Celiac Disease Can Harm Digestion
Suppose you or a friend often has belly (abdominal) distress, bloating, and other
symptoms that seem to puzzle healthcare providers.
Experts believe those healthcare providers should consider celiac disease. This illness
is also known as celiac sprue. It can cause a range of symptoms and problems.
Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine. It affects
how nutrients from food are absorbed by the body. The culprit in celiac disease is
gluten. This is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, rye, and barley.
When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the immune system responds by damaging
the villi. Villi are what absorb nutrients in the small intestine. This damage makes
it hard for the body to absorb nutrients the way it should.
In the past, healthcare providers didn’t often look for celiac disease. It was thought
to be a rare childhood syndrome. Celiac disease is now known to be an autoimmune genetic
disorder that tends to run in families. About 1 in 100 people have the disease worldwide.
About 1 in 10 first-degree relatives of a person with celiac disease will also have
the disease. A first-degree relative is a parent, sibling, or child. Celiac disease
is also seen more often in people with other health problems, such as thyroid disease,
Down syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Celiac disease can be set off by surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, a viral infection,
or severe emotional stress.
What are the symptoms?
Celiac disease symptoms may develop at any age once a person begins eating foods with
gluten. And the symptoms aren’t always in the digestive system. Long-term or chronic
diarrhea and recurrent abdominal pain are common symptoms. But so are irritability
and depression.
Other symptoms include:
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Behavior changes
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Bone pain
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Delayed growth
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Failure to thrive, in infants
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Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
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Gas
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Infertility
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Missed menstrual periods
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Muscle cramps
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Pale, bad-smelling stool
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Pale sores inside the mouth
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Pain in joints
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Painful skin rash
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Recurring abdominal bloating
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Seizures
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Tingling numbness in legs
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Tooth discoloration
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Unexplained anemia
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Weight loss
How is celiac diagnosed?
It may be a challenge to diagnose celiac disease because its symptoms are similar
to other diseases. Diseases that share symptoms with celiac disease include irritable
bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, chronic fatigue
syndrome, and depression.
Recent research has found that people with celiac disease have higher than normal
levels of certain antibodies. Tests can be given to measure these antibody levels.
If the tests and symptoms point to celiac disease, your healthcare provider may confirm
the diagnosis with a biopsy of the small intestine to check for villi damage.
Early diagnosis is important. The longer a person goes undiagnosed and untreated,
the greater the chance of developing malnutrition and other problems.
First-degree relatives of people with celiac disease should speak with their healthcare
provider about getting tested. A first-degree relative is a parent, sibling, or child.
The condition is also more common in people with type 1 diabetes and Down syndrome.
How is celiac treated?
Gluten does not harm the bowels of those who don't have celiac disease. But if you
have the disease, there’s only 1 treatment: Don't eat any gluten for life.
For most people, following a gluten-free diet will stop the symptoms, heal existing
villi damage, and prevent further damage. The improvement begins very soon. It often
happens within days of starting the diet. The small intestine is often completely
healed, with the villi intact and working normally, in 3 to 6 months. The healing
process may take up to 2 years for older adults.
A gluten-free diet bans all foods that contain wheat, rye, or barley. Most grains,
pastas, cereals, and many processed foods fall into that category. You can eat breads
and pastas made with potato, rice, soy, or bean flour. Gluten-free foods also are
available from specialty food manufacturers. Other foods that are fine to include
are meat, rice, fruits, and vegetables. Oats are fine as long as they aren’t contaminated
with gluten, as some are.
You must be careful about:
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What you buy for lunch at school or work
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What you buy at the grocery store
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What you eat at restaurants or parties
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What you grab for a snack
U.S. law requires that food labels clearly identify wheat and other common food allergens
in the list of ingredients. Also check the labels on your medicines, vitamins, and
supplements for any gluten. For more information, talk with your healthcare provider
or see a nutritionist who knows about celiac disease.