Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about coeliac disease

Do you have questions about coeliac disease? Explore the answers below to find out more about coeliac disease.


Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition caused by the ingestion of gluten. This means that the immune system attacks the tissues in your gut when you eat gluten. This can cause damage to the gut, which then makes it harder for the body to properly absorb nutrients.1,2

 

Find out more about what happens to the gut when gluten is eaten >

Common symptoms of coeliac disease include:3

  • Diarrhoea
  • Constipation
  • Tummy pain
  • Bloating

There are also symptoms of coeliac disease that are not gastrointestinal.1

 

Find out more about the symptoms of coeliac disease >

Coeliac disease is common, affecting about 1 in every 100 adults and children in Europe.1,4 However, three quarters (75%) of people who have the condition are not yet diagnosed.5*

 

Find out more out your risk of having coeliac disease >

 

*These statistics are from a study conducted in Norway.5

If you suspect that you have coeliac disease, discuss your concerns and symptoms with your healthcare provider. If your suspicion is correct, they will order a test for coeliac disease.

 

Coeliac disease is diagnosed with a blood test. Your healthcare professional will take a sample of blood that will then be tested in a laboratory and results returned to your healthcare provider.

 

It is important to keep eating gluten before you get tested. If you don’t, the test results may be inaccurate, and you may not be diagnosed correctly.2

 

Learn more about getting tested for coeliac disease >

There is no cure for coeliac disease; the only treatment is a strict life-long gluten-free diet.1 Maintaining a strict gluten-free diet is important to improve symptoms, and can also reduce the risk of other health conditions associated with coeliac disease.

 

Find out why a gluten-free diet is important for people with coeliac disease >

Over time, untreated coeliac disease can lead to lack of proper nutrition2 and other serious long-term health complications. Coeliac disease can cause other health problems, such as:

  • Fragile bones (osteoporosis)2
  • Skin problems (dermatitis herpetiformis)6
  • Higher risk of infection (hyposplenism)2,7
  • Higher risk of problems with the reproductive system (in women and men)8-10
  • Higher risk of cancers (colon, mouth and throat, and small intestine)11

Typically, symptoms will start within a few hours after eating gluten. Symptoms can last from hours to days. For most people, reactions to gluten occur within an hour of eating gluten and are resolved within 2 days.12

No. Although coeliac disease and gluten intolerance cause similar symptoms (like bloating and diarrhoea), they are different conditions.13

 

Coeliac disease is when the body’s immune system reacts badly to gluten. It is known as an autoimmune condition, which is when the immune system accidentally harms the body.1

 

Gluten intolerance is when people react badly to eating gluten. However, it is not an allergic or autoimmune reaction.14

There are coeliac disease societies and support groups which you can reach out to for help with living without gluten. They also provide helpful information and free resources for people with coeliac disease as well as their family and friends.

 

The main coeliac disease charity and support group in the UK is Coeliac UK >

 

 

  1. Gujral N, Freeman H J, Thomson A B. Celiac disease: prevalence, diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment. World J Gastroenterol 2012;18:6036-6059
  2. Al-Toma A, Volta U et al. European Society for the Study of Coeliac Disease (ESsCD) guideline for coeliac disease and other gluten-related disorders. United European Gastroenterol J 2019;7:583-613
  3. Frissora C L, Koch K L. Symptom overlap and comorbidity of irritable bowel syndrome with other conditions. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2005;7:264-271
  4. European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Heptology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN). Paediatric coeliac disease. Earlier diagnosis for better lifelong health: a manifesto for change. Available at: https://www.espghan.org/dam/jcr:3e76ffdf-a838-484f-8c8c-056cef2522de/Paediatric_Coeliac_Disease_Manifesto_FINAL_30.04.pdf. Accessed January 2025
  5. Kvamme J M, Sorbye S et al. Population-based screening for celiac disease reveals that the majority of patients are undiagnosed and improve on a gluten-free diet. Sci Rep 2022;12:12647
  6. Salmi T T. Dermatitis herpetiformis. Clin Exp Dermatol 2019;44:728-731
  7. Rubio-Tapia A, Hill I D et al. American College of Gastroenterology guidelines update: diagnosis and management of celiac disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2023;118:59-76
  8. Prasad S, Singh P et al. Reproductive functions and pregnancy outcome in female patients with celiac disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024;39:1310-1317
  9. Freeman H J. Reproductive changes associated with celiac disease. World J Gastroenterol 2010;16:5810-5814
  10. Vanderhout S M, Rastegar Panah M et al. Nutrition, genetic variation and male fertility. Transl Androl Urol 2021;10:1410-1431
  11. Kalra N, Mukerjee A et al. Current updates on the association between celiac disease and cancer, and the effects of the gluten‑free diet for modifying the risk (review). Int J Funct Nutr 2022;3:2
  12. Silvester J A, Graff L A et al. Symptomatic suspected gluten exposure is common among patients with coeliac disease on a gluten-free diet. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2016;44:612-619
  13. Rej A, Aziz I, Sanders D S. Coeliac disease and noncoeliac wheat or gluten sensitivity. J Intern Med 2020;288:537-549
  14. Biesiekierski J R, Iven J. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity: piecing the puzzle together. United European Gastroenterol J 2015;3:160-165