What Is Gluten Intolerance, Or Celiac Disease?

Gluten intolerance is also known as Celiac disease. Quite simply, if you suffer from Celiac disease you have a genetic disorder that makes you allergic to gluten.

Celiac disease can affect all types of people. However, it seems to be more prevalent among people of Northern European descent.

In the USA about 1 in 133 people suffer from Celiac disease.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease Can Include:

-- Diarrhea
-- Weight Loss
-- Malnutrition
-- Mild weakness
-- Bone pain
-- Abdominal bloating (stomach swells)
-- Nutrient Deficiencies
-- Ill health with no gastrointestinal symptoms

The Most Common Foods that Contain Gluten are:

-- Wheat
-- Rye
-- Barley

Many believed oats were toxic to people suffering from Celiac Disease. However, experts are not so sure as recent studies seem to indicate this may not be the case. The jury is still out on whether oats are bad for Celiacs (people who suffer from Celiac Disease).

Consequences of Consuming Gluten for Celiacs

If a person who is gluten intolerant continues consuming gluten his/her chances of developing gastrointestinal cancer increase dramatically. Apart from this, his/her quality of life may be seriously undermined.

Testing for Celiac Disease

Your blood is screened for AGA (Antigliadin) and EmA (Andomysium Antibodies). It is also common to carry out a biopsy in the affected area.

Treatment

The patient should avoid all products that contain gluten for the rest of his/her life. This is the only real treatment if the he/she wants to be free of all the complications and risks the disease presents.

Avoiding gluten is not so easy. Many products have hidden gluten in them. It is important for the patient to educate himself/herself.

Some Good Web Sites To Start Learning More About Celiac Disease Are:

-- www.celiac.com

-- www.gluten.net

-- www.gflinks.com (has many links)

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today