Coeliac disease is not an allergy or simple food intolerance. In fact it's an autoimmune disease, where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. In people with coeliac disease this immune reaction is triggered by gluten, a collective name for a type of protein found in the cereals wheat, rye and barley. A few people are also sensitive to oats. In coeliac disease, eating gluten causes the lining of the gut (small bowel) to become damaged and may affect other parts of the body.
The symptoms of coeliac disease vary from person to person and can range from very mild to severe. Not all effects of celiac disease are related to the gut. Possible symptoms include: bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, excessive wind, heartburn, indigestion, constipation, weight loss (but not in all cases), tiredness, any combination of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, recurrent mouth ulcers, hair loss, headaches, skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis- 'DH'), defective tooth enamel, osteoporosis, depression, infertility, recurrent miscarriages, joint or bone pain and neurological (nerve) problems such as ataxia (poor muscle co-ordination) and neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the hands and feet). Some symptoms may be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or wheat intolerance, while others may be put down to stress, or even getting older. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be underweight or have lost weight to have celiac disease: most people are of normal weight or even overweight at diagnosis.
In babies, gut symptoms may develop after weaning onto gluten cereals. Other symptoms include muscle wasting in the arms and legs, a bloated tummy and irritability. Some infants may gradually fail to gain weight, or lose weight after previously growing well. Symptoms in older children vary as they do in adults, and can include poor growth, short stature, anemia and recurrent mouth ulcers
How many people have coeliac disease in the UK?
We estimate that there are around 125,000 people who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease. However, recent studies show that 1 in 100 people have celiac disease which means there are almost another 500,000 people who have undiagnosed coeliac disease.
Misdiagnosis of celiac disease is prevalent in the UK claims new research. 250,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with the condition but there is another estimated 500,000 undiagnosed cases. Untreated celiac disease can lead to osteoporosis and gut cancer. Half of the diagnoses occur while addressing other health issues and the other half are diagnosed after everything else is ruled out. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea and anaemia. It is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome.