HealthTalk
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten . This damages your gut ( small intestine ) so you are unable to take in nutrients . Coeliac disease can cause a range of symptoms , including diarrhoea , abdominal pain and bloating .
It is caused by an adverse reaction to gluten , a dietary protein found in three types of cereal : wheat , barley and rye . Gluten is found in any food that contains those cereals , including : pasta , cakes , breakfast cereals , most bread , certain types of sauces , some ready meals , and in addition , most beers are made from barley .
Symptoms
Eating foods that contain gluten can trigger a range of gut symptoms , such as : * diarrhoea , which may smell particularly unpleasant * stomach aches * bloating and wind * indigestion * constipation
Coeliac disease can also cause more general symptoms , including : * tiredness ( fatigue ) as a result of not getting enough nutrients from food ( malnutrition ) * unintentional weight loss * an itchy rash ( dermatitis herpetiformis ) * problems getting pregnant ( infertility ) * nerve damage ( peripheral neuropathy ) * disorders that affect co-ordination , balance and speech
( ataxia ) * Children with coeliac disease may not grow at the expected rate and may have delayed puberty .
What causes coeliac disease ?
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition . This is where the immune system ( the body ' s defence against infection ) mistakenly attacks healthy tissue . In coeliac disease , the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them . This damages the surface of the small bowel ( intestines ), disrupting the body ' s ability to take in nutrients from food . It ' s not entirely clear what causes the immune system to act this way , but a combination of genetics and the environment appear to play a part .
Treatment
There ’ s no cure for coeliac disease , but following a gluten-free diet should help control symptoms and prevent the long-term complications of the condition .
Even if you have mild symptoms , changing your diet is still recommended because continuing to eat gluten can lead to serious complications . This may also be the case if tests show that you have some degree of coeliac disease even if you do not have noticeable symptoms . It ’ s important to ensure that your gluten-free diet is healthy and balanced .
An increase in the range of available gluten-free foods in recent years has made it possible to eat a healthy and varied gluten-free diet .
Complications of coeliac disease
Complications of coeliac disease only tend to affect people who continue to eat gluten , or those who have not yet been diagnosed with the condition , which can be a common problem in milder cases .
Potential long-term complications include : * weakening of the bones ( osteoporosis ) * iron deficiency anaemia * vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia
Less common and more serious complications include some types of cancers , such as bowel cancer , and problems affecting pregnancy , such as your baby having a low birth weight .
Who ’ s affected
Coeliac disease is a condition that affects at least one in every 100 people in the UK . It can develop at any age , although symptoms are most likely to develop : * during early childhood – between 8 and 12 months old , although it may take several years before a correct diagnosis is made * in later adulthood – between 40 and 60 years of age
People with certain conditions , including type 1 diabetes , autoimmune thyroid disease , Down ’ s syndrome and Turner syndrome , have an increased risk of getting coeliac disease .
First-degree relatives ( parents , brothers , sisters and children ) of people with coeliac disease are also at increased risk of developing the condition .
Diagnosing coeliac disease
Testing is usually only recommended for people who have an increased risk of developing coeliac disease , such as those with a family history of the condition . First-degree relatives of people with coeliac disease should be tested .
Help and support
Coeliac UK is a UK charity for people with coeliac disease . Its website has useful resources , including information about a gluten-free diet and delicious gluten-free recipes such as this Chocolate and Cherry Fondant ( pictured ). They have advice on eating out and guides on travelling abroad . Each guide includes information on gluten free products and venues ( if available ), useful phrases in the local language so you can tell people about your dietary requirements , and details about the levels of awareness of coeliac disease and gluten free in the country you ’ re visiting . Plus which dishes in the local cuisine you should be avoiding .
Find the website at : www . coeliac . org . uk
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