Celiac disease
Alternative Names
Sprue, Nontropical sprue, Gluten intolerance, Gluten-sensitive enteropathyWhat is Celiac disease
Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder which appears in genetically predisposed people of all ages and damages the lining of the small intestine. It leads to the malabsorption of minerals and nutrients. People with celiac disease who eat foods, containing gluten have an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing destruction of the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
Signs and symptoms
The main symptoms of this disease include:
- diarrhoea
- bloating
- abdominal pain
- weight loss
- failure to grow at the expected rate
- malnutrition
Possible complications
Coeliac disease may cause the following complications:
- osteoporosis (weakening of the bones)
- anaemia
- rowth defects
- infertility
- some types of cancer
What causes
It is difficult to say what causes this disease, but among the possible causes are:
- utoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjogren syndrome
- Addison's disease
- down syndrome
- intestinal cancer
- intestinal lymphoma
- lactose intolerance
- thyroid disease
- type 1 diabetes
Prevention
The best way is to start treating the disease as soon as you have noticed some symptoms. The certain triggers are not known, so there is no way to prevent it.
Treatment
It is effective to change your diet into a gluten-free diet in order to prevent possible complications. It is recommended to include in your diet the following ingredients
:- barley
- bulgur
- durum
- farina
- graham flour
- rye
- semolina
- spelt (a form of wheat)
- triticale
- wheat
Even small amounts of gluten in your diet can be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms.
It is also recommended to take vitamin supplements. They should be prescribed by your doctor. The most common vitamin supplements include:
- calcium
- folate
- iron
- vitamin B-12
- vitamin D
- vitamin K
You doctor also may advice you to take in steroids to control inflammation. They may relieve severe signs and symptoms.
