What is gluten intolerance and how is it different from celiac disease?

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are both problems that can happen when people eat foods with gluten, but they are a little different from each other.

Gluten intolerance means that someone's body doesn't like gluten and reacts to it. They might feel stomach pain, bloating, or have diarrhea after eating foods with gluten.

Celiac disease is a more serious problem. It's an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's own defense system is attacking healthy cells in the body because it mistakes them for a dangerous thing. When people with celiac disease eat foods with gluten, it can damage their small intestine and keep them from absorbing important nutrients from their food. This can make them sick and weak.

Think of it like a game of hide and seek. In gluten intolerance, the body doesn't like gluten and tries to hide it away, but in celiac disease, the body thinks gluten is a dangerous intruder and goes on the attack.

Both gluten intolerance and celiac disease can be helped by avoiding gluten. Your doctor can help you figure out which one you have and what you can do to feel better.

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