coeliac disease
Cards (6)
- symptomsindigestion, stomach pain, bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation, anaemia and loss of appetite.feeling tired all the tome as a result of malnutrition.children not growing at the expected rate and adults experiencing unexpected weight loss
- gliadin is a substance found in gluten
- biological explanationvilli normally help nutrients from food be absorbed through the small intestine walls into the bloodstream. Coeliac disease is not a food allergy or a gluten intolerance. Its an autoimmune response, where healthy substances are mistaken for harmful ones and the body produces antibodies against them.
- causesoften runs in the family- if someone has a close relative with the condition their chance of developing it is higher.associated with a number of genetic mutations that affect a group of genes (HLA-DQ genes) that are responsible for the development of the immune system. These mutated genes are very common and so its thought that environmental factors must trigger the condition in certain people.introducing gluten into a baby's diet before 6 months may increase their risk of developing the condition.
- treatmentgive up all food containing gluten for life to avoid long-term damage to health.vaccinations e.g flu jab, as individuals with coeliac disease are more vulnerable to infectionsvitamin and mineral supplements can also help correct any dietary deficiencies.
- impact on diet and lifestyleremove gluten from the diet by excluding wheat products, otherwise villi will be damaged.take additional vitamin and mineral supplements -may be a deficiency until villi regrow, due to impaired absorptionread food labels very carefully when shopping as flour is often used as a thickening agent.take care when eating out- look for gluten-free products. Most items on menus are likely to contain gluten.take care when eating at the homes of family/friendsavoid using oil that has been used to fry gluten- may be traces of products containing gluten e.g batter