The most common (and hidden) symptoms of celiac disease
Did you know that over 80% of the people with celiac disease are undiagnosed? You know what that means? That means there are millions of people suffering needlessly. Why? Because most of the medical community still has their head up their butts when it comes to celiac disease. Instead of looking for the cause, they treat the symptoms, happily prescribing a medicine that the pharmaceutical industry pushes on them.
My goal as a celiac advocate has always been to create awareness and help people get the diagnosis they deserve. To that end, in 2013, when my blog (glutendude.com) was still in diapers, I asked my community what their most common celiac disease symptoms were. The result was this infographic, which has been shared thousands of times (and stolen several times as well...but we'll ignore that.) I'm proud to say that many people have let me know that my infographic led to their celiac diagnosis. Very cool!
Here we are in 2024 and I wanted to do this again to make sure we have the latest and greatest data. So I reached out to my community on various platforms (FB, IG, Reddit, etc.) and asked what their most common celiac disease symptoms were. The response was overwhelming and eye-opening. Over 2,000 people shared their celiac story with me.
Based on their responses, I created a new infographic, which can be found on this page. You think celiac disease is just tummy troubles? Think again.
Here is the complete list of celiac disease symptoms that were sent to me, from the most-mentioned to the least-mentioned.
- Fatigue
- Stomach Pain
- Eczema / Rashes / DH
- Inflammation / Bloating
- Anemia / Iron Deficiency
- Diarrhea
- Brain Fog
- Bone / Joint Pain
- Migraines / Headaches
- Anxiety / Irritability / Mood Swings
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Weight Loss
- Constipation
- Depression
- Vitamin Deficiency
- Acid Reflux / GERD
- Hair Loss
- Failure to Thrive (children)
- Dental Issues
- Nerve Damage / Neuropathy
- Mouth Ulcers / Canker Sores
- Sinus Infections/Chronic Colds
- Gas
- Vertigo / Dizziness
- Fertility Issues
- Heartburn
- Insomnia
- Acne
- Osteoporosis
- Weight Gain
- IBS
- Low Appetite
- Muscle Spams
- Tingling Hands/Feet
- Asthma
- Irregular/Heavy Periods
- Malnutrition
- Brittle Nails
- Stomach Gurgling
- Dark Circles
- Dysphagia (Trouble Swallowing)
- Chest Pain
- Ataxia
- Dehydration
- Elevated Liver Enzymes
- Excessive Burping
- Irregular Heart Rate
- Night Sweats
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Bruising
- Cough
- Poor Vision
- Stroke-Like Symptoms
- Fainting
- Indigestion
- Shortness of Breath
- Tinnitus
- Chills
- Chondromalacia
- Droopy Eyelid
- Endometriosis
- Eosinophilic Gastritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Hormone Imbalance
- Hot Flashes
- Internal Bleeding
- Low Blood Pressure
- Nose Bleeds
- Pancreatitis
- Poor Blood Circulation
- Seizures
- Ulcers
- Type 1 Diabetes
I am not here to diagnose you. But...if you are suffering with some of these symptoms and your doctor has not been able to figure it out, show them this chart and demand you get tested for celiac disease.
The life you save may be your own.