What is Celiac Sprue and is there a cure ?

Celiac Sprue is often inherited, but it can also occur in individuals who have been pregnant, 
had severe stress, physical trauma, and/or a viral infection in susceptible individuals for 
reasons that aren't well understood. Celiac Sprue occurs when a protein called gluten, which
is found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and possibly oats, generates an immune reaction in the small
intestine causing the body to attack itself. When a Celiac ingests gluten it triggers a reaction 
in the immune system that causes the lining of the small intestine to become swollen and inflamed.
As a result, tiny hair-like projection in the small intestine called the villi shrink and often flatten
after continuous exposure to gluten. When the villi shrinks or flattens, it causes
the individual to lose the ability to digest and absorb nutrients from the food consumed. This
malabsorption can deprive the brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of 
nourishment and cause vitamin deficiencies that can lead to other illnesses such as lupus
and/or intestinal cancer. Individual's reactions to gluten vary from mild to severe symptoms
that can even lead to death if not treated.

Symptoms may appear at any age. 

Infants, toddlers, and children: 

projectile vomiting 
bloated abdomen, often referred to as a pot belly 
failure to grow, due to malabsorption of nutrients 
behavioral problems 
fatigue 
anemia 
chronic diarrhea, and stomach aches 
chronic constipation and stomach aches 


Adults and older children: 

abdominal cramps, intestinal gas, distention, bloating 
chronic diarrhea or constipation, often with pale bulky stools 
Steatorrhea: foul, frothy, sometimes floating stools 
anemia 
fatigue, weakness, and lack of energy 
excessive weight loss 
excessive weight gain 
depression and/or irritability 
memory loss 
joint pain 
mouth ulcers 
migraines or headaches

The symptoms listed above are just a guideline, just because you have other symptoms that are not listed above does not rule out celiac sprue. Some doctors will not test for celiac sprue if you are overweight, but some celiacs gain excessive weight instead of loosing excessive weight.

There is no cure for Celiac Sprue, except to live a strict gluten-free lifestyle, which is
sometimes difficult to do with the current labeling laws. Gluten is found in many 
commercial products ranging from ice cream to soy sauce under names like modified
food starch, spices, natural flavoring, and/or malt that make it difficult to determine what 
is actually in a particular product.

If you buy a product and you are unsure of the ingredients, call the manufacturer and 
explain your condition and concerns. Most manufacturers are willing to give out this
information and some even have lists they mail out, that list their gluten free products. In the 
past couple of years gluten free manufacturers have begun to emerge, with products ranging 
from cookies to pasta.

  Order our new Gluten Free Cookbook "Cooking with Lucy in her Gluten Free Kitchen"

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Monday, December 18, 2006 10:34 AM
Created and Maintained by Lucy Shriver