What is Celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder (your body overreacts to something within your body) that damages your small intestine and interferes with food absorption. Individuals with Celiac disease cannot consume any food or drink that contains gluten (found in wheat, rye and barley). If gluten is ingested, the body reacts by creating a damaging attack on the small intestine where nutrients from food are absorbed.
What are symptoms of Celiac disease?
Symptoms of Celiac disease vary but include similar findings of malnutrition. Symptoms will vary between patients and will also vary between adults and children.
In children, symptoms may include:
- Failure to grow
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea or constipation
In adults, common symptoms include:
- Chronic diarrhea with abdominal pain/bloating/gas
- Weakness/fatigue
- Weight loss.
Less common symptoms can include:
- Osteoporosis
- Muscle cramps
- Aphthous sores (canker sores)
- Seizures
- Behavior changes.
Some individuals have few symptoms, but can still suffer the effects of malnutrition.
How is Celiac disease diagnosed?
Celiac is identified in several ways. A blood test may be performed to look for antibodies (what your body produces in reaction to something) produced in response to gluten. Some individuals require additional testing if blood tests are not conclusive and symptoms persist. In these cases, an Upper Endoscopy may be recommended. An Upper Endoscopy is a procedure performed under sedation. Your physician will insert a small tube into your esophagus to take biopsies of your intestinal lining to help confirm the presence of Celiac disease.
What are treatment options for Celiac disease?
Treatment for Celiac disease is life-long avoidance of gluten in your diet. In most cases, once gluten is removed, your body will begin to heal the damage caused in the small intestine and further damage will not occur. However, even small amounts of gluten ingested periodically can cause further damage. Non-adherence to a gluten free diet can lead to malnutrition and even cancer such as lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in the small intestine.