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- What is coeliac disease?
- Symptoms of coeliac disease
- Causes of coeliac disease
- Prevention of coeliac disease
- Risk factors for coeliac disease
- Complications of coeliac disease
- When to see a doctor about coeliac disease
- Diagnosis of coeliac disease
- Conventional treatment of coeliac disease
- Alternative/complementary treatment of coeliac disease
- Living with coeliac disease
- Caring for someone with coeliac disease
Risk factors for coeliac disease
There are a number of risk factors which may trigger symptoms of coeliac disease or cause it to occur in the first place:
- Genetics - many people that have coeliac disease are genetically predisposed to it, so if any immediate family members have this condition, there is a higher risk for any siblings to develop it. Research suggests that there is a certain gene which is known to be associated with development of coeliac disease - HLA (human leukocyte antibody) locus DQ2
- Gut infection - a bacterial or viral infection of the intestines is a known risk factor to trigger coeliac disease in people who have a latent form of this condition. This means they have the faulty intestinal genes but are healthy and have no sign of this disorder until the gut infection triggers something in these genes and this causes coeliac disease to manifest
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People with the following health conditions are more at risk of developing coeliac disease, are associated with coeliac disease, or have less symptoms when following a gluten-free diet:
- Dermatitis herpetiformis - this is a rare skin disorder which manifests as blistering, itchy skin patches that are gluten-sensitive and will only get better with medication and a gluten-free diet. this condition is also called Duhring's disease
- Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) - coeliac disease is diagnoses in about 5% of people with IDDM
- Irritable bowel syndrome - people with irritable bowel disorder (IBS) generally feel much better and have less incidence of symptoms when they follow a gluten-free diet
- Leaky gut syndrome - people with leaky gut syndrome generally feel much better and have less incidence of symptoms when they follow a gluten-free diet
- Lymphocitic colitis - this disorder causes inflammation of the bowel and can be related to coeliac disease because a gluten-free diet can reduce symptoms of this condition
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< 4: prevention 6: complications > Last reviewed: 15 August 2008 || Last updated: 26 February 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
