis?

A: Gingivitis that is caused by inadequate dental hygiene shows as pockets of swollen gum between or along the base of teeth where sticky plaque was allowed to build up. Plaque holds bacteria that inflames the gums where it occurs.

Gingivitis that is caused by vitamin C deficiency, pregnancy, certain drugs such as the anti-epileptic drug phenytoin, and leukemia affects the whole gum irrespective of mouth care.

What Are Bleeding / Swollen Gums In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Itchy (Pruritic) Skin  

tongue in B12 deficiencyWhat Is Beefy Red, Smooth, Burning Tongue?

B eefy, red, smooth, burning tongue is an inflammatory alteration in tongue tissue characteristic of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Inflammation makes the tongue red and sore which, when untreated, progresses to atrophied papillae (shrunken taste buds) that makes the tongue smooth.

Q: Why does vitamin B12 alter the tongue?

A: Vitamin B12 is essential for the metabolism of all cells, especially for those of the digestive tract of which the tongue is an organ.1

These easily seen changes to tongue tissue are an important diagnostic feature of deficient vitamin B12, which causes other devastating unseen damage, because the discomfort generally causes the individual to seek medical care.

What Is Beefy Red, Smooth, Burning Tongue In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Krause’s Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy. 10th Edition. Kathleen Mahan, Sylvia Escott-Stump. 2000. W.B. Saunders Company. [↩]