Sept. 8, 2023—For millions of Americans living with celiac disease, eating gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) can be a big problem. That's because celiac disease leads to damage of the small intestine when gluten is consumed.
Learning a few more facts about celiac disease—courtesy of the American Gastroenterological Association and the Celiac Disease Foundation—can help you understand its effects, possible treatments and whether you could have the condition.
1. Celiac disease can hurt you in more ways than one. Left undiagnosed and untreated, celiac disease can cause a variety of problems, including:
- Nutrition problems—the disease can keep your body from absorbing the nutrients from food that you need to stay healthy.
- Weakened bones.
- Anemia.
- An increased risk of lymphoma and intestinal cancers.
- Growth problems in children.
- An increased risk of thyroid disease.
- An increased risk of liver problems.
2. Celiac disease can cause surprising (or no) symptoms. Many people with celiac disease have digestive symptoms, such as bloating, gas, stomach pain, diarrhea and constipation. But some people have signs and symptoms that don't involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These may include tiredness, skin rashes, bone or joint pain, and tingling or numb legs.
Still other people with celiac disease don't have symptoms. They may have other health problems that lead to their diagnosis. But even when celiac disease doesn't cause symptoms, it can still harm your health, if left untreated.
3. You can be diagnosed with celiac disease at any age. Some people receive a celiac disease diagnosis when they're very young. Others aren't diagnosed until they're adults.
4. It runs in some families. Your chances of having celiac disease go up if a close relative has it too. A close relative means someone such as your mother, father, brother, sister or child.
5. Going gluten-free is the key to feeling better. If you have celiac disease, quitting gluten can help heal your intestine, and it often improves symptoms within weeks. Wheat, barley and rye are major gluten sources. But gluten can also show up in surprising places, like in soy sauce, salad dressings and candies. It's even in some nonfood items, like medicines.
Talk to your doctor about testing if you think you have celiac disease.
Learn more about gluten-free eating
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