What Is Celiac Disease?
Majid Ali, M.D.
Celiac disease (also called celiac sprue) is an immune-inflammatory disorder. It is considered to be caused by gluten sensitivity. True celiac disease accounts for a relatively smapp number of individuals clinically diagnosed to have gluten sensitivity. It occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward. Symptoms include pain and discomfort in the digestive tract, chronic constipation and diarrhea, failure to thrive (in children), anaemia[2] and fatigue, but these may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described.
Vitamin deficiencies are often noted in people with celiac disease owing to the reduced ability of the small intestine to properly absorb nutrients from food.
