Your small intestine is affected by celiac disease. The majority of the nutrients in your diet, including gluten-containing proteins, are absorbed here. However, gluten in your small intestine causes an immunological reaction if you have celiac disease. Your immune system releases antibodies and inflammatory cells to break down the gluten molecules. The mucosa, or mucous membrane, that lines your small intestine is harmed by these cells.
Although the mucosa lining your small intestine is large, it is coiled into numerous folds and projections that resemble fingers, known as villi. It would cover a tennis court if you extended it completely. To absorb as many nutrients as possible during digestion, the folds and projections expand the surface area. However, the celiac disease-induced immune cells degrade and flatten these projections, thus decreasing the surface area.
People with some hereditary chromosomal problems, such as Down syndrome, are more likely to have celiac disease. Those who have certain other autoimmune disorders are also more likely to experience it. These illnesses frequently have similar genes, and they can also set off one another. Celiac disease is more common in those who were born as female, similar to other autoimmune illnesses. At least a 2:1 ratio is present.
Most cases of celiac disease are found in individuals who are descended from Northern Europe. One percent of people in North America and Europe are estimated to be affected. If you have a first-degree relative who has the condition, such as a parent or child, your chances of getting it are increased by 10%. Approximately 97% of individuals with celiac disease have a detectable gene mutation (HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8) linked to their condition.
Like celiac disease, many autoimmune diseases have hereditary components (genetic abnormalities). That implies that you are more likely to have it if a specific gene mutation is inherited from your family. However, not every person with the gene mutation gets the disease, and not every person with the sickness has one of the identified genes. It appears to be triggered by additional circumstances.
According to one idea, it's caused by major physical stress that pushes your immune system too far. Medical professionals have noted that the disorder frequently manifests following a major emotional experience or a physical trauma, such as surgery, illness, or during pregnancy. There is also another theory that proposes the involvement of intestinal microbes.
After consuming gluten, either you or your child may develop celiac disease at any age. The two unique age windows that healthcare providers see most frequently are early childhood, between 8 and 12 months old, and mid-life, between 40 and 60 years old. Early childhood is the time when children start consuming solid meals, such as gluten-containing cereals or biscuits.
Some cereals and grain-based products naturally contain gluten. These include:
Additionally, a lot of processed food items, including:
Before consuming processed foods, be attentive to read labels for any sign of hidden gluten.
It might be difficult to identify celiac disease symptoms because they differ greatly from person to person. Some individuals have no symptoms at all. After consuming gluten, some people get indigestion and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. When actual damage has been done, some people only experience hazy signs of dietary deficiencies later in life.
Anemia symptoms could appear first in these individuals.
Symptoms associated with the stomach, like
Iron-deficiency anemia symptoms:
Other signs of malnutrition include:
If you develop symptoms in your gastrointestinal tract after consuming gluten, you may have celiac disease. It seems like a lot of people are sensitive to wheat or gluten-containing foods. Although they can produce painful feelings after eating, food intolerances do not harm your intestines in the same way that celiac disease does. Healthcare professionals will look for proof of this damage to diagnose celiac disease.
Before trying a gluten-free diet, it is important to get tested for celiac disease so that the results can show how gluten affects your body. Your gut is going to start healing the moment you start avoiding gluten. Although treatment is beneficial, it will remove all traces of celiac disease. To determine what sort of care you'll need moving forward, you and your healthcare practitioner need to be certain whether you have it.
There are two ways that medical professionals can test for celiac disease. To confirm the diagnosis, they would rather employ both at once. Blood testing is the initial technique. Your blood sample is tested by the providers to check for gluten antibodies that can harm your intestines. They will then search for the actual damage. For a microscopic examination, a small tissue sample from your small intestine must be taken (biopsy).
A gastroenterologist will do an endoscopic examination of your small intestine to collect the sample. During endoscopic operations, a long, thin catheter with a tiny camera on it is inserted into your body. The endoscope is sent down your neck and into the top portion of your small intestine during an upper endoscopy. The endoscopist can insert instruments into the catheter to take a biopsy while being guided by the camera.
Additional tests
Your healthcare provider will want to test your blood for particular vitamin and mineral deficiencies after verifying that you have celiac disease. Severe deficiencies may require supplementation as a direct treatment due to their wide-ranging effects on the body. Iron deficiency anemia, vitamin D deficiency, and vitamin B deficiency are common results. You can also be deficient in certain electrolytes, such as calcium.
Giving up gluten is the first and most crucial step in the treatment of celiac disease. Although you cannot alter how your body responds to gluten, you can stop gluten from causing that response. Your small intestine will start to recover when you stop consuming gluten, and you'll soon be able to absorb nutrients once more. But to prevent damaging your small intestine once more, you must follow a rigorous gluten-free diet for the rest of your life.
Chronic malnutrition can lead to complications such as kidney stones, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, permanent dental enamel defects, peripheral neuropathy, developmental delays, and attention and learning disabilities. Chronic inflammation can result in compromised immunity, food intolerances, ulcers, scarring, collagenous sprue, liver disease, and stomach cancer. Chronic inflammation can make the immune system less responsive to infections and trigger other autoimmune diseases. Untreated celiac disease can also cause refractory disease.
Collagenous sprue is a rare disease linked to celiac disease, causing permanent collagen deposits in the small intestine lining. Liver disease is more common in celiac disease patients, with some developing chronic liver disease and progressive damage. Chronic inflammation also increases the risk of small intestine cancer, with 7% of people developing intestinal lymphomas after several decades.
Most patients who start a gluten-free diet find that their symptoms start to get better nearly right away. Addressing your nutritional deficits could take a few weeks, and healing your gut completely might take several months. Depending on the severity of the damage and how long it has been happening, it may take longer in certain cases. If you don't follow a strict diet chart, you may potentially stop your body from repairing itself.
Can celiac disease be lethal?
If your small intestine is damaged, there may be dangerous outcomes. The mucosa of your small intestine allows nutrients from food to be absorbed. The mucosa cannot properly absorb nutrients if it is injured. We refer to this as malabsorption. Malnutrition and numerous other disorders resulting from insufficient amounts of certain nutrients might be caused by it. It may result in impaired growth and development in children.
Which diet is ideal for those with celiac disease?
The only possible course of treatment for someone with celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. For the rest of your life, you will have to stay away from gluten. Your small intestine may sustain harm from an immune system reaction brought on by even minute amounts. Consuming gluten-free food requires a change in eating habits.
How is celiac disease diagnosed?
To diagnose or rule out celiac disease, doctors typically use blood testing and small intestine biopsies. Because a gluten-free diet can alter test findings, doctors do not advise implementing a gluten-free diet before diagnostic testing.
What are the five stages of celiac disease?
Clinically speaking, there are five types of celiac disease: classic, non-classic, subclinical, potential, and refractory.
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