What Causes Celiac?
Why an individual becomes “allergic” to gluten is unknown. However, there is definitely a genetic predisposition. Most individuals with this disorder are residents of Western Europe and places where Europeans emigrated, such as North America. In the past, it was felt to be a rare disorder affecting about 1 in 3000 individuals. With the advent of new, more accurate blood tests, it has been learned that approximately 1 in 200 Americans are affected, most of which are undiagnosed. Sprue is not contagious, but because of the genetic basis, approximately 10% of first-degree relatives (parents, siblings and children) are similarly affected. Why Make the Diagnosis? I have been asked this question by both patients and doctors. If the symptoms are mild or in some cases none, why bother looking for and diagnosing this condition? The answer lies in the common problems associated with long-term malabsorbtion. Because the fatigue and anemia develop gradually, people learn to live with these symptom
