What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a genetically linked autoimmune medical disorder where the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by gluten products.Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale, barley and other products.. The gluten is the product in the flour that allows bread and other goods to rise. Eating these products set off an immune system response at the site of the epithelial cells.

The immune reaction damages the tiny, hair-like projections (villi) that line the small intestine. Villi absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food that is being digested. The body, because of this damage to the villi, is completely unable to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, all of which are necessary to keep in good health. Therefore if there is a lack of these nutrients many celiacs can develop malnutrition and a variety of other complications. The damage resulting from celiac disease makes the inner surface of the intestine smooth. Nearly 1 in 133 people are affected by the disease however doctors believe 80% of those people have yet to be diagnosed.

Symptoms

Many symptoms can indicate a celiac condition. The eating of grain-based products in celiacs sets off an immune mediated response that cause measurable damage to the small intestine. Therefore the number one warning sign of an untreated celiac disease is malabsorption ( imperfect absorption of food material by the small intestine) due to the damaged small intestine. Other symptoms include anemia( a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells), chronic diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, cramps and bloating, irritability. In other cases, sufferers of celiac disease develop an intense burning and itching rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Prevention

Celiac disease is a lifelong disease managed by lifestyle and without medication. Symptoms and damaged to the small intestine can be prevented by a gluten-free diet. Some people with celiac disease develop a poorly functioning or non functional spleen due to the disease, this can be a risk factor for developing a pneumococcal infection. Therefore a doctor may recommend that people get immunized with the pneumococcal vaccine. Currently there is no cure, little is known about the disease, except for the fact that most patients inherit it. Although not fully understood doctors have observed there can be an external trigger to the disease. Some hypothesis it's due to the introducing of solid foods to a baby's diet to early, having to endure a pregnancy, experiencing stressful situations or develop a bacterial infection to which the immune system responds inappropriately. The disease can be in born or develop at any age (common in ages 50+) Therefore the main preventative step is to stick to a gluten free diet.