FacebookCeliac disease affects roughly 1% of the American population, or about 1 in every 133 Americans. It is a chronic digestive disorder with an adverse immune system reaction triggered by the consumption of gluten. As common as the disease already is, a meta-analysis found that the global incidence of celiac disease is increasing significantly and beyond diagnostic improvements.
Men and women of all ages can be affected by celiac disease and as many as 83% of people who have it remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
The trouble with diagnosing celiac disease is that it may present with a wide range of symptoms, many of which overlap with other digestive disorders. What makes diagnosing even harder is that symptoms can vary among men and women.
Here’s what you need to know about the symptoms of celiac disease in general and what to look for based on gender.
General Celiac Disease Symptoms
Over 200 different symptoms have been linked to celiac disease. With such variety in presentation, it’s no wonder that many people receive misdiagnoses or, worse, no diagnosis at all. It’s also possible for someone to test positive for celiac disease without any symptoms at all.
Some of the most common symptoms of celiac disease include:
- Diarrhea
- Pale, foul-smelling stools
- Fatigue
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Chronic migraines
- Abdominal pain and distension
- Bone and joint pain
- Iron-deficiency anemia
- Osteoporosis
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
- Liver problems
- Depression or anxiety
- Arthritis
- Peripheral neuropathy
While both men and women are likely to present with the symptoms above, there are certain symptoms which are unique to men and to women.
Celiac Symptoms in Women
Most commonly, many women identify problems with infertility or missed periods as the first sign of celiac disease. Additionally, women with undiagnosed celiac disease may experience a higher rate of miscarriage and low birth-weight. They also have a higher risk for intrauterine growth restriction, a condition in which the baby does not grow at the proper rate.
Additional celiac disease symptoms unique to women include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stillbirth or miscarriage
- Constipation
- Fatigue or general malaise
- Fibromyalgia
- Concurrent autoimmune disease
- Depression or anxiety
- Osteoporosis and osteopenia
- Early menopause
- Unexplained infertility
- Unexplained iron deficiency anemia
- Menstrual irregularities
While there are no differences in terms of testing for celiac disease in men versus women, the disease can manifest differently between the two sexes.
Celiac Symptoms in Men
While as many as 70% of people diagnosed with celiac disease are women, women have a higher risk for autoimmune disease on the whole. More recent research shows, however, that the ratio of men to women with celiac disease is closer to 1:1.5.
Some celiac disease symptoms unique to men include:
- Reproductive issues affecting the male reproductive organs
- Short stature in adulthood
- Higher risk of some types of small bowel cancer
- Gonadal dysfunction or hypogonadism
- Altered sperm motility
- Reduced sexual satisfaction and libido
- Altered sperm morphology (lower semen quality)
Men are more likely to show the “classic” symptoms of celiac disease when they’re first diagnosed, but it may simply be because they wait longer to see a doctor. Generally speaking, men are less likely to visit their doctor and use other health services than women. Men also tend to receive less of a doctor’s time than women during a visit. This means many men end up suffering in silence, often going years without a proper diagnosis.
Does Celiac Disease Present Differently in Children?
Celiac disease can only develop in children who have been exposed to gluten. As such, it typically develops only after 6 to 9 months of age. Some children develop symptoms very early in life while others don’t experience issues until they’ve undergone years of exposure.
Symptom severity ranges widely among children. These symptoms can develop within minutes or hours of exposure and may last anywhere from a few hours to several days or weeks. In many children, symptoms are easy to miss because they’re mild. Others, like failure to thrive, may only be noticeable after an extended period of time.
There is evidence to suggest that celiac disease affects children in different ways depending on their age. Infants and toddlers tend to exhibit more obvious gastrointestinal symptoms while school-age children often have milder digestive symptoms like stomachaches, diarrhea, and constipation. Atypical symptoms like delayed puberty, stunted growth, joint pains, and chronic fatigue are more noticeable in older children and teens.
Regardless of age or sex, there are always people who display only very mild symptoms of celiac disease or no symptoms at all. If you have a first-degree relative with celiac disease, your odds of developing it are about 1 in 10.
It’s always worth keeping an eye out for symptoms and contacting your doctor about a celiac disease screening if you think it’s warranted.
