Giving up a portion of baked lasagna or a salami sandwich? It's one thing to do it from time to time so as not to gain weight. On the other hand, it is different to be forced to completely eliminate the consumption of traditional pasta and bread in order to feel good. It becomes an obligatory choice for all people suffering from celiac disease, an intestinal absorption disorder caused by the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in all foods made with wheat flour. Following a diet without this substance is currently the only method capable of counteracting the weakening, growth difficulties in children, bone disorders in the elderly and the many other problems that this disease causes. IT'S NOT A SIMPLE EATING DISORDER Recognized as a social disease by law 123 of July 2005, celiac disease is an intolerance to gluten, a protein complex present in derivatives of wheat, rye and barley. However, it is not an allergic problem, in which contact with the substance perceived as harmful immediately triggers an immune reaction that ceases as soon as the substance itself is no longer encountered. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive condition caused by the contact of gluten with the intestinal mucosa. "It is an autoimmune disorder," explains Professor Umberto Volta, who has been dealing with celiac disease for years. «In other words, when the organism of the predisposed person is subjected to contact with gluten» continues the professor «the immune reaction is triggered through the activation of intestinal lymphocytes which produce some mediators, called cytokines, capable of destroying the villi of the intestine. In this disorder, the production of a substance directed towards tissue transglutaminase occurs, an antigen present in all the cells that make up the intestine. For this reason, the disorders are mainly intestinal, but not only: tissue transglutaminase is distributed everywhere in the human body. So the autoimmune type reaction can also involve other areas of the body. "FLAT" INTESTINES The autoimmune reaction causes a state of chronic inflammation which causes a modification of the structure of the mucosa. Normally, the small intestine has a structure similar to the surface of a carpet: it is made up of thousands of tiny finger-shaped protrusions, the so-called "intestinal villas". The function of these structures is to increase the internal surface of the intestine, so that it is possible to absorb the largest possible amount of nutrients introduced with food. The role of the small intestine is in fact to absorb vitamins, mineral salts, proteins and fats, all substances which are then transmitted to the rest of the body to allow life, well-being and normal functions of the body itself. Due to the inflammation of the mucous membrane and the flattened villi, the intestine can only minimally absorb the nutrients it needs. OFTEN IT IS DIFFICULT TO DECIPHER Celiac disease does not present itself with precise symptoms. Many people experience intermittent diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and other complaints, which can simulate the signs of other diseases, such as irritable color, stomach ulcers, intestinal infections due to parasites. Celiac disease can also manifest itself with other symptoms that are not easy to decipher such as changes in behavior, irritability or depression, digestive difficulties, joint pain, muscle cramps. The main symptom, however, is malabsorption, i.e. the inability of the intestine to absorb the elements in sufficient quantity
