It is estimated that more than 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. This illness damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Gluten is found foods that contain rye, wheat, barley and kamut, and some daily use products, such as medications, vitamins and lip balms. There are many symptoms of celiac disease and they vary among individuals.
Effects on the Digestive System
Digestive symptoms of celiac disease are most common in infants and young children. These include abdominal bloating and pain, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and foul-smelling or fatty stool. These symptoms are due to the damage in the small intestine. The body reacts to the wheat or gluten by attacking it, causing the damage to the normal lining of the intestine, this results in any combination of these digestive symptoms. Nutrients and vitamins that are usually absorbed in the small intestine are eliminated instead, creating vitamin deficiencies.)
Anemia
Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia, or low blood hemoglobin, can be a symptom of celiac disease. It is caused by the poor absorption of iron from food. It can also be caused by bleeding in the damaged intestinal wall, this leads to blood loss in the stool. B12 deficiency can cause another type of anemia, called pernicious anemia. While B12 deficiency is common in celiac disease due to poor absorption, the resulting anemia is rare, notes the Gluten Intolerance Group.
Effects on Skin
Dermatitis herpetiformis, or DH, is a less common symptom of intolerance to gluten. It is patchy and tends to form on the outer surfaces of knees, elbows, midsection and back. The only way to diagnose it accurately is a skin biopsy from unaffected skin adjacent to the rash. A biopsy of the small intestine, normally used to diagnose celiac disease, is not essential if the skin biopsy tests positive for dermatitis herpetiformis Because the rash is so strongly associated with celiac disease.
Misconceptions
People do not grow out of celiac disease. There is no way to be cured of the disease and eat gluten again. It is not a disease solely of thin people. It is known that celiac disease has more than 300 related symptoms and conditions, making it particularly difficult to recognize. Celiac is not simply an allergy to wheat. The histamine of common allergies is responsible for the itching and swelling, redness. Allergies usually lead to quick, identifiable responses and can be outgrown. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease and can't be defined in such a way.
Other Types of Vitamin Deficiency
Calcium and vitamin D deficiency due to malabsoprtion increase the risk of osteoporosis in those with celiac disease. A bone density test in a newly diagnosed patient will help assess the bone status. Supplementation and strict adherence to the therapeutic gluten-free diet should halt bone loss. Prescription medication may be used to help rebuild bone in some people. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can differ from person to person, so blood work and symptomatic assessment will be useful in managing the complications of the disease.
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