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March 30, 2026
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune inflammatory condition in which the immune system targets and damages the lining of the small intestine upon eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
It is unclear why the body mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. Still, it appears to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Certain risk factors can cause an increase in the chances of getting coeliac disease:
Did you know? There is a five or ten-fold number of people in the UK that are undiagnosed with coeliac disease. This is known as the ‘coeliac iceberg’.
Symptoms are usually triggered by eating foods that contain gluten and are often gut related such as, such as:
Coeliac disease disrupts the body’s ability to take in nutrients from food and this can result in other symptoms resulting from malabsorption such as tiredness (fatigue), an itchy rash and even problems getting pregnant (infertility)
Coeliac disease was previously seen as a rare disease which usually presented in childhood with symptoms of malabsorption – weight loss, chronic diarrhoea, or failure to thrive. This is known as “classical” coeliac disease and remains relatively rare.
However, coeliac disease is now considered to be a common condition presenting with “non-classical” symptoms during adulthood (usually in the 40s or 50s). Non-classical symptoms can include irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms, abdominal pain, altered bowel habit, and anaemia (most commonly iron deficiency).
Coeliac disease can come with a number of complications but often arise with continued consumption of foods containing gluten or undiagnosed conditions due to malabsorption of nutrients. Complications can often include iron deficiency anaemia, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia and osteoporosis – a condition affecting the bones and inflammation and ulceration of the jejunum (part of the small intestine) known as ulcerative jejunitis.
More serious complications, but generally vary rare complications can include some types of cancers, such as bowel cancer, and problems affecting pregnancy.
Managing coeliac disease primarily involves following a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet which will help control symptoms and prevent the long-term complications of the condition.
The science behind the disease…
There is a lot of science supporting genetic predisposition in coeliac disease.
Specific HLA class II genes known as HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 are strong associated with patients who suffer from the disease. Approximately 95% of patients with coeliac disease express HLA-DQ2, and the remaining patients are usually HLA-DQ8 positive. However, although these genes are necessary for the disease to develop, they are not sufficient for the development of the disease.
A simple blood test can be carried out to determine if you may have coeliac disease. The preferred test is to detect the antibody tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and anti-endomysial antibodies.
Our coeliac screen blood test includes additional verification depending on the value of your tTG test result to include additional testing for total IgA if tTG is regulated and is low (<0.2U/ml). If the total IgA is then low (<0.1g/L), we will also test for deamidated gliadin IgG. If Tissue Transglutaminase (TAA) is HIGH (>10 U/ml), endomysial IgA will be tested as confirmatory test.
You can book a coeliac screen blood test at one of our clinics or as a self-collection blood test from our at-home testing range.
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