1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease. However, research has showed that only 12.5% of
those have been diagnosed equating to over half a million people currently undiagnosed in the
UK.
For people with coeliac disease, eating gluten damages the lining of the gut, which prevents
normal digestion and absorption of food. If a gluten-free diet is not followed, the disease can
ultimately lead to malnutrition, osteoporosis, bowel cancer and also cause infertility problems.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley; beer; obvious sources of
gluten include breads, pastas, flours, cereals, cakes and biscuits. It is also often used as an
ingredient in many favourite foods such as fish fingers, sausages, gravies, sauces and soy sauce.
People with coeliac disease can also be sensitive to oats.
The symptoms of coeliac disease range from mild to severe and can vary between individuals. Not
everyone with coeliac disease experiences gut-related symptoms; any area of the body can be
affected.
Symptoms of coeliac disease can include diarrhea, but occasionally constipation, tiredness,
anemia, mouth ulcers, recurrent miscarriages, weight loss (but not in all cases), skin problems,
depression, joint or bone pain, and nerve problems. Sometimes the symptoms can mimic irritable
bowel syndrome that is bloating, abdominal pain and constipation. The only treatment is the life-
long avoidance of ingestion of gluten.
Due to the wide variety of the symptoms of the disease, not only do patients suffer from a
reduced quality of life during the years prior to diagnosis, but also they can be unnecessarily
hospitalised and quite often completely misdiagnosed, and treated with costly drugs.
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