What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that causes a reaction in your body to the protein, gluten. Gluten in your digestive system triggers your immune system to produce antibodies against it. These antibodies damage the lining of your small intestine (the mucosa). Damage to the mucosa in your small intestine impairs its ability to absorb nutrients from your food, causing nutritional deficiencies.
Gluten is a protein found in grains — particularly wheat, barley and rye. These grains, especially wheat, make up many of the staple foods of the standard Western diet, from breads and cereals to pasta and baked goods. Besides that, gluten often appears as an additive in food products where you wouldn’t expect to find it, such as sauces, soups and packaged foods. Beer is usually made from barley or rye.
How does celiac disease affect my body?
Celiac disease affects your small intestine. This is where most of the nutrients from your food are absorbed, including proteins like gluten. But when you have celiac disease, gluten in your small intestine triggers an immune response. Your immune system sends inflammatory cells and antibodies to destroy the gluten molecules. These cells damage the mucous membrane lining your small intestine (mucosa).
The mucosa that lines your small intestine is vast but is scrunched up into many folds and fingerlike projections called villi. If you stretched it all out, it would cover a tennis court. The folds and projections increase the surface area in order to absorb as many nutrients as possible during digestion. But immune cells triggered by celiac disease erode and flatten these projections, diminishing the surface area.
Is celiac disease serious?
Damage to your small intestine can have serious consequences. Your small intestine absorbs nutrients from your food through the mucosa. If the mucosa is damaged, it won’t be able to absorb nutrients as it should. This is called malabsorption. It can lead to malnutrition and to many other conditions that follow from the lack of different nutrients. In children, it can cause stunted growth and development.
Who gets celiac disease?
Celiac disease is most commonly found in people of Northern European descent. It’s estimated to affect 1% of the populations of Europe and North America. You have a 10% chance of developing the disease if you have a first-degree relative, such as a parent or child, who has it. About 97% of people diagnosed with celiac disease have a recognizable gene mutation associated with it (HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8).
What other risk factors contribute?
Celiac disease is more common in people with certain inherited chromosomal disorders, such as Down syndrome. It’s also more common in people with certain other autoimmune diseases. These diseases often share common genes, and they also have a way of triggering each other. Like other autoimmune diseases, celiac disease is more common in people assigned female at birth (AFAB). The ratio is at least 2:1.
You’re more likely to have celiac disease if you:
- Are white.
- Have a relative who has it.
- Have a chromosomal disorder such as Turner syndrome, Williams syndrome or Down syndrome.
- Have another autoimmune disease, such as Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, microscopic colitis or Addison’s disease.
- Were assigned female at birth.
