Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten, which means that the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the body. Usually, our immune system recognises foreign bodies such as bacteria and produces antibodies against them. The antibodies then attack the bacteria to stop us from getting ill.
With coeliac disease, the immune system wrongly recognises gluten as a foreign body and produces antibodies to the gluten. The antibodies then damage the lining of our small intestine, which prevents us from absorbing nutrients properly and can eventually lead to malnutrition.
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some, but not all, coeliac sufferers also react to oats.
People with coeliac disease normally display some of the following symptoms, to a greater or less degree:
- bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, excessive wind, heartburn, indigestion, constipation
- tiredness, headaches
- weight loss (not in all cases)
- recurrent mouth ulcers (as a result of nutrient deficiencies)
- skin rash (but not in all cases)
- hair loss
- defective tooth enamel
- osteoporosis (weak bones)
- depression
- infertility or miscarriages
- joint or bone pain
- neurological (nerve) problems such poor muscle co-ordination and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
Because of the wide range of symptoms, many sufferers are unaware that they have the condition and put the symptoms down to food intolerances, stress or simply getting older. Some suffers are misdiagnosed with irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) as they share similar symptoms.
Coeliac disease affects approximately 1 in 100 people in the UK. The cause of the disease is yet unknown, but is thought that it can be hereditary. Coeliac disease can occur at any age, but is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60 years old.
People who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease need to avoid the following foods:
- Bread
- Pasta
- Wheat cereals
- Biscuits, crackers and cakes
- Pies and Pastries
- Gravies and most sauces
- Oats (in some cases)
- Many processed foods containing gluten (you must check the label)
If you have been diagnosed with coeliac disease you will be referred to a dietitian, who will give you advice on how to live with coeliac disease, including gluten-free alternatives that are available on prescription and in the shops, such as Asda's ‘Free From' range.
If you suspect you have coeliac disease you should go to your GP to be tested. At this point you should not remove gluten-containing foods from your diet, not only because you could be removing them unnecessarily, but because you need to be exposed to gluten at least six weeks before diagnostic tests can take place, otherwise a blood test may not be able to identify coeliac disease.