What’s the difference between a gluten intolerance and coeliac disease?

Choosing to eliminate gluten from your diet isn’t uncommon. Supermarkets now provide various gluten-free products, and most restaurants have meals on the menu suitable for those following a wheat-free diet. But what makes people want to avoid gluten altogether? Is it the result of food intolerance or being diagnosed with coeliac disease? And if so, what’s the difference between gluten intolerance and coeliac disease?

Food intolerance vs coeliac disease

Although any kind of gluten sensitivity is a source of discomfort, the main difference between coeliac disease and food intolerance is the cause behind the onset of symptoms.

Digesting gluten will cause your immune system to attack healthy tissues if you are a coeliac. When this happens, the small intestine’s lining is damaged, meaning the body can’t absorb nutrients properly.

A gluten intolerance (or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity) presents similar physical symptoms, but antibodies are not produced, and there is no internal damage to the gut. It means you have difficulty digesting foods that contain gluten, but it is a less severe condition, which brings us to:

Severity of symptoms

If you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease, you’ll already know that symptoms are severe and come on very quickly after consuming gluten. Stomach pains, bloating, nausea and diarrhoea are all commonly experienced if you have been diagnosed and can make you feel extremely unwell. Coeliacs are also more likely to suffer from long-term health problems such as anaemia, osteoporosis and fertility issues if their condition is left untreated. It’s therefore extremely important to get diagnosed quickly if you regularly feel unwell after eating food containing gluten to avoid further complications.

If you are intolerant to gluten, your symptoms will be similar but not as severe and won’t result in any long-term problems. You’ll also be able to eat a small amount of gluten without feeling seriously unwell, whereas coeliacs need to remove it from their diet entirely because even a small amount will cause internal damage.

Family ties

Although the coeliac disease is much more widely recognised, it is still rare and only affects around 1% of the population. It’s also a genetic condition, so if you have a parent, child or sibling diagnosed, you’re more likely to experience symptoms.

Gluten intolerance is much more common and affects up to 13% of the population. It is currently unclear whether being intolerant is linked to genetics but experiencing mild digestive problems after eating gluten isn’t particularly unusual, which is why many people choose to avoid it and eliminate it from their diet.

Getting tested

If you have been experiencing indigestion, bloating and diarrhoea after eating foods that contain gluten, it’s worth getting tested to help put your mind at rest. Our food intolerance tests are easy to do and will help you to make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle. If your symptoms are very severe and come on quickly, we recommend seeking medical advice and talking to a doctor to prevent any long-term damage.

For more information about food intolerance tests, please email [email protected].