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- Many people don’t know they have celiac disease, either because the symptoms they have are mistakenly attributed to another illness or because they don’t have symptoms.
Celiac disease is an inherited disorder marked by sensitivity to gluten, a component of wheat and other grains. In people with celiac disease, a protein in gluten produces an immune reaction that compromises the ability of the villi (finger-like projections in the intestines) to absorb nutrients from food. As a result, diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, anemia, and vitamin deficiencies are common and among the first signs of celiac disease. Eventually, long-term damage to the small intestine may result from celiac disease.
The celiac disease was once thought to be rare in the United States, but recent research suggests celiac disease may be relatively common. According to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, about 1 in 100 Americans has celiac disease. The proportion is even higher in people with certain health problems and those who have relatives with celiac disease.
The researchers found that many people don’t know they have celiac disease, either because the symptoms they have are mistakenly attributed to another illness or because they don’t have symptoms. Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed cases of celiac disease are found in people age 60 or older, some of whom have had symptoms for many years.
Based on current research, anyone with a relative who has celiac disease should be screened for celiac disease with a blood test. Screening should also be considered for those with a personal history of thyroid disease or type 1 diabetes (these conditions, like celiac disease, are autoimmune disorders), unexplained digestive symptoms, or weight loss.
Screening for celiac disease is easy. A blood sample is tested for three specific antibodies that are present when a person with celiac disease ingests gluten. If these three antibodies are found, a biopsy of the small intestine is usually performed to look for any damaged villi. It’s important not to avoid foods that contain gluten before these tests—avoidance could make blood tests and biopsies appear normal and prevent an accurate diagnosis.
If celiac disease is diagnosed, the only way to treat it is by adopting a gluten-free diet—which eliminates symptoms and reverses damage to the small intestine in 95% of people with celiac disease.
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