Common Genetic Disease: Celiac Disease

The exact cause of celiac disease is not known, but scientists have found that it is genetic, meaning that if someone in your family has celiac then you have a high percent chance of having it too (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011). Even though there is no known cause of this disease, scientists do know that in a person without celiac the

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. People with celiac disease cannot eat foods with the gluten protein, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. If they eat foods with gluten, their

Celiac disease is primarily a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten resulting in an immune reaction in the small intestine, which leads to inability to absorb certain

While a gluten-free diet can be life changing to a celiac patient it can be damaging to someone like me who is not celiac nor gluten intolerant. Yet the gluten-free diet seems to the be new black in North American house holds. As reported in Gluten Free Diet Fad

Celiac Disease is a digestive condition that makes the small intestines to become inflamed and unable to absorb nutrients (Kamycheva, Goto, & Camargo 2017). The condition affects more than 3 million Americans. One in 133 American people are known to have the disease. The condition is triggered when an individual eats gluten. Mostly gluten is found in barley, wheat, rye, and other grains that most Americans love to eat. What if you couldn’t eat sandwiches, pasta, cakes, pies, pizza? Sound terrible, right? This has been my life for 10 years now.

Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). When the body's immune system overreacts to gluten in food, the immune reaction damages the tiny, hair-like projections (villi) that line the small intestine ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). Over time, this reaction produces inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption) ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). Excessive damage to the bowel can cause abdominal bloating, watery stool and weight loss.

Celiac sprue disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune cells attack its own intestinal villi in response to digested gluten from one’s diet, leading to the inability to sufficiently absorb nutrients and vitamins needed to maintain good health. Its symptoms include a wide span of gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, lactose intolerance, indigestion/bloating, and sudden weight loss; there are also several chronic symptoms such as fatigue, nosebleeds, and even seizures. There is not a cure for this disease. The best way to prevent it and allow your intestines to heal is to lead a life-long gluten-free diet. Additional vitamins and supplements may also be prescribed by doctors to ensure people with this

When a person is first diagnosed with celiac disease, a dietician will be working with the person by helping navigate safely around their food intolerances. In order to stay well, people with celiac disease must avoid gluten for the rest of their lives. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can cause irreversible damage to the small intestine.

“In this disorder the gastrointestinal tract is the major site of harm and it is also classified as an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is a disease where the body instead of helping cure itself actually attacks itself.” The immune system begins trying to kill parts of the body that are healthy and functioning correctly. Also, more times than not the parts of the body it starts trying to kill need to be alive in order to live. “What happens in Celiac disease is the immune system treats gluten as a foreign object and inflames the villi in the small intestine in order to protect the body from what the immune system sees as an invader. This causes a problem because the villi in the small intestine enable the body to digest and absorb food. When they are inflamed and eventually flattened, they can no longer perform. This leads to malnourishment or a lack in nutrition” (Green). The villi can no longer do its job of absorbing nutrients into the body so no matter how many different kinds of food and how much of it they eat, the person will remain malnourished until they cut gluten out of their diet and the villi become healthy again (Langwith). Depending on each individual that has Celiac disease this effect can either progress rapidly or gradually (Green).

Celiac Disease is only passed down through genetics. It is not contagious in any other way and it is in no way dangerous to be around someone with that disease. Celiac Disease

The cause of the disease is unknown. It is known that having certain genotypes can increase the chances of developing the disease however may not be the sole responsibility. A person is more likely to have these genes and get celiac disease if a close family member has it.

Villi are protruding tiny finger-like extensions that allow the small intestine to absorb nutrients from food. When the villi are damaged, they become flattened, making it nearly impossible for the body to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream leading to malnourishment. “Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications. (What Is Celiac Disease?) Celiac disease can also lead to many other serious problems including cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Celiac disease is one of the most common genetic diseases and it results from both environmental and genetic factors. CD effects approximately 0.5%-1% of the population in different parts of the world. People with diabetes, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, Turner syndrome, cystic fibrosis and autoimmune disorders have a higher risk for development of CD. Individuals related to

Celiac disease (CD) is defined as a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by small intestine mucosal damage in response to the ingestion of dietary gluten (proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye) in genetically predisposed individuals that improves with strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (Kelly, et al., 2015; Woodward, 2016; Meyer & Rosenblum, 2016; Isaac, et al. 2016; & Hill, 2016). Ludvigsson, et al. (2013) explain that while the symptoms of celiac disease have been described in medical literature for over 100 years, it was not until the 1940s that Dutch physician Dicke made the association of gluten exposure to the symptoms now associated with CD (p. 43). This paper will explore characteristics of the disease, as well as the current treatments and role of the primary care provider in caring for afflicted children.

DEFINITION: Celiac Disease (Sprue) is a disorder of the small intestine characterized by permanent inability to tolerate dietary gluten (a protein found in wheat and other grain products). When a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients from food. This condition is manifested by diarrhea, malnutrition, and a bleeding tendency. No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease through changing your diet.