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Gastroenterology
What do You Know about Celiac Disease?
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INTRO: You may already know that people who are diagnosed with celiac disease should not eat foods containing wheat, barley or rye, because their bodies develop an immune response which can damage the lining of their intestine…and did you know the number of cases is actually on the rise and that it can happen to people of all ages?
B-roll of gluten-free items and sound bites with Dr. Murray are available in the downloads.
Expert title for broadcast cg:
Dr. Joseph Murray, Mayo Clinic Gastroenterologist
Voiceover text is below.
Joseph Murray, M.D., is a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease, and he says they used to think the condition was rare, but blood tests developed in the 1990s have improved the ability to detect the disease. Since then, they’ve seen an increasing number of cases but weren’t sure if it was because they were detecting the disease more accurately or if celiac disease was actually on the rise. Their recent study shows celiac disease is becoming more common, in fact five times more common than it was 50 years ago.
The question is, why? Dr. Murray says it may be because, in addition to being a genetic condition in families, celiac disease might also be triggered by things like an infection or a major operation.
Dr. Murray recommends people see their doctors and be tested for celiac disease if they have family members with the condition or have symptoms such as stomachaches, diarrhea, gas and bloating, and anemia. If they test positive, the treatment is a gluten-free diet. He also suggests patients talk to nutrition experts to help them successfully adjust to gluten-free diets. Not all symptoms of celiac disease are obvious, so it’s important to talk with your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
