Causes of Celiac Disease

Symptoms

1. Celiac disease makes it impossible for you to properly absorb gluten. People are born with celiac, but it can also appear suddenly later in life. Symptoms include intermittent diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, depression, weight loss and fatigue. In children, especially infants, watch for irritability, failure to grow properly, potbelly and excessively unpleasant bowel movements. If you or a child has any symptoms, you'll need to see a doctor for evaluation and treatment options.

Causes

2. Doctors aren't certain what causes celiac. It is more prevalent in family members, suggesting a hereditary link. If someone in your family has celiac, that increases your odds of having it by 5 to 15 percent. People with type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome and autoimmune thyroid disease are more likely to have celiac disease. If you have an autism spectrum disorder, you can be misdiagnosed with celiac, because autistic people often have a sensitivity to gluten that can be mistaken as celiac. Injury, G.I. illnesses, environmental factors and trauma can all spontaneously cause celiac.

How It Works

3. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Some people with celiac might also have a reaction to the gluten in oatmeal. Corn, soy and rice are usually well tolerated by those with celiac. When someone with celiac ingests gluten, their body produces an immunological reaction. The severity of the allergy or aversion to gluten determines your body's response. Even those with mild celiac disease do damage to the villi (hairlike projections) lining the small intestine each time they eat gluten. The villi work to absorb vitamins and nutrients, but gluten damage wears down the hairs, causing malabsorption. Most people with celiac are advised to eliminate gluten from their diet. If that isn't an option, you will need to severely reduce your intake of wheat and other gluten-containing foods. It is easier to eat a gluten-free diet these days, because many companies offer gluten-free products and label them as such.

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