Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. It comes about when someone eats gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, and grains. This reaction harms the villi in the small intestine. Damage to the villi leads to problems in absorbing nutrients. It causes symptoms like fragile bones, mood shifts, and even miscarriage.
It’s thought that 1% of people have celiac disease, but up to 80% of them might not know it. The illness is not typically deadly. Yet, it can cause severe problems and raise cancer risks.
Key Takeaways:
- Celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten.
- The condition damages the villi in the small intestine, leading to difficulties in nutrient absorption.
- Common symptoms of celiac disease include weakened bones, mood changes, and potential complications in females such as miscarriage.
- Approximately 1% of the population is affected by celiac disease, with a significant number remaining undiagnosed.
- Celiac disease can increase the risk of certain types of cancer and other serious complications.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is also called gluten-sensitive enteropathy. It shows many symptoms. Some folks don’t feel the signs, but damage to their guts is there. The common signs are:
- Digestive symptoms include bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and a sour stomach. Also, pale, smelly poop and throwing up can happen.
- Malnourishment is common. The gut can’t absorb nutrients well, causing issues like weakness, tiredness, and losing weight.
- Weakened bones happen if you don’t treat celiac disease. It causes problems with getting enough calcium and vitamin D, making bones weaker. This increases the chance of breaking bones.
- Celiac disease can change how you feel. It may lead to mood swings, being easily annoyed, feeling worried, or being sad.
- In females, this disease might make it more likely to have a miscarriage or find it hard to get pregnant.
Remember, not everyone with celiac disease has the same symptoms. Also, certain groups might face different signs. For example, issues like irregular periods, early menopause, and trouble getting pregnant are more likely in women with it.
Causes and Risk Factors of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is when the body’s immune system reacts badly to gluten. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, and other grains. We’re not completely sure why this happens, but gene changes seem to be a key factor. Not everyone with these gene changes gets celiac disease.
Sometimes, things like viral infections, surgeries, and even emotional stress can start celiac disease. If someone’s genes make them more likely to get the disease, these events can kick it off. They may not get it, but the chances go up.
If a close family member has celiac disease, your risk goes up too. This means if a parent or sibling has it, you might be at risk. It’s more likely to happen in families where it’s already known.
People with autoimmune issues are also more at risk for celiac disease. Autoimmune diseases have similar root problems. So, having one can open the door to getting others too.
Though anyone can get celiac disease at any age, some groups are more likely. Children from 8 months to 1 year old and adults from 40 to 60 years old are at higher risk.
Know what might cause or raise your risk for celiac disease helps doctors take early action. This makes it easier to prevent or manage the disease. Healthcare experts can offer the right advice and help with celiac disease if they know the risks.
Common Risk Factors for Celiac Disease
| Risk Factors | Description |
|---|---|
| Genetic Factors | Gene mutations that influence the immune system reaction to gluten |
| Triggers | Viral infections, surgeries, pregnancy, emotional trauma |
| Family History | Having a parent or sibling with celiac disease |
| Other Autoimmune Disorders | Having other autoimmune conditions |
| Age | Children (8 months to 1 year old) and adults (40 to 60 years old) |
Stem Cell Therapy for Celiac Disease
Right now, there’s no official treatment for celiac disease. People usually manage it with a strict gluten-free diet. This keeps the small intestine from more harm. But, stem cell therapy is starting to change things for the better.
Stem cells are special because they can turn into different types of cells. This means they might fix the damage in the intestines and stop the body from attacking itself.
Even though stem cell therapy for celiac is new, it’s offering hope. It could be a big help for those who don’t have many treatment options. But, we need more research and testing to see how much it can really help with gut health.