Gluten is a type of protein found in certain cereal grains. A medical condition known as celiac disease is the effect of a person having a negative reaction to gluten. This includes all forms of wheat, and other related grains such as rye, barley and triticale. Also known as gluten intolerance, this condition affects one out of 133, in the United States. It is also considered as a life-long autoimmune intestinal disorder. And unless gluten is totally removed from your diet, the symptoms that accompany celiac disease won’t go away. When gluten is ingested, the hair-like parts in the small intestine which is responsible for the absorption of nutrients in food are damaged. This is due to the body’s negative reaction to gluten. About 5-15% of individuals who have parents or siblings who have celiac disease will likely be prone to having it too.
Mild weakness, bone and abdominal pain are some of the symptoms that individuals with celiac disease suffer. The digestive functions may also be affected. Conditions such as diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas and steatorrhea may be experienced. Physical manifestations will also be visible. Symptoms such as weakness, chronic fatigue and weight loss are present. Impaired skin sensation, also known as paresthesia may occur. This includes the feeling of burning, prickling, itching or tingling of your skin. In children, some of the symptoms present are paleness, irritability, inability to concentrate, frequent and foamy diarrhea and pale, smelly, bulky stools.
Traditional diagnosis involves three steps. The first step is to test, through a biopsy, if the villi is damaged. If it is, the second step is to prescribe a gluten-free diet for six months. After this time period, a second biopsy will be conducted to again check for the condition of the villi. If they have healed, the third and last step will be done. This is to bring back gluten back into the diet for another six months and again check after that if the villi has again been damaged. If it has, then the individual is confirmed with having celiac disease. Luckily for the newer generation, such long-time diagnosis need not be done just to find out if you are affected with celiac disease. Screening the patient’s blood for antigliadin and endomysium antibodies will be enough. Some doctors may consider the traditional diagnosis but stop in step one. Biopsies can also be done for diagnosis, but the last two steps need not be done.
The most important treatment for celiac disease is to have a 100% gluten-free diet. Harmful ingredients like unidentified or modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable or plant protein, texturized vegetable protein, binders, fillers, excipients, extenders and malt must be avoided by the patient. Gluten is sometimes used as binder in some medications. So it is also important to avoid these.
If celiac disease is not treated, complications may arise. The chances of having gastrointestinal cancer may be increased by 40 to 100 times as compared to those not affected with the disease. Osteoporosis, tooth enamel defects, central and peripheral nervous system disease, pancreatic disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders and gynecological disorders may also develop.
