What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. What does this mean?

Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. Want more celiac information? (links to wikipedia definition of "coeliac disease"

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of celiac disease vary amongst different people. Some patients develop symptoms as early in life, while others feel healthy far into adulthood.

Symptoms of celiac disease may or may not occur in the digestive system. For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children.

Some of the most common symptoms of celiac disease include:

Anemia, delayed growth, and weight loss are signs of malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious problem for anyone, but particularly for children because they need adequate nutrition to develop properly. Failure to thrive during childhood development is a common indicator of celiac.

Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms. This is known as asymptomatic celiac disease.  The undamaged part of their small intestine is able to absorb enough nutrients to prevent symptoms. However, people without symptoms are still at risk for the complications of celiac disease.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?

Accurately diagnosing celiac disease can be quite difficult largely because the symptoms often mimic those of other diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, intestinal infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.

To gain a proper diagnosis of celiac disease, a physician will order the following blood tests:

• Total IgA
• IgA antitissue transglutaminase (tTG)
• IgA antiendomysial antibody immunofluorescence (EMA)
• If IgA is deficient, IgG tTG test should also be ordered. At the discretion of the doctor, antigliaden IgG can also be ordered.

**It is important to continue eating a normal, gluten-containing diet before being tested for celiac. If the blood tests and symptoms indicate celiac, a physician may suggest a biopsy of the lining of the small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.

For more information about celiac disease screening, please visit Quest Diagnostics. Although test names may vary from those listed above, they are testing the same antibodies and are the same test.

What is the treatment?

The only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet means avoiding all foods that contain wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Despite these restrictions, people with celiac disease can eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods, including bread and pasta. For example, instead of wheat flour, people can use potato, rice, soy, or bean flour. Or, they can buy gluten-free bread, pasta, and other products from specialty food companies.

The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement for people with celiac disease. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the intestine. This is true for anyone with the disease, including people who do not have noticeable symptoms.

Following a gluten-free diet may seem daunting at first, but, with a little creativity, anyone can make delicious gluten-free meals! NFCA's monthly newsletter features decadent gluten-free recipes that anyone can make in a home kitchen.

For example, plain meat, fish, rice, fruits, and vegetables do not contain gluten, so people with celiac disease can eat as much of these foods as they like.

Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Survival Guide
For more information or help with managing the gluten-free diet, download a free copy of NFCA's Gluten-Free Survival Guide.

The guide provides information for maintaining a gluten-free diet and lists nationwide resources to help you find the most delicious gluten-free food!

For more personal advice, consider visiting a dietitian. Dietitians can help people learn about their new diet. Also, support groups are particularly helpful for newly diagnosed people and their families as they learn to adjust to a new way of life.

What Are The Complications of Celiac Disease?

Damage to the small intestine and the resulting problems with nutrient absorption put a person with celiac disease at risk for several diseases and health problems.

• Lymphoma and adenocarcinoma are types of cancer that can develop in the intestine.
• Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become weak, brittle, and prone to breaking. Poor calcium absorption is a contributing factor to osteoporosis.
• Miscarriage and congenital malformation of the baby, such as neural tube defects, are risks for untreated pregnant women with celiac disease because of malabsorption of nutrients.
• Short stature results when childhood celiac disease prevents nutrient absorption during the years when nutrition is critical to a child's normal growth and development. Children who are diagnosed and treated before their growth stops may have a catch-up period.
• Seizures, or convulsions, result from inadequate absorption of folic acid. Lack of folic acid causes calcium deposits, called calcifications, to form in the brain, which in turn cause seizures.

The information on this site was prepared and assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's Scientific/Medical Advisory Board. For credential information, please click here.