Celiac Disease
By Beth Zuber
What is celiac disease?
Symptoms
There are no specific signs but the most common complaints are...
- Diarrhea
- Abdomina Pain
- Bloating
Other symptoms could be...
- Irritability or depression
- Anemia
- Stomach upset
- Joint pain
- Muscle cramps
- Skin rash
- Mouth sores
- Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis)
- Tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy)
Gluten
- A group of elastic proteins in the protein family known as prolamins
- insoluble in water
- Exists in grass like plants
- Gluelike substance to hold the flour products together and makes it chewy
Affects on Molecules, Cells, and Tissues
- Immune system produces antibodies as a response to the gluten
- The antibodies cause inflammation within the villi
- The Inflammation causes the death of the cells in the villi
Affects on Organs and the Organism
Cardiovascular
The blood cannot take the nutrients and vitamins through the blood like it usually would.
Skeletal
The calcium and phosphate from food is not able to get to the bones to be used for mineralization.
Integumentary
The nutrients to feed the cells that make the skin comes from the blood and without it the cells won't be able to grow.
Muscular
Without the nutrients that you digest, your muscles will not be able to grow and produce energy. Nutrients like calcium are also involved with muscle contraction. It pulls open the binding cite on the actin so that the myosin can attach. Picture
Nervous
Food that you eat provides nutritional support for neurons. When neurons develop, iron is one of the nutrients that you eat that allows for myelination.
Symptoms Due to Malnutrition
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating
- General weakness and fatigue
- Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily
- Stunted growth (in children)
- Osteoporosis
Cause
- Genetic -HLA-DQB1, HLA-DQA1
- Gene mutations could be a cause but not all gene mutations of this kind cause it.
- Can be passed down in a family.
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis
Diagnosis
-Celiac is commonly misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or spastic colon.
-Patients will see a gastrionologist (Doctor for digestive system disorders)
1. History of Symptoms
2. Blood test
3. Intestinal Biopsy
Treatment
-There is no cure but you can manage it by changing your diet.
-Inflammation in the small intestine will subside immediately after removing gluten from your diet.
-Complete healing of the small intestine's villi may take several months to a few years.
-Vitamine supplements are available if you have nutrition deficiency.
Prognosis
-Undiagnosed Celiac Disease will cause to sever malnutrition and this could lead to autoimmune diseases and cancer.
-If your diet is restricted, full recovery will take a few months to several years.
Studies
- Celiac disease is the most common food intolerance in the general Wester European population.
- In the US, antibody screening has indicated a higher prevalence to this disease.
- More adults are diagnosed with Celiac Disease than children.
References
-Patrick, S. (2013, September). Gluten intolerance symtoms . In Gluten intolerance school. Retrieved May 10, 2013
-Brain Cells. (2010). In Enchanted learning. Retrieved May 20, 2013
-Celiac disease. (2012, August 21). In NCBI. Retrieved May 20, 2013
-Celiac disease. (2011, February 18). In Healthcommunities.com. Retrieved May 20, 2013
-Georgieff, M. K. (2007). Nutrition and developing the brain. In The American journal of clinical nutrition. Retrieved May 21, 2013