Got IBS? You Might Have Celiac Disease

We don't know exactly what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Those with IBS often have stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea, and their symptoms come and go: people with IBS can go for some time without symptoms and then have flare-ups. The guidelines that doctors use to diagnose IBS vary from country to country and even professional association to professional association. Most guidelines do not recommend blood tests or expensive procedures like taking samples of the small intestine for testing; instead most doctors rely on their knowledge of the symptoms of IBS for a diagnosis.

Celiac Disease is an allergy to gluten, which is in wheat, rye and barley. Eating foods containing gluten causes changes to the lining of the small intestine, which reduces the sufferer's ability to absorb nutrients and leads to symptoms like stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea. Those with Celiac Disease who go on a gluten-free diet are usually freed from all symptoms, and in fact are healthier because they are able to properly absorb the nutrients they consume.

In a study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers pooled the results of a number of different studies to see if those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome might well have Celiac Disease (2009;169(7):651-658).

A total of over 4200 people in 14 studies were included in the research. Of those 4200 people, almost 2300 had been diagnosed with IBS and were offered blood or stomach biopsy tests to look for Celiac Disease. Compared to those people without Irritable Bowel Syndrome-like symptoms, those who did have IBS symptoms were four times as likely to have Celiac Disease that was diagnosed through blood tests followed by an intestinal biopsy.

The researchers note that their findings are important because undiagnosed Celiac Disease can contribute to such long-term effects as osteoporosis (bone loss), a higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, infertility or multiple miscarriages, and Vitamin D deficiency.

What this means for you

The average amount of time it takes to get a diagnosis of Celiac Disease is 12 months. If you or someone you know has Irritable Bowel Syndrome, insist that your doctor do the appropriate blood tests to check for gluten allergies. It can't hurt - and it may mean not only feeling better, but being healthier in the long run.

First posted: June 3, 2009