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Print: What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a disorder that causes problems in your small intestine when you eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is poison to people with celiac disease.
What does gluten do to people who have celiac disease?
Gluten damages the small intestine of people who have celiac disease. This damage keeps your body from taking in many of the nutrients from the foods you eat, including vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fats and other important nutrients. Your body can't work well without these nutrients.
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Source
Detecting Celiac Disease in Your Patients by HT Pruessner, M.D. (American Family Physician March 01, 1998, http://www.aafp.org/afp/980301ap/pruessn.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff
Reviewed/Updated: 10/10
Created: 03/98
