Celiac Disease

1. Celiac Disease • Pronounced See - Lee -Ack - Disease • Also Known as • Celiac Spure • Non tropical Spure • and Gluten-Sensitive enteropathy

2. Celiac disease • Celiac Disease means Disease of the Belly • However, it is a disorder of the lining of the intestines • People with this disease have an intolerance to Gluten • When gluten is consumed it stops their body from absorbing fats, calcium, and other nutrients that we get from food. • The reason gluten causes damages to the intestines is still unknown • Gluten is a protein found in foods like wheat, rye and barley. • It can also be found in things like, cosmetics, medicines and vitamins stamps • This is a genetic disease, meaning it runs within the family, and can be triggered after surgery, pregnancy/childbirth, viral infection or extreme emotional stress.

3. Treatment • Treatment can start as soon as the disease is diagnosed Treatment does not involve surgery, or regular doctor appointments, it doesn’t even require medication dependency • The only treatment for Celiac Disease is to permanently remove gluten from your diet. • Dietitians can teach you how to create and maintain a gluten free diet by reading labels and recognizing products that contain gluten • Symptoms will stop within a few days of removing Gluten from your diet and repair the intestines • Everything is healed in 3 to 6 months - or up to 2 years for older adults • Symptoms will not come back and your intestines will remain healthy as long as you never gluten again. • Even small amounts of gluten can damage the small intestine http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/#5

4. Symptoms • Everyone is affected differently - One may experience diarrhea and abdominal pain, where as someone else may experience depression • Not everyone will experience all of these symptoms - some people experience no symptoms • Celiac disease can become fatal if not treated • Abdominal cramps, gas, bloating • Constipation • Chronic diarrhea • Weight loss / gain • Foul smelling stools • Missed menstrual periods • Joint pains and muscle cramps • Weakness / fatigue • Anemia (low count of red blood cells) • Behavioural changes • Irritability is very common in children • Seizures • Infertility, recurrent miscarriages • Osteoporosis • Stunted growth www.cyh.com/.../library/youth_constipation.jpg nccam.nih.gov http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/uk-kitchen/shops/morphy/3.jpg http://blueapplehealthscans.com/picts/New%20CD%20Art/BA%20Web%20Osteo%20Back.jpg

5. Symptoms and Effects continued.. • This is a digestive Disease which causes damage to the small intestines • Your Small intestines are lined with villi, which is what allows nutrients to be absorbed, from food, into the blood stream • People with Celiac Disease destroy this lining by eating Gluten • So there for without strong, healthy villi it doesn’t matter how well someone eats they can still become malnourished

6. Causes • Celiac Disease is a genetic Disorder - meaning it is Hereditary • If someone in your family has it then 1 out of 10 family members are likely to inherit this disease • Things like extreme stress, infections, surgery, pregnancy or physical injury can trigger the disease • It is unknown why people get Celiac disease • But, it can be inherited by people of any race or gender • 1 in 133 people in the United States have celiac disease • However, many people don’t even realize they have this disease due to only having symptoms like weakness or muscle cramps, or even not showing any symptoms at all http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/ Villi on the lining of the small intestine help absorb nutrients. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

7. Diagnosis • Only a Doctor can diagnose someone with Celiac Disease, because the symptoms resemble those of other digestive disorders • Doctors will most likely request routine check-ups or screenings, if you have a family history of celiac disease • And, others are screened because of their symptoms • When being tested one must continue to eat a diet containing Gluten • If not the tests will come back negative to Celiac disease even if they do have it • Blood tests are given to find elevated antibody levels • An antibody is a protein substance made by the body’s immune system in response to a foreign substance • Elevated levels of the antibody is a sign of celiac disease • Generally people with above average levels of antibodies in their blood have this disease • Biopsies are also done to bowels - this can confirm the diagnosis and allow doctors to tell the severity of the disease • Physicians will usually test blood to measure levels of • Immunoglobulin A (IgA) • anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) • IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA)

8. References • Irons-Georges, Tracy. (2001) Strokes. In Magills Medical Guide (vol.1p 372,373) Pasadena: Salem Press, Inc. • Jacoby, David B. (2005) Celiac Disease. Encyclopedia of family health, third edition. (vol.3 p 329) Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish Corp. • http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319/DSECTION=2 • http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/ • http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/digestive/celiac.html • http://www.celiac.org/cd-diagnosis.php