Celiac Disease
- Severe allergy to Gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and several other grains
- Gluten triggers an immune response that attacks the lining of the intestines, breakdown of the villi (small extensions on the surface) of the small intestine
- This breakdown leads to shortened villi, in turn causing a decreased area for absorption of calcium, iron and other nutrients in the gut.
- Over time, this can lead to:
Diagnosis
- more reliable blood tests are now available followed by a small biopsy of the small intestine, if the blood test is positive
Treatment
- There is no cure for Celiac Disease, which is thought to be caused by a genetic defect
- Remedy: Eliminate Gluten from the diet (breads, cereals; sometimes an additive in cold cuts, soups, soy sauce, malt vinegar and jelly beans)
- "Gluten Free" label will be more commonly used on several foods