What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

Some people with celiac disease have no symptoms, which makes this disease difficult to diagnose. Other symptoms are mistaken for other ailments, such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease and cystic fibrosis. Some signs to look for include excessive gas, abdominal pains, chronic diarrhea, foul-smelling bowel movements and weight loss in spite of eating a hearty diet. Some people with celiac disease also experience fatigue, joint pain, muscle cramps, depression and irritability. In addition, there is a rash associated with celiac disease. Called dermatitis herpetiformis, it causes itching and blistering on the knees, elbows and rear end.

In its classic form, celiac disease causes weight loss and diarrhea, but patients often present with a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, dry skin, rashes, smooth tongue, abdominal discomfort, joint pain, headache, anemia, depression, anxiety, tingling in hands or feet, menstrual abnormalities, smelly stools, constipation, weight gain and the commonest complaint of all: bloating.

The fact that the symptoms are so varied and non-specific makes this a hard condition to self-diagnose. Many, many people are bloated and tired, and most of them don't have celiac disease.

Not all with celiac disease have bowel symptoms such as gas, bloating or diarrhea; many have constipation or are asymptomatic. But what I find absorbing (pun intended) about celiac disease are the other syndromes that may be associated with it, and that might improve on a gluten free diet. This is not an exhaustive list:

- Anemia: 3% of low iron folks have celiac, all should be tested.
- Autoimmune diseases: thyroid, type 1 diabetes coexist more frequently with celiac; diabetes seems to improve when GFD is started in patients with both celiac and diabetes.
- Cancers: Small intestinal cancers such as lymphoma, adenocarcinoma, as well as esophagus cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, melanoma, colon cancer, pancreas cancer are increased in folks with celiac disease.
- Cardiology: Cardiomyopathy
- Dermatology: Dermatitis, herpetiformis, atopic dermatitis (3.8% of people with celiac have atopic dermatitis).
- Dental: Dental enamel defects occur in 24.5% of celiac vs 6.2% of control patients.
- Downs syndrome: 8% have celiac, but it is not felt to be causal relationship.
- Neurology: seizures, brain calcifications, ADHD, chorea (a movement disorder), multifocal axonal neuropathy, migraines, cerebellar ataxia.
- Osteoporosis and bone fractures: Celiacs have 2.45 times the risk of peripheral fractures, 3.17 times risk of axial (spine) fractures; 19% spontaneous fractures compared with 8% without celiac disease.
- Pediatrics: Failure to thrive, delayed puberty, ADHD.
- Reproduction problems in both men and women: Infertility, decreased sperm count.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to damage of the small intestine and keeps the body from fully absorbing nutrients. Signs and symptoms of malabsorption vary greatly among individuals. Since many cases of the disorder go undiagnosed, it's important to be aware of the symptoms, which include:

• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Indigestion

Symptoms of celiac disease include foul-smelling, pale, bulky, frothy, and floating stool, abdominal cramping, gloating pain, weight loss, and fatigue. Lactose intolerance can also develop.

Symptoms of celiac disease most commonly appear during the first three years of life, after cereals are introduced into the diet. A second peak incidence occurs during the third decade. Symptoms generally involve loose stools or diarrhea, often with fat drops in the stool showing malabsorption. Other signs of malabsorption include inability to gain weight or weight loss, as well as failure to thrive. However, often, especially in adults, the symptoms of celiac disease can be insidious and nonspecific. Celiac disease is being diagnosed more commonly than was once the case, due to increased detection of those with low-grade celiac disease.

People suffering from celiac disease may experience a cluster of symptoms that are fairly common in the general population and therefore may be easily dismissed or misdiagnosed. Abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, and constipation are classic symptoms of celiac disease. But not all symptoms of celiac disease are gastrointestinal. Other symptoms include joint pain, canker sores, skin lesions or rash, loss of tooth enamel, anemia, delayed puberty, short stature, arthritis, epilepsy, depression, osteoporosis, and fertility problems.

It's possible to have celiac disease and experience only nongastrointestinal symptoms. And some people with celiac disease may have no obvious symptoms but still may suffer damage to their intestinal villi due to gluten consumption. Given the range of different symptoms, it's easy to see how celiac disease is often misdiagnosed.

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Individuals with celiac disease who consume gluten can trigger inflammatory responses in their bodies that damage the lining of the small intestine and interfere with the digestion and absorption of the nutrients in food. This leads to numerous vitamin, minerals, and other nutrient deficiencies, as well as corresponding short-term health problems, such as depression, anemia, abdominal pain, irritability, nausea, weight loss, diarrhea, and fatigue – to name a few. 

 

Symptoms of celiac disease vary widely and may come and go. They may be very mild and go completely unnoticed, or they may be severe and impact daily life.

Symptoms include:

• Gas, abdominal swelling and bloating. These symptoms result from a failure of the small intestine to absorb nutrients from food. You may also have mild stomach pain, but it usually isn't severe.
• Abnormal stools. Diarrhea or bulky, loose (or watery), pale, frothy and foul-smelling stools often occur. The stools may contain a large amount of fat and may stick to the sides of the toilet bowl, making them hard to flush. Children and adults often have the same types of symptoms. But intestinal problems, such as constipation, are more likely to occur in children.
• Weight loss. Adults and children may have unexplained weight loss despite having a normal appetite. Younger children may fail to gain weight and grow as expected. This is called failure to thrive.
• Fatigue and weakness. Celiac disease can cause a general lack of energy and strength. Sometimes poor nutrient absorption causes fatigue and weakness.
• Vomiting. Some people may get sick after eating gluten. Children are more likely than adults to have this reaction.

If not treated, celiac disease can lead to other problems. You may have problems with memory and concentration. Children may be more irritable. Adults may show signs of depression.

Symptoms of celiac disease also occur with some other conditions.