{"id":58010,"date":"2016-02-24T22:14:45","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T21:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darmklachten.nl\/conditions\/gluten-intolerance-celiac-disease\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T15:47:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T13:47:22","slug":"gluten-intolerance-celiac-disease","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.darmklachten.nl\/en\/conditions\/gluten-intolerance-celiac-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Gluten intolerance (Celiac disease)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is gluten intolerance or celiac disease?<\/h2>\n

Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) is an inflammatory condition in which the intestinal wall or other organs are affected. Gluten consists of proteins found in grains such as wheat, rye and spelt. The inside of the small intestine is lined with cells that form small projections. These projections are called villi. Together, the villi create a large surface area and absorb vitamins, sugars and other nutrients that pass through the small intestine.<\/p>\n

If you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, eating foods containing gluten causes an abnormal immune response. The body mistakes gluten for a bacterium and then tries to attack it. Not only is the immune system occupied by the response to gluten, but the villi of the small intestine are also affected. The intestinal villi can become flattened, reducing the total surface area of the small intestine and making it harder to absorb nutrients. Especially in children with gluten intolerance, the ability of the intestinal cells to absorb food, vitamins and minerals decreases. Adults with gluten intolerance or celiac disease can also experience other symptoms.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”bullet_blue”][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

The importance of diagnosing gluten intolerance or celiac disease<\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]If you do not tolerate bread well, gluten intolerance or celiac disease may be the cause. However, gluten intolerance or celiac disease occurs in only 1% of the population, while possibly 10% of the population experiences symptoms from eating bread. The cause may be a wheat allergy or starch intolerance. Because people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease must avoid gluten for life, it is important to establish the correct diagnosis. The first step is blood and stool testing, but these tests alone cannot establish the diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Establishing the correct diagnosis is important because, in the Netherlands, the condition is actually identified in only 10% of people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. This means that 90% of people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease do not know that they have a serious condition.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”58011″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”blauwkop”]We recommend the following tests:<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]

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