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What is Celiac (Coeliac) disease? |
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"What is Celiac (Coeliac) disease? Please can you explain?"
I reply: Celiac disease occurs when gluten damages your gut. Celiac disease is defined by tissue damage of the small bowel. Gluten is a food protein found in some grains. The gluten toxicity causes poor function of your upper bowel (the small bowel) and you get poor absorption of your food.
One in a hundred people (1% of the population) have coeliac disease - but most have not been diagnosed. This damage is ongoing and can only be cured by going on a gluten-free diet. The best blood test to check for coeliac disease is the tTG test (tissue transglutaminase). The Endomesial antibody (EMA) test is also a used to detect coeliac disease. The most definite test for coeliac disease is a small bowel biopsy (also called an endoscopy). However there are some problems with the interpretation of biopsy histology. If you have coeliac disease it is important for you to be strictly gluten-free life-long. I strongly recommend that you have your blood tests before you try a gluten-free diet.
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