Children with celiac disease should take vitamins

Researchers at the University of Alberta said children with celiac disease should take certain vitamins to stave off weak bones an osteoporosis.

Children with celiac disease are at high risk for poor bone health, but vitamin K and D can help reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis, Diana Mager at the University said.

Mager et al. studied 43 children and teens aged 3 to 18 years diagnosed with celiac disease and found these children tended to have low bone density, which may result from poor intake and absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Specifically the children had only less than 50 percent of the recommended dietary intake of vitamin K and their vitamin D levels were also insufficient.

Exposure of the face and hands to the sun at the hottest hours of the day for 15 to 20 minutes can get a healthy individual a sufficient amount of vitamin D. 

Vitamin D is found only a few natural foods such as oily fish, eggs and mushroom.  The vitamin is used in certain foods, but the amount used is often low.  Vitamin D supplements can be a good source of this nutrient.

Vitamin K, mainly in the form of vitamin K1, is found in green leafy vegetables such as cooked broccoli, kale, spinach, leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, watercress and parsley, and some vegetable oils such as soybean, cottonseed, canola, and olive oils.

Mager also recommended that children with celiac disease should engage in outdoor physical activity every day. She said physical activity and vitamin D are important for healthy bones.

By David Liu