Celiac Disease: What is it?
Celiac disease is a lifelong digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients. It is disease of malabsorption which means nutrients are not absorbed properly and a disease that causes an abnormal immune reaction to gluten. Consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine for people with celiac disease. The damaged lining does not absorb nutrients well and so the risk for malnutrition is high.
When people with celiac disease consume gluten, the tiny fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, called villi, are damaged or destroyed. These villi normally allow the nutrients from foods to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine and into the bloodstream to be utilized by the body. Without healthy villi, the basic nutrients are not properly absorbed and malnutrition can occur no matter how much food is consumed.
Celiac disease is also referred to as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy or gluten intolerance. It is a genetically linked disease which means it is inherited and affects those with a predisposition to it. Celiac disease can develop at any age throughout the life cycle, from infancy to adulthood. Celiac disease is not simply a food allergy.