Coeliac disease vs gluten sensitivity: What could be causing your gut issues?

If you’ve been experiencing digestive discomfort when you eat foods that contain gluten, you may be wondering if it could be a sign of gluten/wheat sensitivity or coeliac disease. 

They’re both linked to how the body tolerates wheat and gluten but there are some super important differences to be aware of too. 

Gluten sensitivity usually means that the body reacts badly to eating gluten and wheat. This is known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. You may get stomach cramps, bloating, and changes in your bowel habits when you eat gluten and you may feel generally unwell too. It’s pretty common to get joint pain or headaches, for example. 

You’re more likely to be diagnosed with gluten sensitivity if coeliac disease has been ruled out and your symptoms mostly go away on a gluten-free diet. 

With coeliac disease, the body experiences an inflammatory immune response whenever you eat anything that contains wheat gluten and other similar triggers (which can include rye and barley). 

You can get very similar symptoms to non-celiac gluten sensitivity but there is a lot more of an autoimmune element with celiac disease. Experts think that there may be a genetic link too, which predisposes some people to become coeliac after triggers such as stress or illness. It can also go hand in hand with other autoimmune conditions.  If you’re coeliac, you only need to eat a tiny amount of gluten to kick start the immune response and encourage the lining of the small intestine to be attacked. Blood tests and a biopsy can confirm whether you have it or if gluten sensitivity is the more likely problem.

Because it’s autoimmune, it’s super important to stay away from gluten if you’re diagnosed with celiac disease. This can avoid problems with absorbing nutrients properly and makes you less likely to become anaemic or develop osteoporosis.