Celiac Disease - The Gluten Intolerance

Celiac disease (gluten intolerance or glutamatemucosa, also. Inflammatory substances end up
enteropathy) is a chronic digestive disease causeddestroying the intestinal villous, which normally
by ingestion of gluten, which prevents absorptionallow absorption of nutrients. Thus, despite a
of nutrients, vitamins and minerals by thehealthy diet, these people suffer from malnutrition.
intestine. Gluten is an elastic mass of proteinSymptoms of the celiac disease occur secondary
present in most of the cereals, including wheat,to the lesions caused by ingestion of gluten.
barley, oats and rye.Symptoms may vary from case to case, from
The exact cause of the celiac disease is notmild symptoms that often go unnoticed, to
known, but recent medical research havesevere complications. In general, symptoms have
identified certain genes that define an increasedan intermittent nature: flatulence, abdominal
predisposition to this disease. It has beendiscomfort, diarrhea, weight loss despite a normal
observed an increased risk of developing theappetite, vomiting, weakness and fatigue.
disease for the people who have a first-degreeNo treatment can cure celiac disease. However,
relative with the disease. Environmental factorsthe disease can be kept under control through a
such as viral or bacterial infections, can causediet change - permanently eliminating gluten from
different changes in the small intestine at peoplethe diet.
genetically predisposed.In most of the cases, celiac disease occurs at
In case of people who suffer from this disease,children between 6 months and 2 years after the
ingestion of gluten initiate an abnormal immuneintroduction of cereals in the diet. It may also
reaction in the small intestine. This reaction notmanifest in adulthood, usually at 30-40 years.
only destroys gluten as if it would be dangerousWomen are 2 to 3 times more affected than
for the body, but attacks the small intestinemen.