Celiac

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which eating gluten causes the immune system to damage the lining of the small intestine. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. What happens in celiac disease? When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their immune system attacks tiny finger-like structures in the intestine called villi. Over time, this reduces the body’s ability to absorb nutrients properly.

Common symptoms:

Symptoms vary widely and may include:

• Chronic diarrhea or constipation

• Bloating and abdominal pain

• Fatigue

• Weight loss

• Iron-deficiency anemia

• Skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis

• In children: poor growth or delayed puberty Some people have very mild or even no digestive symptoms.

Causes and risk factors:

The exact cause isn’t fully understood, but it involves:

• Genetic predisposition (especially HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 genes)

• Environmental triggers

• Immune system dysfunction It tends to run in families and is more common in people with conditions like Type 1 Diabetes or thyroid autoimmune disorders.

Diagnosis:

Doctors usually diagnose it with:

• Blood tests for specific antibodies

• Small intestine biopsy (often via endoscopy)

• Sometimes genetic testing People should continue eating gluten before testing, otherwise results can become inaccurate.