Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Silent Celiac Is RevealedChallenges of a Gluten-Free DietBenefits of a Gluten-Free Diet
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Silent Celiac Is Revealed
Challenges of a Gluten-Free Diet
Benefits of a Gluten-Free Diet
Silent celiac disease is when a person’s body attacks their small intestine as a reaction to thegluten proteinin grains like wheat, barley, and rye. However, their reaction doesn’t cause common digestive symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.
They may have othersymptoms of celiac disease, including fatigue and neurological changes. Some people have no symptoms and are said to have “silent celiac disease” or “asymptomaticceliac disease.”
This article goes over what silent celiac disease is and why it can still lead to severe intestinal injury. It also explains how the condition is diagnosed and why a gluten-free diet is a necessary treatment.
People living with celiac disease are being diagnosed more often thanks to increased awareness and screening—not necessarily because they had symptoms. When someone in your family is diagnosed with celiac, healthcare providers will likely recommend screening for all their close relatives.This screening can pick up cases of celiac disease in people who don’t have any symptoms.
Other people are diagnosed with celiac disease because they have a related condition, such asthyroid diseaseoranemia, and their providers refer them for celiac screening.
For many people, the diagnosis comes as a surprise. If you don’t have GI symptoms, you might be shocked to learn you have a serious health condition affecting your digestive tract.
Undiagnosed Celiac DiseaseWhile research suggests that about one in every 100 people has celiac, only around 30% have been diagnosed.Even when silent celiac disease does not cause symptoms, damage to the finger-like lining of the intestines (villous atrophy) can still happen. Eventually, the intestines become seriously injured.
Undiagnosed Celiac Disease
While research suggests that about one in every 100 people has celiac, only around 30% have been diagnosed.Even when silent celiac disease does not cause symptoms, damage to the finger-like lining of the intestines (villous atrophy) can still happen. Eventually, the intestines become seriously injured.
While research suggests that about one in every 100 people has celiac, only around 30% have been diagnosed.
Even when silent celiac disease does not cause symptoms, damage to the finger-like lining of the intestines (villous atrophy) can still happen. Eventually, the intestines become seriously injured.
8 Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider After a Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Silent celiac disease offers no clues to suggest you should adopt a gluten-free diet. Even some people living with celiac find it hard to stay on a gluten-free diet when they are not having symptoms and do not notice any obvious problems from eating gluten.
However, there are important reasons to be gluten-free if you have celiac even if you don’t have symptoms.
Gluten-Free Diets and Long-Term Health
Celiac disease also may play a role in the development of certain cancers.
Celiac Disease and Autoimmune Disorders
People with celiac disease (with or without symptoms), commonly have other autoimmune diseases, such asrheumatoid arthritisandpsoriasis. Consuming gluten may make these conditions more likely to develop.
While there has been little research, some studies have suggested that a gluten-free diet could prevent or help to treat these conditions.
What If I Only Have Gluten Once in a While?If you have celiac, consuming gluten even once or twice a month doesn’t give your intestines a chance to heal and may keep theabnormal immune responsefrom the disease going. In this case, eating gluten is “wiping out” the benefits of being gluten-free.
What If I Only Have Gluten Once in a While?
If you have celiac, consuming gluten even once or twice a month doesn’t give your intestines a chance to heal and may keep theabnormal immune responsefrom the disease going. In this case, eating gluten is “wiping out” the benefits of being gluten-free.
A silent celiac disease diagnosis means your health will probably improve when you’re following a strict gluten-free diet. People who dismissed mild symptoms as “normal” at first often make the connection between certain symptoms and their diet once they go gluten-free and start feeling better.
Studies have suggested there might also be benefits for people who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease. For example, a gluten-free diet may relieve symptoms and improve health for people living with:
Some research has suggested that people diagnosed with certain types of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also may benefit from a gluten-free diet, but more studies are needed.
Summary
Silent celiac disease occurs when people do not have the typical digestive symptoms of the condition when they consume gluten. While a person may not have symptoms (or even an official diagnosis) of celiac, the damage to the intestines from the disease is still taking place.
A Word From VerywellSilent celiac disease is also sometimes referred to as asymptomatic celiac disease due to a lack of typical symptoms, such as diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, or other digestive issues. However, it’s important to note that silent celiac disease is still celiac disease, and you will still benefit from a gluten-free diet even if you have mild or no symptoms. It’s worth having a discussion with your healthcare provider if you suspect you might have silent celiac disease.—ALLISON HERRIES, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Silent celiac disease is also sometimes referred to as asymptomatic celiac disease due to a lack of typical symptoms, such as diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, or other digestive issues. However, it’s important to note that silent celiac disease is still celiac disease, and you will still benefit from a gluten-free diet even if you have mild or no symptoms. It’s worth having a discussion with your healthcare provider if you suspect you might have silent celiac disease.—ALLISON HERRIES, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Silent celiac disease is also sometimes referred to as asymptomatic celiac disease due to a lack of typical symptoms, such as diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, or other digestive issues. However, it’s important to note that silent celiac disease is still celiac disease, and you will still benefit from a gluten-free diet even if you have mild or no symptoms. It’s worth having a discussion with your healthcare provider if you suspect you might have silent celiac disease.
—ALLISON HERRIES, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Celiac Disease Foundation.Classical, non-classical, and silent celiac disease.Parzanese I, Qehajaj D, Patrinicola F, et al.Celiac disease: from pathophysiology to treatment.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2017;8(2):27-38. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v8.i2.27National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet and nutrition for celiac disease.Popp A, Kivelä L, Fuchs V, Kurppa K.Diagnosing celiac disease: towards wide-scale screening and serology-based criteria?.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/2916024Celiac Disease Foundation.What is celiac disease?Bommu VJL, Mirza L.Osteoporosis can be the sole presentation in celiac disease.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20602. doi:10.7759/cureus.20602Freeman HJ.Celiac-associated pancreatic disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(3):241-2. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0048Arthritis Foundation.The connection between gluten and arthritis.Bruzzese V, Scolieri P, Pepe J.Efficacy of gluten-free diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Reumatismo. 2021;72(4):213-217. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2020.1296Bhatia BK, Millsop JW, Debbaneh M, et al.Diet and psoriasis, part II: celiac disease and role of a gluten-free diet.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(2):350-358. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.03.017Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;14(2):82.Gentry J, Sherwood L, Haynes J.Gluten-free diet for irritable bowel syndrome.afp. 2017;96(1):52-52.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Celiac Disease Foundation.Classical, non-classical, and silent celiac disease.Parzanese I, Qehajaj D, Patrinicola F, et al.Celiac disease: from pathophysiology to treatment.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2017;8(2):27-38. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v8.i2.27National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet and nutrition for celiac disease.Popp A, Kivelä L, Fuchs V, Kurppa K.Diagnosing celiac disease: towards wide-scale screening and serology-based criteria?.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/2916024Celiac Disease Foundation.What is celiac disease?Bommu VJL, Mirza L.Osteoporosis can be the sole presentation in celiac disease.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20602. doi:10.7759/cureus.20602Freeman HJ.Celiac-associated pancreatic disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(3):241-2. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0048Arthritis Foundation.The connection between gluten and arthritis.Bruzzese V, Scolieri P, Pepe J.Efficacy of gluten-free diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Reumatismo. 2021;72(4):213-217. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2020.1296Bhatia BK, Millsop JW, Debbaneh M, et al.Diet and psoriasis, part II: celiac disease and role of a gluten-free diet.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(2):350-358. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.03.017Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;14(2):82.Gentry J, Sherwood L, Haynes J.Gluten-free diet for irritable bowel syndrome.afp. 2017;96(1):52-52.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Celiac Disease Foundation.Classical, non-classical, and silent celiac disease.Parzanese I, Qehajaj D, Patrinicola F, et al.Celiac disease: from pathophysiology to treatment.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2017;8(2):27-38. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v8.i2.27National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet and nutrition for celiac disease.Popp A, Kivelä L, Fuchs V, Kurppa K.Diagnosing celiac disease: towards wide-scale screening and serology-based criteria?.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/2916024Celiac Disease Foundation.What is celiac disease?Bommu VJL, Mirza L.Osteoporosis can be the sole presentation in celiac disease.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20602. doi:10.7759/cureus.20602Freeman HJ.Celiac-associated pancreatic disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(3):241-2. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0048Arthritis Foundation.The connection between gluten and arthritis.Bruzzese V, Scolieri P, Pepe J.Efficacy of gluten-free diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Reumatismo. 2021;72(4):213-217. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2020.1296Bhatia BK, Millsop JW, Debbaneh M, et al.Diet and psoriasis, part II: celiac disease and role of a gluten-free diet.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(2):350-358. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.03.017Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;14(2):82.Gentry J, Sherwood L, Haynes J.Gluten-free diet for irritable bowel syndrome.afp. 2017;96(1):52-52.
Celiac Disease Foundation.Classical, non-classical, and silent celiac disease.
Parzanese I, Qehajaj D, Patrinicola F, et al.Celiac disease: from pathophysiology to treatment.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2017;8(2):27-38. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v8.i2.27
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet and nutrition for celiac disease.
Popp A, Kivelä L, Fuchs V, Kurppa K.Diagnosing celiac disease: towards wide-scale screening and serology-based criteria?.Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/2916024
Celiac Disease Foundation.What is celiac disease?
Bommu VJL, Mirza L.Osteoporosis can be the sole presentation in celiac disease.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20602. doi:10.7759/cureus.20602
Freeman HJ.Celiac-associated pancreatic disease.Ann Gastroenterol. 2016;29(3):241-2. doi:10.20524/aog.2016.0048
Arthritis Foundation.The connection between gluten and arthritis.
Bruzzese V, Scolieri P, Pepe J.Efficacy of gluten-free diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Reumatismo. 2021;72(4):213-217. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2020.1296
Bhatia BK, Millsop JW, Debbaneh M, et al.Diet and psoriasis, part II: celiac disease and role of a gluten-free diet.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(2):350-358. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.03.017
Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;14(2):82.
Gentry J, Sherwood L, Haynes J.Gluten-free diet for irritable bowel syndrome.afp. 2017;96(1):52-52.
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