Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley and rye – that causes your immune system to damage or destroy the villi that line your small intestine. Villi help your body absorb nutrients. Once they are damaged, you may become malnourished, no matter how much you eat.

“This can improve if you avoid all gluten products,” said Dawn French, APRN-CNP, Aultman Medical Group Gastroenterology.

Diagnosis

Celiac disease is genetic, meaning it can be passed down from parent to child. Symptoms include:

• Chronic constipation or diarrhea
• Stomach pain or bloating
• Weight loss
• Pale, bad-smelling stool
• Color changes in your teeth

Celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are like those of Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis or other intestinal diseases. If you are experiencing symptoms, your doctor will want to perform a physical exam and order tests.

A blood test can check the level of antibodies that fight gluten in your blood. People with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of these antibodies.

Your provider may also order a biopsy (sample tissue) from your small intestine to check for damage to the villi. This is the most accurate way to see if you truly have celiac disease. A biopsy involves an endoscopy. After you receive medicine to help you relax, the provider puts a long, thin tube (endoscope) into your mouth, moves it through your stomach into your small intestine and takes tissue samples to send to the lab.

Treatment

While your provider may prescribe supplements to make up for lost nutrients, a gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease.

“Even the smallest amount of gluten can damage your small intestine, so it is important to read and understand nutrition labels,” French said.

Grains like wheat, rye and barley have gluten, so any food listing them in the ingredients can trigger a reaction. Many processed foods like pasta, bread and cereal are made with wheat or barley.

Stores offer a variety of foods such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables that provide a well-balanced diet without gluten. And if you’re craving bread and pasta, gluten-free varieties are widely available.

Source: The Staywell Company, LLC