May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation and the American Celiac Disease Alliance, May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month. It is estimated that approximately 1 out of 133 people in the United States have celiac, though many go undiagnosed.

What is Celiac? It is a genetic, chronic, autoimmune intestinal disorder. However, symptoms can vary and are not only gastrointestinal. In people who are genetically susceptible, specific proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley known as gluten damage the absorptive surface of the small intestine. The surface of the small intestine is covered with tiny finger-like projections called villi that are responsible for absorbing all nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins). In people with celiac, gluten can cause the villi to become inflamed and flattened, leading to malabsorption of these nutrients, which can in turn cause conditions such as anemia, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, and can also increase the risk of developing other autoimmune disorders.

Celiac develops due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. It can occur at any age, including the elderly, and may be triggered by severe stress, a gastrointestinal or viral infection, surgery, or pregnancy.

Symptoms may include abdominal pain and bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, chronic fatigue and weakness, lactose intolerance, weight loss, bone/joint pain, easy bruising of the skin, migraine headaches, depression, mouth ulcers, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, infertility (in both men and women), recurrent miscarriages, and elevated liver enzymes. Celiac can also occur more frequently in people with other autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, Turner Syndrome, and Down Syndrome.

If you think you may have celiac, it is very important that you do not “self diagnose” and avoid gluten. If you avoid gluten and then have testing done to determine whether you have celiac, the test will give a negative result. It is imperative that persons suspected of having celiac consume gluten regularly prior to testing to ensure and accurate result. Blood tests used to detect celiac include endomysial antibody, tissue transglutaminase antibody, anti-gliadin antibody, and total serum IgA. Unfortunately, these tests are not 100% accurate. The only definitive test for celiac is a small intestinal biopsy. A genetic test is also available to identify markers that place a person at high or low risk of developing celiac. This test does not diagnose celiac, but it can rule it out.

Currently the only treatment for celiac is following a gluten free diet for life. Thankfully, that is getting easier to do as there are more and more products available to help ease the transition.

To raise awareness of celiac, there are many events being held nationwide, including a golf tournament in Connecticut and walks/runs in Texas, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, and Michigan. Uno Chicago Grill (found nationally) is also holding a “Dough Rai$er for Celiac Awareness” May 25 – 31. For those of you who may not know, Uno launched a gluten free menu this year and has gotten rave reviews.

For more information on events nationwide, visit http://americanceliac.org/