Celiac Disease - What Is It?

Celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disorder.

Celiac disease is something you may have heard of, and now you''re probably wondering what exactly it is. Well, celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disorder. It affects genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy on. The ingestion of gluten, a protein that can be found in all forms of wheat, is what celiac disease is triggered by. People who have celiac disease have to completely eliminate gluten from their diet.

Celiac Disease: The Symptoms

There''s no doubt that celiac disease is serious. If you suspect it, you should be tested and treated for it. In children, symptoms can include growth failure, vomiting, bloated abdomen, and behavioral changes. Symptoms in adults can include one or more of the following: recurring bloating or gas, chronic diarrhea or constipation, unexplained weight loss or gain, vitamin k deficiency, fatigue, missed menstrual periods, canker sores in the mouth, and tooth discoloration or loss of enamel.

Celiac Disease: Complications

Several long-term conditions can happen if you have undiagnosed celiac disease and continue to have gluten as a part of your diet. Also, some other associated auto-immune disorders, such as Insulin-Dependent Type I Diabetes, liver disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Thyroid disease, and Dermatitis Herpetiformis can occur. Take a Celiac DNA test as soon as you can if someone in your family has been diagnosed with celiac, or if someone in your family has been diagnosed with one of the previous mentioned auto-immunie disorders.

Celiac Disease: Testing

If you receive positive results from a Celiac Disease DNA test, it means that the only real treatment for celiac disease is to completely abstain from ingesting any gluten. Your doctor may suggest other lab tests than a celiac disease test to check your current health status.