Celiac disease
is a digestive and autoimmune disorder that can damage your small intestine. People with celiac disease might experience symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, gas, anemia and growth issues. Celiac disease can be triggered by a protein called gluten. Gluten is found in grains, like wheat, barley and rye.
What happens when you have celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a digestive disorder triggered by gluten, a protein found in foods that contain wheat, barley or rye. When people who have celiac disease eat gluten, the result is a reaction in their small intestine that can lead to symptoms such as
diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating and weight loss
.
What is characterized by severe reaction to gluten?
Gluten intolerance
, also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), is a condition characterized by the adverse response of the body to gluten, a protein found in wheat and some other grains. People with gluten intolerance experience symptoms similar to celiac disease.
Why is celiac disease considered an autoimmune disease?
Celiac disease (CD) is an
autoimmune condition affecting the small intestine, triggered by the ingestion of gluten, the protein fraction of wheat, barley, and rye
. There is a strong linkage between CD and HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 haplotypes.
What organ is affected by celiac disease?
Overview. Celiac disease is a digestive problem that hurts
your small intestine
. It stops your body from taking in nutrients from food. You may have celiac disease if you are sensitive to gluten.
Is excessive swallowing of air while eating or drinking?
Aerophagia
is the medical term for excessive and repetitive air swallowing. We all ingest some air when we talk, eat, or laugh. People with aerophagia gulp so much air, it produces uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms.
Is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can occur anywhere in the digestive tract?
Crohn's disease
can occur anywhere in your digestive tract, often spreading deep into the layers of affected tissues.
What does celiac poop look like?
Diarrhea. Although people often think of diarrhea as watery stool, people with celiac disease sometimes simply have stools that
are a bit looser than usual
– and more frequent. Typically, diarrhea associated with celiac disease occurs after eating.
Can celiac turn into Crohn's?
Studies debate the extent of the connection between Crohn's disease and celiac disease, but all conclude that Crohn's disease
is more common in
those with celiac disease than in the general population. Overlapping symptoms include: abdominal pain, diarrhea, anemia, and short stature.
Does Celiac get worse over time?
Once gluten is out of the picture, your small intestine will start to heal. But because celiac disease is so hard to diagnose, people can have it
for years
. This long-term damage to the small intestine may start to affect other parts of the body. Many of these problems will go away with a gluten-free diet.
What happens if you ignore celiac disease?
If celiac disease is left untreated, it can
increase your risk for developing certain types of digestive system cancers
. Lymphoma of the small intestine is a rare type of cancer but may be 30 times more common in people with celiac disease.
Are there different levels of celiac?
According to the World Gastroenterology Organization, celiac disease may be divided into two types:
classical and non-classical
.
What triggers an inflammatory response in people with celiac disease?
Celiac disease is associated with an
inappropriate immune response to a segment of the gluten protein called gliadin
. This inappropriate activation of the immune system causes inflammation that damages the body's organs and tissues and leads to the signs and symptoms of celiac disease.
Can you reverse damage from celiac disease?
Celiac disease causes damage to the small intestine. This makes it hard for the body to absorb vitamins and other nutrients. You cannot prevent celiac disease. But
you can stop and reverse the damage to the small intestine by eating a strict gluten-free diet
.
What triggers celiac disease later in life?
Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medications that
contain gluten
. The later the age of celiac disease diagnosis, the greater the chance of developing another autoimmune disorder.
What are the long term effects of celiac disease?
- Iron deficiency anemia.
- Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia.
- Infertility and miscarriage.
- Lactose intolerance.
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- Central and peripheral nervous system disorders.
- Pancreatic insufficiency.
- Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
