Celiac disease is unfortunately a fairly common autoimmune disease somewhat linked to ubiquitous gluten. Is it enough to eat “gluten-free” products with the characteristic crossed-out ear of grain on the packaging? Not everything is as simple as it seems…
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease associated with gluten that is currently increasingly being discussed in the context of nutrition and health status. In principle, however, it is about histopathological symptoms occurring in the course of the disease, which are aggravated by gluten consumption. What is more, it concerns people whose susceptibility to this ingredient - found, among other things, in cereal products - is encoded in their genes.
Of course, this does not mean that gluten cannot be harmful to people who do not struggle with celiac disease. Our intestines have often experienced this, and so has the body's immunity, a large part of which is located there.
We are talking about histopathological disorders induced and aggravated by its consumption because in such conditions, in people affected by the disease, atrophy / loss of intestinal villi is observed. This in turn leads to disturbances in the mechanism of food absorption, and thus nutrients. Especially since even a small amount of the ingredient may be harmful.
Gluten and celiac disease
Gluten is a specific plant protein belonging to lectins, which is considered a trigger of celiac disease. Mainly due to its ability to stimulate the immune system. At first glance, stimulating the system does not sound bad, but when it happens to an excessive extent, it becomes a threat. In such circumstances, gluten, among other things, increases the permeability of the intestinal barrier, negatively affecting its integrity.
In this way it promotes disturbances in food tolerance and the absorption of vitamins and minerals. It is worth mentioning that this protein is resistant to digestion and is also classified as a lectin, so it has the ability to stick to tissues.
The main sources of gluten are wheat, rye, barley, and oats. It can also be found, for example, in rice.
Celiac disease and the related problems
The fact is that celiac disease is one of the more common autoimmune diseases, although it often occurs together with other conditions of this type. These include, among others, Hashimoto's, type 1 diabetes, Addison's disease or even the bane of many men, alopecia areata. So it is worth carrying out appropriate tests to confirm or rule them out. The disease can remain hidden for a very long time and only reveal itself even in later life. As for symptoms, the basic distinction is between intestinal and extraintestinal forms. However, it must be remembered that every body is different and the symptoms do not have to be typical and identical for everyone.
Typical intestinal symptoms:
- constant diarrhea,
- persistent constipation,
- loss of appetite,
- malabsorption,
- deficiency states,
- weight loss,
- vomiting and nausea.
Symptoms classified as extraintestinal:
- concentration disorders,
- so-called Dühring's disease,
- brain fog,
- anemia,
- osteoporosis,
- fertility disorders.
Most often, a person with celiac disease is portrayed as very slim, even thin, with constant diarrhea. Nevertheless, this is not a rule, and thus it does not mean that a person who is overweight cannot have the problem. Especially since proteins from food are not absorbed properly. In any case, iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency is then relatively common, which leads to so-called anemia.
The form characterized by intestinal symptoms more often affects children, although there are many cases in which mixed symptoms are observed, which in turn may indicate various conditions. That is why an accurate diagnosis is the key to determining the problem and then taking the right steps to eliminate it.
In addition to the observed symptoms and a positive response to a gluten-free diet, it is worth doing the following tests (we carry them out while consuming a moderate, normal amount of gluten):
- deamidated gliadin,
- GAF-3X,
- tissue transglutaminase IgA / IgG,
- EmA (the so-called smooth muscle endomysium) IgG / IgA.
