What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is the digestive state in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged or destroyed and normally cannot absorb nutrients into the bloodstream. This damage is caused by an autoimmune response to eating certain types of grains of protein called gluten. Gluten, which is found mainly in breads, pasta and cereals, is also a component in many processed foods such as soy sauce, canned soups and ketchup. While most alcoholic beverages are gluten -free, beer should be avoided.

While some people with celiac disease may be without symptoms, most of them experience some type of digestive disorder, such as frequent digestion, heartburn, sour reflux and irritating bowel syndrome. Since the intestine cannot properly process food, weight loss and nutritional shortcomings are common. Another clear symptom of this disease is dermatitis, skin inflammation and many patients suffer from fatigue and sore joints. New studies revealed a strong link between the condition of the and the risk of osteoporosis.Malabsorption of calcium also leads to dental problems, including disintegration and other problems with tooth enamel.

There are basically two tests used to diagnose celiac disease. The most common is the upper endoscopy in which the plastic tube is inserted in the esophagus to always take photographs of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. This may also include a biopsy of the distal duodenum.

The second standard test is serological screening, consisting of four tests looking for IgA antibodies whose presence indicates the disease. Health workers can recommend additional tests, such as the number of blood or the number of liver enzymes, but the above two are a standard rule for diagnostics. Due to its similarity to other diseases, this condition is often incorrectly diagnosed.

There is no known direct cause of celiac disease, although scientists estimate that most patients have GENetic susceptibility to illness. The trigger could be anything from the environmental reagent, through the virus to the timely gluten exposure. In fact, studies show that children exposed to gluten soon before the intestinal barrier is fully developed, they have an increased risk of developing the state later in life.

Strict adherence to gluten -free diet is the only treatment available for celiac disease. Since no treatment is available, changes in the diet must be permanent. However, gluten -free diet will lead to an improvement in just a few weeks, and if the diet is maintained, the intestine will be completely healed in about three months.