What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can affect both adults and children. People with celiac disease have trouble digesting food that contains gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley.
For people with celiac disease, eating gluten affects the small intestine.
Problems include inflammation and damage to the small intestine lining. People also have problems absorbing nutrients.
Celiac disease symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Bloating and gas
- Feeling rundown
- Anemia
- Osteoporosis (brittle bones)
Celiac disease diagnosis
Talk to your doctor if you think you may have celiac disease. Celiac disease is diagnosed through screenings that include:
- Blood tests that show an immune response to gluten
- Endoscopy that lets your doctor view and biopsy the tissue in your small intestine
- Capsule endoscopy that takes images of your small intestine
Treating celiac disease
Celiac disease is treated with a gluten-free diet. Gluten is found in a variety of products, from salad dressings to pasta.
Have you been diagnosed with celiac disease?
Talk to your provider about developing a diet that is both healthy and gluten-free.
