Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Support

Welcome to Celiac-Disease.com. We’ve been offering celiac information and gluten-free diet support since 2008!

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten found in food leads to damage in the small intestine. It is currently estimated to affect 1-in-100 people worldwide, but only about 30% are properly diagnosed.

When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage to the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.

Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have 1-in-10 risks of developing celiac disease.

Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start consuming gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional severe health problems.

Symptoms

Unlike many other diseases, food allergies, and/or food intolerances, Celiac Disease does not have a few standard symptoms you can easily look for. That is why it often takes an average of 5 years before receiving a correct diagnosis.

Currently, there are two ways to know that you have Celiac Disease. The first and recommended method is to talk to your doctor about getting tested (which usually involves a simple blood test and/or an endoscopy). The second option is the new Celiac Home Test Kit, which allows anyone to take the initial blood test from home, then consult their doctor with the results.

Although there isn’t a standard set to symptoms, below are the most common symptoms reported by those that go on to be diagnosed with celiac disease:

Diarrhea
Fatigue
Headaches
Dermatitis Herpetiformis, an itchy skin rash

For additional details or more on the symptoms of celiac disease, check out our Celiac Symptoms page.

Diagnosis

When working with a physician to diagnose and/or confirm celiac disease, typically three major steps will be taken.

A thorough physical examination is conducted, including a series of blood tests, sometimes called a “Celiac Blood Panel”.
A duodenal biopsy is performed with multiple samples from multiple locations in the small intestine.
The gluten-free diet is implemented. When the patient shows a positive response to the diet – symptoms subside and the small intestine returns to its normal, healthy state, confirming the diagnosis of Celiac Disease.

Note: To ensure the most accurate and timely diagnosis of Celiac Disease, the gluten-free diet should be implemented only AFTER the first two steps have been completed. Otherwise, doctors may be unable to confirm you have Celiac Disease via the biopsy.

For additional details or more on the diagnosis of celiac disease, check out our celiac diagnosis page.

Treatment

Once the diagnosis of Celiac Disease has been confirmed, treatment can begin immediately. Fortunately, celiac disease treatment does not require surgery or an unending dependence on medication, nor does require repeat visits to the doctor’s office.

Although a few medications are currently being tested to treat the symptoms of celiac disease, currently the best and only known treatment for Celiac Disease is simply a lifelong elimination of “gluten” from your diet (follow a gluten-free diet).

For additional details, check out our Celiac Treatment page.

Children

While a celiac disease diagnosis is more common in adults, there are a growing number of children being diagnosed with the disease. Especially those that have an adult family member with celiac disease. Below are some common symptoms that infants, young children, and teenagers display:

Infants: Commonly report abdominal pain and diarrhea (even bloody diarrhea), and may fail to grow and/or gain weight.
Young Children: May have abdominal pain with nausea and lack of appetite, anemia (not enough iron in the blood), mouth sores, and allergic dermatitis (skin rash).
Children: Irritable, fretful, emotionally withdrawn, or excessively dependent. In the later stages of childhood, children often become malnourished, with or without vomiting and diarrhea. This would cause the child to have a large tummy, thin thigh muscles, and flat buttocks.
Teenagers: May hit puberty late and are often short. Celiac disease might also cause some hair loss (a condition called alopecia areata).

For additional information, check out our children with celiac disease FAQ.

Celiac Disease Support

Being diagnosed with celiac disease can often be a shock and take some getting used to. Fortunately, you are not alone! The internet has a ton of great resources and most places will have a local Celiac Support Group to help you find in-person support.

The below resources should also help you get started on your journey!

Celiac Organizations

Celiac Support Groups

Celiac Support Groups

Following a Gluten-Free Diet

The adjustment to the gluten-free diet is a major lifestyle change. If you are someone new to food allergies and intolerances, a celiac diagnosis can be extremely overwhelming and initially upsetting; however, it is extremely important to be strict with eliminating gluten from our lives. Studies have shown that neglecting the gluten-free diet can lead to the development of additional autoimmune disorders, osteoporosis, increased risk of some cancers, and even higher mortality rates.

All of us feel the effects of gluten differently; some won’t feel any effects while others will have physical repercussions for weeks, making it necessary to completely eliminate the gluten no matter what your discomfort level. Gluten is damaging your body whether you feel the effects or not; therefore, some say it is easier to actually feel the after-effects to know if you have accidentally ingested gluten.

For tips on getting started on following a gluten-free diet, check out our official gluten-free diet page.

Eating Gluten-Free at Restaurants

Being diagnosed with celiac disease doesn’t mean you are permanently stuck at home cooking for yourself. If you forget to prepare a meal or have a social obligation that requires you to grab some fast food or eat at a restaurant, there are tons of options available these days.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about gluten-free restaurants menus options, check out our gluten-free restaurants page. You can even find individual information for each state/location!

Other popular resources:

Restaurant Cards

Finding Gluten-Free Groceries

Shopping for groceries that are safe to eat has gotten much easier over the past decade and most larger grocery supermarket chains now have a section dedicated to gluten-free foods. There are also a lot of regular products that happen to be gluten-free.

For additional information about safely shopping for groceries, or to find locations in your area that have gluten-free options available, check out our gluten-free groceries page. You can even find individual information for each state/location!

Confirming Other Products are Gluten-Free

Those following a gluten-free diet need to avoid ingesting gluten, which means you have to also be conscious of other non-food products that are put on or in your body.

Non-food items that may contain gluten:

Dental sealants
Dental plastics (some)
Glue on stamps and envelopes
Hairspray
Laundry detergent
Lip balms
Lotions
Makeup
Medications
Mouthwash
Playdough
Shampoo
Soap
Sunscreens
Toothpaste
Low-quality vitamins and supplements

The most common product from the list above is medications. Here are a few resources that should help you make sure you are taking gluten-free medications: