Key to Celiac Disease is Gluten

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Health Tip: Key to Celiac Disease is Gluten

03.24.06, 12:00 AM ET

www.forbes.com

 

(HealthDay News) -- Celiac disease, a hereditary condition that affects one

in every 133 people in the United States, can often be mistaken for a food

allergy.

 

CD impacts the absorption of nutrients by the small intestine, and can cause

damage to the organ. It is caused by some of the foods that trigger food

allergies, which often leads to misdiagnosis, the Asthma and Allergy

Foundation of America says.

 

Gluten, an ingredient found in wheat and other grains, is the primary

trigger that causes CD.

 

One symptom of CD is an itchy skin rash that causes dark brown spots on the

hands, arms and legs. Treatment of CD does not typically include medication,

but requires total avoidance of any foods containing gluten.

 

If you suspect you may have CD, you should consult your doctor.