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Sydney Griffen

English 1201

Prof. Echols

26 March 2022

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease, how does it impact your body? Celiac is a disease where your

small intestine can become inflamed, leading to having a hard time digesting food. My

focus for this research easily stemmed from the fact that my mom and I both have

gluten sensitivity. When people consume gluten, it can affect them in many ways. Most

people experience mild side effects which can range from fatigue, bloating, and diarrhea

to lower gastrointestinal issues. This can result in severely damaging the cilia in the

small intestine or unintentional weight loss. About 1% of Americans are diagnosed with

Celiac disease which is approximately three million people.

Celiac disease first became known in the eastern Mediterranean. Dating way

back when men were starting to grow their crops, such as wheat, barley, etc., and

worked to find the resources they needed to survive. Mankind went from hunting and

gathering to agrarian and stopped searching for their food. Back then our ancestors

actually selected grains, such as wheat, they were not supposed to be digested. Since

medicine did not start advancing until the late 1800th century, they couldn’t have known

about the side effects of indigestion. In 1888, the term “coeliac” was discovered by a

man named Samuel Gee. However, wheat and rye flours were the main sources of this
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disease. It wasn’t until the 1940s, when William Karel Dicke, a Dutch physician, made

this discovery. In the 1970s, rapidly improving technology allowed for changes to begin.

With these advancements in technology, doctors now had the ability to perform an

upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, thus, allowing a biopsy to be performed. This

significant breakthrough procedure allowed doctors to diagnose patients to determine if

Celiac disease was truly present before the patient went on an inconvenient diet.

Gluten, a structural protein, is present in many different types of foods. Generally,

this protein, found in wheat, barley, rye, or sometimes oats, is the major factor that can

unexpectedly be found in various products beyond foods. One would least expect this

protein to be found in cosmetic products and beverages. Since gluten affects people in

different ways, the most common result of this disease is the lack of nutrients absorbed

by the body. When the body doesn’t get enough protein or nutrients it is called

malabsorption. Avoiding malabsorption is critical as the body needs the right amount of

nutrients to be sustainable. The other way is a defect, which means it is not allowing the

protein to pass through the bloodstream. This concern can lead to having high levels of

bloodwork done to restore the body to a normal level.

Gastrointestinal complications are typically major issues many people experience

when it comes to Celiac disease. The gastrointestinal tract, also known as the GI tract,

extends from the mouth to the anus. The esophagus, stomach, and intestines are the

major organs of the digestive system which make up the GI tract. To assist the body in

digesting food and other proteins, the GI tract produces enzymes. Consuming foods

that promote a healthy GI tract allows for all major organs to function properly.
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The fingerlike or threadlike projections in the GI tract are known as villi. Healthy

villi can be a powerhouse for people as it facilitates the passage of fluids or nutrients.

However, if damaged, the villi can act as a villain to one who may have Celiac disease.

Given that the major function of the villi is that it acts as a barrier for all germs and

bacteria if damaged, compounding health concerns could be paramount. With healthy

villi, absorption of essential nutrients through the digestive process will occur as the villi

will assist with breaking down food while releasing enzymes the body needs to run like

a well-oiled machine.

Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is a very important part of what causes Celiac

disease. The tissue transglutaminase operates by combining the proteins, which is a

critical part of the healing process. tTG transforms the gliadin molecule into an

arrangement that interacts with and activates certain immune cells. As a part of this

interaction with gliadin, tTG gets absorbed into white blood cells which produce

antibodies to fight the inflammation. Therefore, tissue transglutaminase is critical to

someone who has ingested gluten.

There can be two different types of Celiac disease, classical and silent. Classical

has a higher percentage of people being diagnosed each year. This type produces only

mild to severe symptoms. It all just depends on how much your small intestine is

damaged. Silent Celiac disease is where it affects how much nutrients are coming into

your body. Without the right amount of nutrients, it can cause an increase in weight loss

and vitamin deficiency.

Classic celiac disease is known for generating mild to severe symptoms that

predominantly exist in the GI tract. Even if you have the classic form of this disease, you
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can experience a sense of fatigue that comes after an illness and never seems to

dissipate. You can also get Adenocarcinoma, which is a type of cancer in the small

intestine. People with severe cases experience villous atrophy and malabsorption

impacting much of the length of the small intestine. Symptoms often occur later in life

with a related condition called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Children with Celiac disease typically experience common symptoms. One of

those symptoms is a decreased appetite. This occurs because children who are picky

eaters can worsen their Celiac disease due to the inability to eat gluten. Another cause

of this is failure to thrive and grow in the puberty stage of development. This

complication is described as children's weight and height are not where it needs to be

compared to kids around their age. It is simply stated that children with no deployment

in their growth may have more of a chance of having Celiac disease. The last major

symptom of Celiac disease is a swollen belly. When children eat rye, wheat or

something that contributes to this disease, they will most likely have something called a

“potbelly.” Children who experience these common symptoms will be advised to

perform a gluten sensitivity test. This procedure forces one to eliminate some foods

from the child's diet and see if it has a positive or negative effect on them.

For adults, many of their symptoms are similar to what children experience.

Adults with digestive issues may include diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, and gas.

However, most people that deal with Celiac can have more symptoms than just

concerns in the digestive tract. Additional symptoms such as anemia, which is when

one has low iron levels, a loss of bone density or osteoporosis, and headaches are

other significant concerns. If adults are having trouble with gluten, they should consult
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their health care provider to discuss and determine an action plan. One should not start

a diet on your own because it can interfere with test results. Risk factors with Celiac

diseases are more common in people with a family member diagnosed with Celiac

disease, type 1 diabetes, or Addison's disease.

Celiac disease can produce severe complications if untreated. As noted above, a

major concern is that malnutrition could occur as the small intestine lacks the ability to

absorb enough nutrients to function properly. It can also cause bone weakening,

infertility, or miscarriages. Bone weakening is the malabsorption of calcium and vitamin

D that can lead to the softening of one's bone structure. Infertility and miscarriages also

involve vitamin D and can contribute to reproductive problems. Some people with this

disease can also have problems in the nervous system, causing them to have seizures

or a disease of the nerves in their hands and feet. The final complication of untreated

Celiac disease is that it can cause cancer. Not maintaining a gluten-free diet while you

have Celiac disease can result in a higher risk of getting intestinal lymphoma and small

bowel cancer.

Gluten intolerance can be a very misleading label. I say this because a person

can have gluten intolerance and not be impacted by Celiac disease. Some symptoms of

this include bloating, joint pain, and a severe skin rash. This is stated to become a

problem with people because they are either self-diagnosing themselves or they are

doing it based on information they found out on their own. The affirmative response to

being diagnosed with Celiac is to get an intestinal biopsy. Another term that can be

commonly mistaken is gluten sensitivity. Studies have shown that people who take

gluten out of their diet have felt a lot better even though they do not have Celiac. The
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only detrimental part about having gluten sensitivity is that there is so much unknown

that it can be hard to diagnose.

Is Celiac disease more common in men or women? Studies show that females

are more likely to develop this disease than men. Some doctors have speculated that

this is true because women are more aware of their health, and are more likely to go to

the doctor when they feel something's not quite right. Men tend to ignore the signs and

not worry about it. Another theory on why this is true is because women have a higher

autoimmune condition than men do, and since celiac is an autoimmune disease, it

would make sense why people tend to suspect it.

The figure above shows how females have had higher diagnoses in the past

years than men. This figure also shows that people have been mainly diagnosed with

Celiac disease through the age of 20-45 (Figure 9 BMJ).

When you are diagnosed with Celiac disease, you are more likely to have fertility

problems as you age. Some of those issues may include early menopause, smaller

babies, or a delay in your menstruation. However, it is stated that fertility is poorly

understood when it comes to patients having Celiac disease. Infertility is caused by

many different things such as genetic diseases and illnesses that affect reproduction.

This is what triggers people with this disease. Now, the strain it has on females is pretty

stern. Females with this will usually have a shortened period or irregular periods.

Women are able to get pregnant, however, they are more than likely to have a

miscarriage. There is evidence that males with Celiac disease are more prone to have

reduced sex hormones and reduced sperm count. Another downside to the males

having this disease is that another study has shown smaller babies and worsening

outcomes when it comes to pregnancies. They are also more likely to develop other

conditions such as osteoporosis. As you can see, infertility can strongly impact the life

of males and females. One way this can be prevented is simply going on a gluten-free

diet. In following a gluten-free diet, it has been proven to have a positive impact on

males, females, and potential children.

There are many autoimmune diseases that are closely related to Celiac disease

such as Hashimoto’s disease (Hypothyroidism) and Grave’s disease. These

autoimmune diseases normally come before patients are diagnosed with Celiac

because it is easier to spot while Celiac stays silent. If you are diagnosed with

Hashimoto’s disease, you are more than likely to need a thyroid hormone replacement.

Hypothyroidism normally gets inflamed when you are very stressed, such as during

pregnancy or an illness. When this becomes inflamed it is not able to produce enough
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thyroid hormone which is necessary for the body. Many symptoms of this may include

depression, weight gain, and stress. When it comes to the treatment of this disease, it is

fairly simplistic as thyroid hormones can be prescribed. However, since soy has been

added to this, it can be difficult for thyroid hormone replacement therapy. After being

diagnosed with Celiac and the patient’s intestines have healed, they will be able to

consume small doses of the hormone to help them. Another name for Graves disease is

hyperthyroidism. This is another disease that is caused after you are diagnosed with

Celiac disease. It is caused by antibodies that increase thyroid function. This disease

can be easily treated with some antithyroid drug, but it has to be closely monitored as

some have experienced an allergic reaction to the drug. General symptoms of this can

include irritability, weight loss, and irregular sleep patterns. Therefore, both of these

diseases can become very serious and need to be treated. This is why when you are

diagnosed with Celiac disease, it is very important to consider going on a gluten-free

diet. If you do this, it can give time for your intestines to heal, as well as allow your body

to consume medication better. Your overall health will greatly improve.

A couple of other diseases that are closely related to Celiac disease are

Addison’s disease, autoimmune liver disease, and Cardiomyopathy. Addison's disease

plays an important role when it comes to the glands. Specific glands help the body

respond to a lot of stress. This disease can be fatal if it is left untreated because the

body can not handle the major stress in life such as an illness. Addison’s disease can

be treated with cortisone therapy. The autoimmune liver disease affects nearly 90

percent of women. This disease is caused when your liver becomes too inflamed. One

way to easily be diagnosed with this is to be tested. It does require a liver biopsy for the
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doctors to accurately diagnose. Since autoimmune liver disease is so closely related to

Celiac, patients are often tested for Celiac whether they have symptoms or not. There is

no official treatment for this kind of disease, however, you can get liver transplantation if

your body is starting to have trouble. Lastly, cardiomyopathy involves the heart muscle.

When your heart gets too inflamed, it is called cardiomyopathy. There are three different

types: hypertrophic, restrictive, and dilated. Dilated is the one that is closely related to

Celiac disease. This can be the main issue for primarily older patients because as you

get older and the heart gets weaker, it can be difficult for the heart muscle to pump

enough blood. Therefore, the heart dilates and can soon result in heart failure. Once

again, there has been significant evidence that going on a gluten-free diet can help you

when it comes to cardiomyopathy.

As one considers the path of a gluten-free diet, knowledge of the basics is

essential in being successful. Proceeding with a gluten-free diet will not be easy by any

means. It takes a lot of discipline to be able to do something like this. It will be different

for everyone, because if you grew up not really eating gluten, then you might not have

as much of a problem as someone who grew up with gluten in their life all the time. It

takes some time to get the hang of it and it takes patience. Being gluten-free, in simple

terms, just means cutting everything that contains gluten out of your diet. Grain is a big

part you need to avoid if you want to be able to sustain a GF diet. Grains are

categorized into families. Therefore, all of the same genetic makeup of grains all go in

the same place. Grains you need to avoid are wheat, rye, kamut, and barley. However,

some grains are still edible while you are on a gluten-free diet such as rice, corn, millet,

and sorghum.
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In conclusion, Celiac is a disease where your small intestine becomes inflamed,

which leads to difficulty in food digestion. There are a variety of side effects that can be

construed as different things. However, many of them include bloating, diarrhea, or

fatigue. Celiac disease affects children and adults in a similar way. Children’s side

effects are a decreased appetite, may not thrive in the puberty stage, and a swollen

belly. Adults may have more problems with their digestive tract and they also have a

high chance of getting anemia. There are a variety of ways you can treat this disease

however, the primary way would be to see a doctor and seek help.
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