What Is Silent Celiac Disease (and How to Know You Have It)
Written by TYE Medical on Feb 12th 2024
You can have celiac disease with no apparent symptoms. The technical term is “asymptomatic,” but “silent” is also commonly used. It’s caused when a protein found in wheat and wheat-similar grains, known as gluten, triggers an autoimmune response in your body. Your antibodies start attacking your small intestines in an attempt to eradicate the gluten.
Typically, this immune reaction causes symptoms like fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and a long list of other possible symptoms, including iron deficiency and other nutrient deficiencies.
Let’s take a more detailed look at silent celiac disease, why it’s still a serious health condition, and how it’s diagnosed and treated.
Typical Celiac Disease and Symptoms
About 1% of the population has celiac disease, according to research. But only about 30% have been diagnosed. Even though the condition is undiagnosed or without symptoms, continuing to consume gluten still damages your intestines.
What are those symptoms you’re not having with silent celiac? It turns out, you might have some of them and not even realize it. Celiac effects are so widespread and differ so much with each person, that your celiac might not be so silent. But in any case, it might not be as obvious as the disease is in others.
Digestive Symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Heartburn
- Flatulence
Non-Digestive Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Iron-deficiency (anemia)
- Bone loss
- Bone or joint pain
- Mouth ulcers
- Headaches/migraines
- Irregular menstrual cycle
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Mood swings
- Anxiety/depression
You might be surprised to see that the list of non-digestive symptoms is longer. This is due to the auto-immune nature of the disease. The inflammation and immune response that’s triggered within your body can create a host of effects, not to mention the lack of nutrient absorption.
When gluten triggers your immune system to attack your small intestines, damage is done. The damage to your small intestines prevents proper or complete nutrient absorption. And the severity of this depends upon how much damage has been done. This lack of nutrition is another reason you see so many possible celiac symptoms.
But if you have hidden or silent symptoms, you might have no digestive problems or have become so accustomed to them that you don’t know it’s a problem.
How Is Silent Celiac Diagnosed?
The medical community has been diagnosing more silent celiac cases. This is often due to the increased awareness of celiac and its varying symptoms or lack of them. It’s also because general awareness of celiac disease has made screenings more prevalent. For instance, people with unexplainable low iron levels are now being screened for celiac since it is one of the symptoms.
But silent celiac comes to light with a diagnosis when people are screened for other diseases, especially autoimmune diseases or thyroid-related problems. Often, people with one autoimmune disease are prone to have another.
Link Between Celiac Disease and Other Autoimmune Disorders
Other autoimmune diseases that can develop alongside celiac disease are Hashimoto’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. You’re more likely to develop these conditions if your celiac is silent or not. In fact, some research suggests that continuing to eat gluten will make you more likely to develop these conditions.
For instance, celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis commonly coexist. Some experts think that undiagnosed celiac disease may be a trigger for other autoimmune conditions. These healthcare providers will advise their Hashimoto’s patients to stop eating gluten whether it’s been officially diagnosed or not, believing they will flare up their immune system and intensify Hashimoto’s.
Even though research is sparse, some evidence suggests that eating a gluten-free diet could help treat or prevent these autoimmune conditions, especially for those who are prone to them through genetics.
Celiac Prescription: Gluten-Free Diet
A strict gluten-free diet can improve your health dramatically. As you heal, you might discover that you were experiencing more symptoms than you realized. Sometimes, it’s only noticeable when the symptoms are gone and you notice an improvement in how you feel.
Even with silent celiac, a gluten-free diet will slowly heal your small intestines, allowing you to absorb nutrients properly again. This can restore general health and prevent other autoimmune diseases, according to the research mentioned.
If you have already been diagnosed with other autoimmune conditions, eating gluten free can improve the symptoms or prevent progression of the disease.
Take Celiac Disease Seriously
Sure, some people still don’t understand how a grain that has existed for thousands of years could cause such problems today. And that’s a valid question with a long answer. But just like there are allergic reactions to natural foods, there are autoimmune reactions to some of them. Endoscopies reveal literal damage to the small intestines that reverse when gluten is eliminated from the diet. So, it’s real even though it’s sometimes silent or symptoms are mild.
If you have celiac or think it’s possible, take it seriously. Protect your small intestines and your ability to absorb nutrients from food. In doing so, you’re also protecting yourself from developing additional autoimmune diseases, or at least preventing them from progressing.
