If you have celiac disease, eating grains that contain gluten causes your immune system to attack the lining of your small intestine. This can lead to malnutrition and gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and constipation. Lactose intolerance, the inability to digest sugars in dairy products, is common among people with celiac disease, states the University of Virginia Health System. A gluten-free diet is the only cure for celiac disease.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Celiac disease damages the lining of the small intestine and affects the villi, small finger-like projections that trap nutrients for absorption. Damage to the villi may result in chronic diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both. You may also have intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and pain with celiac disease. Lactose intolerance may further aggravate symptoms. If your body cannot break down the sugars in dairy products, you may experience abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea after consuming dairy products. A gluten-free diet eliminates gluten-containing grains, like wheat, barley and rye, from the diet. Over time, the intestines may heal and resume better elimination patterns. The University of Virginia Health System states that people with lactose intolerance and celiac disease may benefit from removing milk products from the diet to help improve bloating and diarrhea.
Better Nutrient Absorption
Damage to intestinal villi due to celiac disease keeps the body from absorbing many important nutrients from food like vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates and fats, states Family Doctor.org. Common nutrition problems among those with celiac disease are iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and folate deficiency, according to University of Virginia Health System. A gluten-free diet allows the villi to heal and increase nutrient absorption. This may help reverse problems caused by nutrient deficiencies. Better nutrition absorption has been linked to improvement of other celiac-related symptoms like fatigue and trouble gaining weight. If you remove dairy foods from your diet due to lactose intolerance, the University of Virginia Health System recommends you work with a dietitian to ensure that you're getting adequate calcium from foods or supplements.
Rash Improvement
Celiac disease may cause an itchy, blistering skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis. This rash commonly appears on the elbows, knees and buttocks and can be intensely uncomfortable, writes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Dermatitis herpetiformis may appear with other symptoms of celiac disease or may present alone. Dermatitis herpetiformis resolves with a gluten-free diet.
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