A Gluten-Free Diagnosis

Here is a look at the diagnoses for which doctors recommend a gluten-free diet:

Celiac: This is an autoimmune disorder in which your body goes on the offensive against gluten. Other symptoms may include weight loss, anemia, chronic fatigue, weakness, bone pain and muscle cramps.

This genetic disorder affects an estimated one in every 133 Americans, or about 2.3 million diagnosed and undiagnosed people, according to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research.

When a person suffers celiac disease, his gluten antibodies attack and destroy small fluffy cells called villi that line the small intestine. The villi are responsible for nutrients being absorbed from food into the body. So if the villi don’t function properly, you can become malnourished.

If a gluten-free diet is properly followed, the villi heal and the patient feels well. However, there is no cure for celiac disease.

Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well as anemia, diabetes and thyroid problems. The list goes on.

“It’s a diagnosis for life,” says Glicelia Oliva of Homestead whose 3-year-old son has the condition.

Wheat Allergies: When a person has a wheat allergy, the body reacts to the protein in wheat (not rye or barley) by releasing antibodies that cause an allergic reaction, explains Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo, director of Allergy and Immunology at Miami Children’s Hospital.

This can be anything from a rash to anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening condition. Other symptoms might include hives, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling and shortness of breath.

Children who are put on a gluten-free diet may outgrow their wheat allergies.

Gluten Sensitivity: About 6 percent of the U.S. population is gluten sensitive or intolerant. That’s 18 million people, according to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research.

These are people who might feel bloated after eating a plate of pasta. Or they might get headaches or body aches after eating whole-wheat bread.

When they go to the doctor, they don’t test positive for celiac, but they still may have a problem with sensitivity to gluten, says gastroenterologist Pamela Garjian, the sub-section chief of endoscopy at Baptist Hospital.

She suggests following an elimination diet for two weeks. Often giving up bread and pasta is enough to make them feel better, she says.