Celiac Disease: Symptoms, Testing, Treatment & Research
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune condition triggered by eating gluten, a protein most commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system attacks the small intestine—causing symptoms that can affect every part of the body.
A Brief History of Celiac Disease
It is believed that celiac disease first began in humans at the advent of the first agricultural revolution.
As early human diets began to expand, adding in grains, domesticated livestock, and cultivated crops, most bodies were able to adapt. However, some did not. This resulted in certain food sensitivities, intolerances, and celiac disease making their first appearances in human history.
Before the real trigger for celiac disease was discovered (gluten), many treatments and diets were tested, including strict rice, mussel, and even banana diets. It wasn’t until World War II that wheat and, finally, gluten, began to come into focus as the culprit.
What causes celiac disease?
Celiac disease is genetic, which means that to develop it, a person must have one or both of the HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 genes.
However, having the gene(s) alone does not necessarily mean a person will develop celiac disease. It is estimated that 30 to 40% of the population has one or both of the genes linked to celiac disease, but only 1% develop the disease.
Those who develop the disease experience environmental or other factors that activate the gene(s), causing the body’s immune system to react to gluten and damage the small intestine. The specific factors are still a mystery, though research indicates that stressors such as illness, trauma, puberty, or childbirth may play a part.
Beyond Celiac is dedicated to supporting research to identify the factors that lead to the development of celiac disease, with the goal of preventing the disease from starting.
What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
The most common symptoms of celiac disease include:
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis, an itchy skin rash
While these are most commonly associated with celiac disease, there more than 250 known symptoms that can vary from person to person.
Newly Diagnosed?
The Getting Started Guide contains essential information for both newly diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity and those looking to better manage their gluten-free diet.
Celiac Diagnosis and Testing
The easiest way to identify celiac disease is through a blood test. If the results are positive for celiac disease, patients usually undergo an upper endoscopy with biopsies to confirm the diagnosis. An upper endoscopy with biopsies is the gold standard for diagnosing celiac disease. Learn more about celiac disease testing and diagnosis.
Note that if you suspect you might have celiac disease, please do not change your diet prior to testing. The patient must be eating gluten at the time of testing for the results to be accurate. Going on a gluten-free diet before getting tested may affect the validity of the results.
Currently, the only way to manage celiac disease is through a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet means avoiding all foods that contain wheat, rye, and barley in all forms. Learn more with our gluten-free diet overview.
There are currently no surgical treatments or medicines available to treat this autoimmune disease. Researchers are working hard to find alternative therapies and possibly a cure. See what treatments are being tested. You can keep up on treatment progress by viewing our drug development pipeline.
What happens if you don’t treat celiac disease?
If people with celiac disease continue to eat gluten, it increases the risk of developing or worsening:
- Malnutrition
- Infertility
- Anemia
- Osteoporosis
- Onset of other autoimmune diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, and Sjögren’s
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