Celiac Disease

 Celiac Disease: An Introduction 

Celiac disease causes damage to the small intestine due to eating gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats. Consuming gluten when having celiac disease damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents the food from being absorbed in the body. Villi cover the small intestine helping with the absorption of nutrients and when gluten is consumed it damages the villi causing the body to decrease the absorption of food and nutrients. Due to the lack of absorption, it can lead to malnourishment in individuals. Symptoms for everyone vary and those with the celiac gene can get celiac at any point in their life. 

Risk and Symptoms

Individuals with a family member with celiac disease are more likely to be at risk for celiac disease than those who do not. Females and Caucasian people are found to be more common of having celiac disease. Those with celiac disease may experience the following symptoms: abdominal pain, bloating, gas/indigestion, constipation, changes in appetite, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, nausea, vomiting, abnormal stools, weight loss, bruising easily, depression, anxiety, fatigue, hair loss, itchy skin, missed menstrual periods, mouth ulcers, muscle cramps, joint pain, nosebleeds, seizures, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and unexplained short height.

Some individuals with the disease may not experience weight loss but have a healthy weight for their height. Children are more likely to experience gastrointestinal symptoms compared to adults. Children may experience defects in tooth enamel, changes in tooth color, delayed puberty, irritable and fussy behavior, and slowed growth that does not line up with their normal height for their age.

Diagnosis 

Before eliminating gluten from one’s diet if they think they may have celiac disease they should speak to a medical professional before taking action. The medical professional will go over medical history and cover symptoms the patient is experiencing. Once they have a good idea of what the patient is experiencing they may order blood work and a biopsy to confirm if it is celiac disease.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is when one is intolerant or sensitive to gluten but does not have celiac disease. Symptoms of NCGS include: abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, reflux, and fatigue. With NCGS being an intolerance it does not cause any physical damage to the villi in the small intestine. For celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, the treatment is a gluten-free diet and seeking help from a registered dietitian who can help make the change to the gluten-free diet easier and more understandable.

Source: https://www.eatright.org/health/diseases-and-conditions/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-an-introduction