What happens to people with Celiac disease who keep eating 'bad' foods?

Question

What happens to people with Celiac disease who keep eating 'bad' foods?

Say, they didn't know they have Celiac (not yet diagnosed). Or, just kept eating the damaging foods. What would that do to them over the long term?

Thanks for the info. What's the life expectancy of someone with Celiac? Normal? Less?

How about someone who doesn't follow the diet-- is it greatly shortened?

Answer 1

Lots of abdominal pain, diarrhea, fluid depletion (because of the diarrhea), possible internal bleeding. It's a bad scene all around.

Answer 2

How does the gliadin/gluten nutrient affect the body?
In people with this disease, gliadin damages the tiny projections, called villi, that cover the lining of the small intestine. Villi absorb and carry fluids and nutrients. When they are damaged, the body is unable to take in the nutrients that it needs. This causes problems that include:
diarrhea
weight loss
fatigue
irritability
distended belly
It also can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, lactose intolerance, and a foul smell to feces.

Information
Diet is an important part of treating this condition. A person with celiac disease is put on a gluten-restricted, gliadin-free diet. If he or she is very careful, most vitamin and mineral levels will return to normal without supplementation.

Food to avoid are any products made with wheat, rye, and, sometimes, oats and barley. These starches are found in many flours and thickening agents. Many processed foods also have hidden sources of gluten and gliadin. People with celiac disease should learn to read food labels to look for hidden gliadin-containing ingredients. Foods such as corn, rice, soybeans, chickpeas, tapioca, arrowroot, and potatoes are eaten instead. It also can be helpful to cut back on lactose, a milk sugar found in most dairy products.

A person with this disease may need to supplement his or her diet with vitamin and minerals, including calcium and vitamin D, and electrolyte and fluid replacement.

The cause of celiac disease is not completely known. One theory suggests that it is due to a missing or poorly functioning enzyme of the immune system. Other theories suggest it may be genetic. Recovery from this disease may take as long as 6 months to several years on a gliadin-free diet. After this time, symptoms will largely disappear and the small intestine will return to normal.

People with celiac disease must also be careful that gliadin foods do not come into contact with other foods during preparation. This can easily happen in the cases of shared utensils, cutting boards, or containers. This problem can make eating out hard for those with the disease.

The good news is that people with celiac are not alone. There are many groups that provide resources for these people and their families. There are also more choices today than ever before for gluten-free foods. At one time, people with celiac disease had to make many of their own foods. They commonly made bread from potato flour and cereals from non-gluten grains. Now there are large food companies that produce pasta, breads, and cereals made from gluten-free grains. In many cases, these foods are available through mail order.

These organizations can provide information and resources:
Celiac Sprue Association/ USA, Inc. PO Box 31700 Omaha, NE 68131-0700. [phone]
Internet site: www.csaceliacs.org
Gluten Intolerance Group of North America PO Box 23053 Seattle, WA 98102-0353. [phone]

Answer 3

I am not following this diet even though I have been Dxed.I get sick sometimes but other times I am just fine.

I am very overweight and cannot figure out why I would be fat if I wasn't absorbing my food ? When I have a few bad days I stay away from gluten and am fine. I eat _Cream of Rice _. It's very easy on the tummy.
Good luck

Answer 4

Over the long term-if you don't stick to the diet....you'll be at high risk of developing intestinal lymphoma and dying of that. You'll also develop all the various problems associated with malabsorption, including osteoporosis and neurologic symproms (often very painful ones like peripheral neuropathy).
With malabsorption, you can be both fat and malnourished.
An FAQ
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/faq.html
Best of Luck!

Answer 5

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