The immune system attacks the small bowel lining as a result of eating gluten, which causes the condition coeliac disease. However, there are other signs to watch out for.
Rebecca Adlington, a gold medalist at the Olympics, has been confirmed as having coeliac disease, a life-changing condition that affects around one in 100 people in the UK.
The BBC Sports presenter opened up about her recent diagnosis in a new video shared on Coeliac UK’s Instagram page, and urged her followers to sign a petition for gluten-free prescriptions.
Fans of the swimmer responded with support in the comments. “It’s wonderful to have a famous person promoting awareness.” “Well done, Becky,” one wrote. “Awesome to have @beckadlington supporting the campaign!” What a role model! “Thank you, Becky,” one more person said.
There are lesser-known symptoms that you might not be able to identify because coeliac disease and its association with gluten consumption are widely known. Bloating, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and fatigue are the symptoms that are most prevalent and perhaps most well known. However, doctors have cautioned that the disease’s less obvious symptoms could lead to a “silent coeliac” diagnosis.
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Studies show that 75 per cent of Brits with coeliac disease don’t realise they have it, and a third of people who do have it, don’t have any symptoms at all, Bristol Live reports. Dr Alasdair Scott, a gut health specialist at Selph, said: “Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, where something triggers in your body to mount an immune response against itself. In the case of coeliac disease, gluten is the trigger. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
The majority of us can eat gluten without any issues because it is generally harmless. However, gluten causes inflammation in about 1-in-100 people when the immune system attacks the small bowels lining. You can develop coeliac disease at any age, but it is most prevalent between the ages of 30 and 50. Although it affects both sexes, women are more likely than men to have coeliac disease diagnosed. Coeliac disease is also more prevalent in people in your family if it is passed on by someone else.
“Coeliac disease causes common symptoms in about two-thirds of sufferers.” These include fatigue, weight loss, stomach pain, bloating and flatulence, fatty floating stools, and diarrhea. However, there are still a lot of people who do not have symptoms despite having the disease in two thirds of cases. Silent coeliac disease is a term for it.
How can “silent coeliac disease” be identified and what is it?
According to Dr. Scott, “Silent coeliac disease can be challenging to recognize because it inevitably carries none of the common coeliac symptoms.” Coeliac disease can sometimes be identified by more subtle symptoms, though. Dr. Scott explains five essential signs to watch out for in order to help British citizens recognize the symptoms of “silent coeliac disease”:
Low ironemia
Iron absorption is a key factor in coeliac disease, and iron deficiency anaemia is not uncommon to be the only indicator of a problem in coeliac disease sufferers. Being extremely pale in the skin, experiencing a persistent, unreliable lack of energy, and feeling weak overall are symptoms of anaemia.
low bone density
Vitamin D and calcium absorption, which are essential for bone health, are both affected by coeliac disease. A broken or collapsed bone in the spine, a stooped posture, or a bone that breaks more easily than expected are some symptoms of low bone density.
Numbness and tingling
“The illness can also cause nerve fiber damage, leading to sensational abnormalities or pins and needles.” It’s best to get checked out if you experience an unusual tingly sensation because this primarily affects the arms and legs.
Infertility
Coeliac disease is present in many women who have previously had infertility. Three percent of women who were subject to infertility testing revealed coeliac disease, according to a study of women. Although there are many causes of infertility, it is a good idea to test for coeliac disease if you are having trouble conceiving.
Skin rash
Coeliac disease causes an itchy, bumpy skin rash known as dermatitis herpetiformis in about one in ten cases. On the elbows, knees, buttocks, back, or scalp, these tiny, clustered papules and vesicles typically erupt. They can occasionally be seen on the groin and face. You might be left wondering whether or not you have coeliac disease, according to Dr. Scott. After all, those who exhibit coeliac symptoms typically experience diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating.
“That’s because irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes exactly the same symptoms. In fact, 36% of people with coeliac disease have been misdiagnosed with IBS before their coeliac diagnosis. The bottom line is that if you want to know if you have coeliac disease, you need to take a coeliac disease blood test and you need to take one sooner rather than later.
You can be certain that you don’t have coeliac disease if this blood test results in negative results and you consumed gluten during the weeks prior to testing. On the other hand, coeliac disease is more likely if your antibody level rises.
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