Guest guest Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Celiac Disease: When Symptoms Are More Serious More serious gluten intolerance is called celiac disease. That's when gluten actually triggers the body's immune system. When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the villi -- tiny, fingerlike projections in the small intestine that absorb the nutrients from food. For this reason it's considered an autoimmune disease. Celiac disease, which also goes by the names gluten-sensitive enteropathy, nontropical sprue, and celiac sprue, is a genetic disease. This means it can run in families. And it has far-reaching effects. "Celiac disease is not just a disease of the gut," says Case, R.D., nutrition consultant and author of Gluten Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. "It's a multi-system, multi-symptom disease with serious implications." Celiac disease is linked to malnutrition that can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, depression, behavioral problems, and stunted growth in children, among other problems. People who have celiac disease may also have other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/gluten-intolerance-against-grain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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