Celiac disease

• Fact: Celiac disease doesn’t just cause gas, cramps and bloating. It also interferes with the body’s absorption of nutrients, depriving the brain and other organs of vital nourishment. This can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, cancer and other illnesses.
• Proportion of risk that’s in your genes: 57 percent.
• What you can do: If genetic testing determines you’re at high risk of celiac disease, you and your doctor can monitor your health and look for signs of the health condition. Following a gluten-free diet has been helpful for many celiac patients.
• Did you know? Although symptoms of celiac disease typically include abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea, the disease can manifest itself as muscle cramps, mouth sores, joint pain or depression.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that damages the small intestine and hinders the absorption of nutrients from food. People with the health condition cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in anything made with wheat, rye, or barley. Consuming bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods can trigger an immune reaction in the small intestine and elsewhere, leading to intermittent diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating as well joint pain and skin rash.

Although many people still haven’t heard of celiac disease, it is diagnosed more often as it becomes better recognized by the medical community. At least 2 million Americans have celiac disease.

A genetic predisposition is involved in a majority of cases. Of those people who have a sibling, parent, or child with the disease, about 1 in 22 will also have the disease themselves. Environmental factors also play a role, but scientists have not yet identified all the causes. The Navigenics gene test will help you determine whether you have a genetic predisposition to the disease. If you do, it is clear that repeated exposure to gluten can cause intestinal inflammation and damage.

Celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose, as it mimics many other conditions including Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. It can appear simply as an anemia or osteoporosis, and has even been associated with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Knowing from a genetic test that your genes increase your chance of developing it can make you more alert to symptoms and assist doctors in knowing when to test for celiac disease.

Although the condition has no cure, controlling celiac disease is possible by following a life-long, gluten-free diet.