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Celiac Disease Causes/Risk Factors
- By Scott Adams
- Published 02/8/2007
- Celiac Disease
- Rating:
Scott Adams
In 1994 I was diagnosed with celiac disease, which led me to create Celiac.com in 1995. I created this site for a single purpose: To help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives. Celiac.com was the first site on the Internet dedicated solely to celiac disease, and since then it has become an invaluable resource to people worldwide who seek information about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.
In 1998 I created The Gluten-Free Mall, Your Special Diet Superstore! which was also another Internet first—it was the first gluten-free food site to offer a shopping cart-style interface, and the ability for people to order gluten-free products manufactured by many different companies at a single Web site.
I am also co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of Journal of Gluten Sensitivity.
Celiac.com 02/08/2007 - While celiac disease can affect anyone, it is more rare in Africans and Asians, and occurs most frequently in whites of Northern European ancestry, and in people with autoimmune disorders, such as:
- Autoimmune thyroid disease
- Lupus erythematosus
- Microscopic colitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Type 1 diabetes
Also, celiac disease and the tendency to get celiac disease runs in families. If one member of a family has celiac disease, the odds are that about one in ten of their first-degree relatives will also have it. People may harbor this tendency for years or even decades without showing signs or getting sick. Then, some kind of severe stress, like childbirth, infection, physical injury, or surgery can "activate" celiac disease.
While the precise mechanism of this activation, and of the intestinal damage is unclear, removal of gluten from the diet usually brings about quick relief of symptoms and promotes intestinal healing in most patients.
As always, Celiac.com welcomes your comments (see below).
Get FREE Celiac.com email alerts (1-3 email per month with the latest celiac disease research and information, gluten-free recipes, etc.).
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8 Responses to "Celiac Disease Causes/Risk Factors"
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09 Apr 2008 6:22:37 PM PDT Down here in Argentina, we need a Government support in order to afford the pricing gap between gluten-free food and rest of meals. Any clue?
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13 Jun 2008 5:19:50 AM PDT You seem to be missing the major cause of the disease: Infant formula.
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08 Sep 2009 6:52:07 PM PDT I was never on infant formula. Neither was my 90-year old great aunt who has celaic. How does it cause celaic???
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31 Mar 2011 12:35:20 PM PDT Amidra:
If infant formula were the major cause, then I believe my entire family would have celiac. But they don't. I have friends who had no formula and they DO have celiac? If I had been able to breastfeed my children, I would have. They had formula and are very healthy. |
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30 Mar 2009 5:56:08 AM PDT Thank you for the information, I was surprised this weekend while taking an 8 year old out for breakfast and was told she was a celiac. I have worked with 2 ladies who have it and they explained some of the problems arising from it. I was able to assist this child and answer her questions. One of which how do you know about celiacs? I explained the above to her and she was happy.
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27 Sep 2009 11:27:59 AM PDT I'm happy to find people who are living with this disease, it gives me hope.
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16 Aug 2011 11:08:34 PM PDT The general public's ignorance of the cause and treatment (dietary restrictions) of celiac disease is a source of continued problems. I have been given gluten-laden food by close relatives who know of my condition. It is as if they do not care or acknowledge the diet required to live with this terrible sensitivity. My son's mother refuses to believe I have celiac, and she is a RN. My son was finally tested and he is positive but she has convinced him that he does not have a problem. She is supposed to be a health care professional so I guess it is understandable that common people have no understanding.
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18 Aug 2011 1:22:21 PM PDT Here is a great article on this topic:
http://www.celiac.com/articles/22067/1/Dealing-with-Denial-by-Danna-Korn/Page1.html |