What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine. It is caused by a reaction to a protein found in wheat, barley, triticale and rye gluten. (In the case of wheat, this protein is called gliadin.) The reaction gives rise to inflammation, which causes the tiny villi that line the small intestine to flatten. As a result, the villi cannot perform the important job of absorbing the nutrients necessary for good health. Since gluten in flour helps prevent bread and other bakedgoods from crumbling, it is widely used in the production of breads, cookies and pastries.

Who is affected?

People who have celiac disease normally inherit it from a parent. (If one of your parents is affected by the condition, you have a one in 10 chance of being affected as well.) Celiac disease affects both sexes and can produce symptoms at any age from infancy onward. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you stand a one in 20 chance of developing celiac disease.

What are the symtoms?

One of the reasons celiac disease is difficult to diagnose is that individual symptoms differ widely. Most people experience chronic diarrhea, anemia, weight loss, fatigue, cramps, bloating, and irritability. (Although some or all of these symptoms occur in celiac disease, they are also present in many more common diseases. It is therefore important to work closely with your doctor to determine the precise cause.) Other symptoms that may indicate celiac disease include: constipation; abdominal pain; breathlessness; nausea; nutritional deficiency; changes in appetite; headaches; hair loss; depression; bone and joint pain; mouth ulcers, and skin problems. (Many people with gluten intolerance develop an intense burning and itching rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.) Recently, celiac disease has been linked to infertility.

Diagnosing celiac disease

Since celiac symptoms can range from mild to severe and there are no specific/definitive symptoms (other than dermatitis herpetiformis), celiac disease can often be overlooked. In Canada, your doctor must first consider that you may have the condition, then order blood tests. A confirmed diagnosis is usually obtained following a biopsy of the small intestine. If you want to find out sooner if you may have celiac disease, the Biocard™ Celiac Test, approved by Health Canada, is now available from the London Drugs pharmacy. The test provides accurate results in just 10 minutes, is affordable, and simple to use. If your Biocard™ Celiac Test results are positive, you should notify your doctor. He or she will likely ask you to continue with a normal diet until you have the diagnosis confirmed. The good news is, more than 70 per cent of people with celiac disease respond positively to a gluten-free diet within days or weeks. Should you test positive for celiac disease, early screening for your children, siblings and parents is important, as their risk factor for celiac disease is estimated to be one in 10.