Rochester, MN - One in 100 Americans has a condition called Celiac Disease, which is an intolerance to wheat, barley, and rye.

Those affected by the condition must stick to a gluten-free diet or they could be damaging their body without even knowing it.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say the inflammatory process gluten causes in these patients damages the finger-like projections called villi that line your upper intestine.

This prevents absorption of nutrition.

Long-term effects include diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, malnutrition, irritability, osteoporosis, infertility, and even colon cancer.

"The primary treatment is diet. Many people with Celiac Disease seem to be able to get away with eating some gluten and not appear to get ill. They don't get any symptoms, but they will almost certainly be getting damage in their intestines," said Joseph Murray, M.D., Mayo Clinic.

Doctors say patients need to know about hidden sources of gluten.

For example it's in some toothpastes, denture fixatives and lip balm.

For more information you can go to www.mayoclinic.org.