An article appearing in the journal Gastroenterology (June 2004;126(7):1721-1732) spoke of the connection between celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. The article noted that 75% of patients with celiac disease (gluten sensitive enteropathy) had the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (especially when diarrhea is present). Patients with celiac disease often do well on a gluten-free diet. The authors suggest that it may be a good idea to test patients with irritable bowel for celiac disease. Celiac disease is more widespread than we previously believed. It is estimated that up to 90% of individuals with celiac disease remain undiagnosed, often because symptoms are mislabeled as irritable bowel syndrome or attributed to non-specific digestive complaints.
It may be worth testing for celiac. Click here to learn more.
