9 Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Are you struggling with persistent bowel discomfort or unexplained health concerns? These could be signs of celiac disease, a condition that affects how your body processes the protein gluten from wheat, barley, and rye. Many individuals remain undiagnosed- unknowingly living with compromised health despite believing they are without symptoms.

This autoimmune disorder reacts to gluten, which triggers an immune response that harms the small intestine and impairs nutrient absorption. Even without noticeable symptoms, untreated cases can silently harm your well-being and significantly affect your overall health, as the damage can result in malnutrition, among other complications.

Celiac disease can also present with non-digestive symptoms, which often makes diagnosis more challenging. Recognizing its symptoms and knowing when to seek medical attention is the first step toward effective management. If you experience manifestations or suspect a loved one has this condition, seeking medical advice is essential.

Signs and Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Have you experienced symptoms that seem easy to dismiss or unrelated to your bowels? Celiac disease can manifest in various ways, affecting different parts of the body. While some individuals have no symptoms, others may experience persistent discomfort lasting for days, weeks, or longer if the condition remains untreated.

Abdominal Pain and Stomach Bloat

If you have celiac disease, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas are often among the first signs that something isn’t right with your digestive system. This discomfort is caused by inflammation in the small intestine, which reacts to gluten and disrupts normal digestion.

It leads to undigested food ferments in the intestines, producing excess gas that builds up and causes bloating. This can develop additional pressure in your abdomen, leaving you feeling full, tight, or distended. Sometimes, it may be accompanied by noticeable discomfort, rumbling stomach sounds, or the need to pass gas.

However, these symptoms are not unique to celiac disease. Abdominal pain may mimic other health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while bloating can be misattributed to other dietary intolerances other than gluten, such as lactose or fructose intolerance. This overlap can complicate diagnosis and delay treatment.

Diarrhea and Constipation

Celiac disease often causes changes in your bowel movements, including alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation. These issues arise because the small intestine has difficulty absorbing nutrients, leading to malabsorption and digestive problems.

Undigested nutrients in your small intestine draw excess water into the intestines, causing loose, watery stools often accompanied by urgency and discomfort. Conversely, damage to your intestinal villi may cause them to absorb extra moisture from the processed food, making your stool hard and difficult to pass.

These fluctuations can leave you feeling uncomfortable, with frequent or painful bowel movements, which may vary over time. In advanced cases of intestinal damage, undigested food in the stool may result in severe malabsorption and increased intestinal damage, requiring medical attention.

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of celiac disease, often occurring shortly after you consume gluten. When gluten enters your body, it irritates and inflames the lining of your digestive tract as a protective response from your body.

This inflammation disrupts normal digestion, making you feel nauseous and sometimes causing vomiting as your body tries to expel the perceived irritant. This discomfort can vary in intensity; frequent episodes of these symptoms can result in dehydration and further health issues.

Stool Appearance Changes

If you have celiac disease, damage to the small intestine’s villi can impair fat digestion and absorption, leading to excess fat in your stool. Stools may become pale, foul-smelling, greasy, and difficult to completely flush—a condition known as steatorrhea.

Greasy stools often indicate fat malabsorption, resulting in deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Floating stools are another common sign of malabsorption, as unabsorbed fats make them less dense. These changes may also cause secondary issues, such as odor-related embarrassment or social discomfort, which can further affect your life.

Unexplained Weight Loss

Unintentional weight loss is often seen in individuals with celiac disease. Despite maintaining a regular diet, you might find yourself losing weight. This occurs because the damaged small intestine cannot absorb nutrients effectively, causing the body to use stored energy reserves, leading to muscle loss and decreased body fat.

The malabsorption of essential nutrients like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates directly contributes to weight loss as the digestion issues offset food intake. Additionally, appetite changes caused by discomfort or nausea may reduce food consumption and nutrient absorption, worsening the issue of weight loss.

Signs of Anemia

Celiac disease can lead to iron-deficiency anemia by impairing nutrient absorption in the small intestine. Iron is critical for the production of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which enables the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron, you may experience fatigue, lightheadedness, and paleness.

Oral iron supplements often fail to help because of absorption issues. Untreated celiac disease can also cause folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies, worsening anemia and fatigue. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, cold hands or feet, and low energy can make daily tasks increasingly challenging.

Fatigue

Energy production is disrupted when the body struggles to absorb essential nutrients like iron, potassium, and magnesium. Nutrient deficiencies weaken stamina, making it difficult to maintain energy levels for everyday tasks.

Chronic inflammation from gluten exposure adds to this exhaustion, as your body spends energy on the immune response. Discomforts, such as abdominal pain, can disrupt sleep, preventing proper rest and worsening overall tiredness.

If left untreated, celiac disease can leave you physically and mentally drained, impacting your mood, focus, and ability to sustain activity levels. Over time, this persistent exhaustion can overwhelm even simple activities and significantly lower your quality of life.

Mood Changes

People with celiac disease often experience mood changes, including heightened anxiety, depression, and increased emotional sensitivity. Chronic inflammation and nutrient deficiencies, particularly B vitamins and iron, can disrupt brain function and mood regulation, exacerbating these emotional symptoms.

In children, irritability may be more noticeable as they struggle to express discomfort caused by physical symptoms. Persistent fatigue and physical discomfort can further strain emotional well-being, leading to frustration and overwhelming feelings. These mood changes can significantly impact daily interactions, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Skin Issues

Celiac disease can cause skin-related symptoms, including itchy, blistering rashes that commonly appear on the elbows, knees, and buttocks. Dermatitis herpetiformis is a specific manifestation of gluten sensitivity and can occur even without digestive symptoms.

These rashes result from the immune system’s response to gluten, causing antibody deposits in the skin. Untreated celiac disease can also lead to skin dryness, irritation, or other issues due to nutrient deficiencies caused by malabsorption.

Celiac Disease in Children

Celiac disease affects approximately 1 in 100 children worldwide, making it a significant health concern. Understanding the age-specific symptoms helps you understand more about this condition for your young loved ones. Here’s a breakdown of how celiac disease manifests during different stages of childhood.

Infants and Toddlers

In infants and toddlers, celiac disease often presents with symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach bloat. Young children may also exhibit poor appetite, irritability, and failure to thrive, such as not gaining weight or growing as expected.

Pale, foul-smelling, fatty, or greasy stools are a hallmark symptom in this age group and an important diagnostic clue. Persistent diarrhea from malabsorption can cause recurring diaper rash, as prolonged contact with loose stool irritates the sensitive skin and hinders its healing.

Malnutrition from poor nutrient absorption can cause fatigue or lethargy, especially in infants and toddlers who highly depend on proper nutrition for growth and development. Damage to the small intestine potentially results in stunted growth and developmental delays.

School-Age Children

School-age children with celiac disease can experience abdominal pain, bloating, and intermittent diarrhea or constipation, which can disrupt their daily routines at home and in school. Fatigue and anemia can leave children feeling extremely tired, weak, and unable to concentrate, affecting their ability to keep up with schoolwork.

Some children may exhibit difficulty focusing or hyperactivity, resembling attention-deficit disorders, which can further interfere with their learning and school performance. Delayed growth and puberty may also occur, causing children to be shorter or less physically developed than their peers.

Dental enamel defects, such as pitting or discoloration spots, can affect both baby and permanent teeth and serve as important diagnostic clues. Recurrent mouth sores, often due to nutrient deficiencies, can make eating and speaking uncomfortable, affecting a child’s nutrition and well-being.

Frequent illnesses like ear or respiratory infections can occur when the immune system is compromised, often due to malnutrition. Emotional or behavioral changes, such as irritability or social withdrawal, may develop as children struggle with the physical and social effects of undiagnosed symptoms.

Adolescents

Adolescents with celiac disease might present with less obvious gastrointestinal symptoms but could suffer from issues such as chronic fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and joint pain. They may also report frequent headaches, dental issues, and skin rashes related to gluten sensitivity.

Delayed puberty and stunted growth are common in undiagnosed cases, particularly due to long-term nutrient deficiencies. Female adolescents may experience menstrual irregularities caused by malnutrition and hormonal imbalances, while bone density issues or fracture risks are higher due to calcium and vitamin D malabsorption.

Adolescents with celiac disease might also develop recurrent mouth sores as a result of nutrient deficiencies. The physical discomfort and visible symptoms can affect their confidence and daily activities. Additionally, adolescents might also face challenges related to their social lives and mental health, such as anxiety and depression.

Why is Diagnosis Challenging?

Celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose because it often overlaps with other medical conditions and presents diverse symptoms.

This complexity is heightened by factors like coexisting autoimmune disorders, overlapping digestive conditions, systemic complications, and long-term risks associated with untreated cases. Here’s a breakdown of why diagnosis can be challenging:

Autoimmune Disorder Overlaps

Celiac disease frequently coexists with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, and Type 1 diabetes due to shared genetic and immune system factors. These conditions target organs such as the thyroid and pancreas, adding to the complexity of diagnosis.

Broader immune dysfunction can also lead to disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), further complicating symptom identification and treatment.

Similarities with Other GI Conditions

Many digestive conditions share symptoms with celiac disease, making differentiation challenging. Disorders like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue, symptoms also common in celiac disease.

Gluten-triggered immune responses exacerbate gut inflammation, further blurring distinctions. Specific diagnostic procedures play a critical role in identifying celiac disease over other gastrointestinal issues.

Body-wide Impacts

Celiac disease can impact many parts of your body, not just your digestive system. Women may experience reproductive health issues, such as irregular cycles and difficulty having a baby, due to nutrient deficiencies and inflammation. Men might also face reduced sperm quality from similar deficiencies.

You may notice neurological symptoms like tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness due to nerve damage caused by gluten-related inflammation and malnutrition. These symptoms can affect your daily activities.

If you or someone you care for has Down syndrome, you should know that celiac disease is more common in this group due to shared genetic factors. This increases their risk of complications, making early diagnosis and treatment essential.

Risks of Undiagnosed Celiac Disease

Untreated celiac disease significantly raises the risk of developing severe conditions, such as lymphoma and small bowel cancer. Persistent malabsorption and inflammation can contribute to systemic health issues, worsening your health condition.

Neurological damage, particularly from prolonged malnutrition, can result in lasting symptoms involving your nerves and affect motor function.

When to See a Doctor?

It’s crucial to see a doctor if you experience persistent symptoms that may suggest celiac disease, such as chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss. These symptoms can indicate underlying health issues, including celiac disease, which requires medical diagnosis and management.

If you notice a pattern in your symptoms, especially when it worsens after consuming gluten-containing foods, consulting with a healthcare professional is essential. Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent further complications. A healthcare provider can guide you through the necessary tests and help formulate a management plan tailored to your condition.