Adapted from a comprehensive list found in Dangerous Grains, 2002 by Dr. James Braly and Ron Hoggan
- Abdominal distension and bloating
- Abortions – recurrent / spontaneous (15% occur in celiac women as opposed to 6% miscarriages otherwise)
- Adenovirus gastroenteritis – may be triggered in latent celiac disease that initiates problems in the small bowel)
- Addison’s disease (an adrenal gland disorder
- AIDS – a progression reflected by anti-gliadin Ab levels
- Albumin and prealbumin, serum – which are low in celiacs
- Alkaline phosphatase, serum and bone (high in celiacs)
- Alopecia (hair loss) – may be patchy or universal in 1 out of 85 celiacs, which is almost 3000 times higher than in others
- Amenorrhea (absence of a menstrual period) is 38% higher in celiacs as compared with 9% from other causes
- Anemia, folic acid (B9) and iron deficiencies along with elevated liver enzymes (one of the two most common lab abnormalities observed in celiacs AND 6% of premenopausal women with anemias for other reasons cause biopsy-proven celiac disease
- Anorexia and other non-typical eating disorders
- Arthritis-related diseases – over 40% in those still eating gluten and 26% in celiacs have arthritis
- Asthma
- Ataxia – neurological disorders that affect coordination
- Autism spectrum disorders: ADHD, Aspberger’s syndrome
- Autoantibodies associated with celiac disease
- IgA anti-gliadin antibodies
- IgG anti-gliadin antibodies
- IgA antiendomysium antibodies (autoantigen identified as the enzyme transglutaminase)
- IgA and IgG antireticulin antibodies
- Anti-transglutaminase IgA and IgG autoantibodies
- Anti-gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) cell antibodies
- Anti-duodenal secretin cell autoantibodies
- Anti-enteroglucagon cell autoantibodies
- Anti-thyroid microsomal autoantibodies
- Anti-thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (27% positive)
- Anti-gastric parietal cell autoantibodies
- Anti-pancreatic islet cell autoantibodies
- Anti-cardiolipin (14% of all celiacs)
- anti-single-stranded DNA (14% of all celiacs)
- Anti-double-stranded DNA autoantibodies (23%)
- Anti-mitochondrial antibodies
- Cardiac-specific autoantibodies
- IgG anti-cell adhesion molecule desoglein 3 in pemphigus vulgaris (painful skin blisters)
- Autoimmune diseases
- insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
- hyper- and hypo-throidism
- inflammatory bowel disease
- idiopathic (spontaneous from an unknown cause) Addison’s disease
- alopecia areata (hair loss from anywhere on the body)
- vitiligo (skin discolouration from a loss of pigment, resulting in white patches)
- chronic active hepatitis
- biliary cirrhosis (liver inflammation)
- dermatomyositis (a muscle disease characterized by inflammation and a rash)
- pemphigus vulgaris (painful blistering of the skin and mucus membranes – which can be oral, esophageal or anal lesions)
- myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular disorder)
- autoimmune polyendocrine disorders (Hashimoto’s and dermatitis herpetiformis both with IDDM)
- Sjögren–Larsson syndrome (SLS)
- IgA nephropathy (Berger’s disease) is 6 times more frequent in males
- Axonal neuropathy
- Bile duct atresia (30% in childhood celiacs)
- Bone diseases
- osteoporosis/osteopenia in both children and adults
- osteomalacia (bone softening from a vitamin D deficiency)
- bone pain sometimes called “growing pains” in children
- fractures
- elevated bone alkaline posphatase
- hyperparathyroidism (secondary)
- hypo-parathyroidism, caused by magnesium deficiency
- elevated serum osteocalcin
- elevated urinary hydroxyproline excretion
- hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels)
- Breast-feeding absence (80% of CD children are not breast-fed and 96% are breast-fed for less than 2 months)
- Bullous pemphigoid (skin disorder characterized by large blisters)
- Calcium deficiency (see also Mineral Deficiencies)
- Cancers
- Adenocarcinoma of small intestine
- B-cell lymphoma
- Bladder
- Brain
- Prostate
- Squamous cell carcinoma of phaynx and esophagus
- T-cell lymphoma of small intestine (31 to 100 times more frequent in celiacs)
- Testicular
- Canker sores are seen in up to 25% of celiacs
- Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle – 25% mortality rate in children in the first year after diagnosis)
- Celiac disease
- classic active
- silent (gluten intolerance usually with no abdominal symptoms)
- latent (normal mucosa with positive serology initially)
- abortive (transient/non-permanent but developing gluten tolerance later)
- potential
- in first-degree relatives (4-8% overall; 13% of siblings; 12% in offsprings; 70% in identical twins)
- Cerebellar atrophy (a degeneration of the area of the brain that connects the cerebellum to the spinal cord)
- Cerebral atrophy (decrease in the size of the brain)
- Cerebral syndromes
- epilepsy
- calcification
- headaches
- mental deterioration
- visual disturbances
- Chest pains (non-cardiac)
- Cholangitis (primary and sclerosing) is an infection of the common bile duct, a tube that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and intestines
- Cholecystokinin (CCK) inhibition (reduced CCK release from duodenum resulting in a reduction of gallbladder emptying and pancreatic secretions)
- Cirrhosis, primary biliary (inflammation of the bile ducts of the liver)
- Colitis
- Crohn’s
- Cutaneous vasculitis (a disease of the small blood vessels that usually affect the skin and the lungs)
- Dementia
- Dental enamel lesions (96% of CD children and 83% of CD adults have structural tooth defects – pits or grooves on permanent teeth)
- Depressive illnesses (depression is the most common symptom of gluten intolerance)
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea, chronic
- Down’s syndrome
- Duodenal ulcers
- Dysarthria (difficulty speaking because of weakened facial muscles)
- Dyslexia (a developmental reading disorder resulting in the brain’s inability to properly recognize letters, words, numbers, or other symbols)
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) – occurs in 50% of celiacs when associated with an iron-deficiency (also known as Paterson-Brown Kelly [Plummer-Vinson] syndrome, Waldenström-Kjellberg syndrome, sideropenic dysphagia, sideropenic nasopharyngopathy)
- Eczema
- Edema
- EEG abnormalities (may even persist up to a year after going gluten-free)
- Emotional and Behavioural disorders
- irritability
- petulance
- impulsivity
- depression
- anxiety
- aggressiveness
- autism spectrum disorders
- attention deficits
- schizophrenia
- Epilepsy (associated with cerebral calcifications, migraine headaches, hyperactivity, or Ramsay Hunt’s syndrome)
- Esophageal symptoms (dysphagia, decreased motility, reflux, heartburn, non-cardiac chest pains)
- Eustachian tube dysfunction (ears)
- Exorphin / opioid-like activity (gluten-induced)
- Facial and hair features typical of CD
- blue eyes and fair hair
- triangular-shaped face with prominent forehead and narrow jaw
- premature graying
- Failure to thrive
- Family members of celiacs (parents, siblings)
- Fatigue, chronic
- Flatulence (gas)
- Folic acid (vitamin B9) deficiency
- Food sensitivities
- Gallbladder malfunction (impaired emptying, poor bile delivery, gallstones, etc)
- Gastric inhibitory polypeptide reduction (inhibition of gut hormone release from upper small intestine)
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- abdominal pain
- irritable bowel syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- ulcerative colitis
- chronic diarrhea
- steatorrhea (excess fat in feces)
- recurrent canker sores
- nausea and vomiting
- bloating and gas
- gastrintestinal bleeding (x-ray negative)
- angular stomatitis (sores at the corners of the mouth and usually caused by B-vitamin or iron deficiency, often seen in celiacs and others with poor absorption problems)
- macroglossia (enlarged tongue)
- gastric ulcers
- leaky gut syndrome
- pancreatic insufficiency
- gut hormone inhibition (secretin, CCK etc)
- dyspepsia (indigestion, esophageal reflux etc)
- Gastrointestinal polypeptide inhibition (cholecystokinin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, secretin)
- Glomerulonephritis, IgA-mediated (a type of kidney disease)
- Grave’s Disease
- Gynecological disorders (delayed or no menstruation, delayed puberty, early menopause)
- Hair abnormalities (loss, early graying)
- Headaches (all types not responsive to conventional treatments)
- Heart Disease
- Hematuria (blood in the urine)
- Hepatitis, chronic active and non-specific active
- Hormone abnormalities
- elevated blood testosterone levels
- reduced blood dihydrotestosterone levels
- elevated luteinizing hormone
- abnormally high levels of prolactin in the blood along with lowered dopamine levels
- hyper- hypo-parathyroidism
- hyper- hypo-thyroidism
- growth hormone deficiency
- reduced secretin blood hormone levels
- Human leukocyte antigens (88% in celiacs while only 44% in normal populations) which cause other disorders:
- celiac disease
- dermatitis herpetiformis
- multiple sclerosis
- Down’s syndrome
- Insulin-dependent diabetes
- Grave’s disease
- Idiopathic Addison’s disease
- sicca syndrome (an autoimmune disorder in which the glands that produce tears and saliva are destroyed, causing dry mouth and dry eyes)
- Lupus
- IgA membranous nephropathy (Berger’s Disease, which involves the kidneys)
- Myasthenia gravis (a neuromuscular disease)
- Hypertransaminasemia (elevated levels of the enzyme transaminase, which is a marker for impaired liver function)
- Hypoalbuminemia (low albumin levels)
- Hypocomplementemia (low blood levels of complement, an important marker for some diseases)
- Hypogonadism (when the sex glands produce little or no hormones)
- Hypoperfusion – decreased blood flow through an organ, namely the frontal cortex of the brain
- Hyposplenism (a reduced or absent function of the spleen; often seen in celiacs and sickle cell disease)
- IgA nephropathy (damage to the kidneys)
- IgG and/or IgA anti-gliadin antibodies elevated in serum
- Impotence or loss of libido
- Infertility in both men and women
- Intellectual impairment and mental deterioration
- Intrepithelial gamma / delta T-lymphocytes
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Ischemic heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Lactose intolerance
- Leaky gut syndrome (abnormal intestinal permeability
- Lipofuscin (brown fat) storage is increased in nerves, skin, and muscles
- Liver disease (15 times more frequent in celiacs; 47% of celiac adults and 57% of celiac children have liver impairment); hepatitis and biliary cirrhosis are also included
- Lupus
- Lymphocyte reactivity is reduced against tumours
- Lymphocyte colitis and gastritis
- Lymphomas (31 to 100 times more frequent in celiacs but risks return to near normal within 5 years on a gluten-free diet)
- Macroglossia (larger than normal tongue)
- Magnesium deficiency
- Malabsorption
- low hemoglobin
- reduced MCV (mean corpuscular volume)
- low vitamin B12
- low folic acid
- chronic diarrhea
- weight loss with wasting
- chronic fatigue
- Malignancies (see Cancers and Lymphomas)
- Malnutrition (deficiencies in iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium and vitamins B6, B9, B12, A, D, E, K)
- Mast cell granulation
- Menstruation is delayed (over 1 year)
- Menopause (early)
- Mental disorders
- inability to concentrate
- mental deterioration
- lethargy (sluggish)
- distraction is increased
- intelligence is decreased
- dementia
- down’s syndrome
- ADHD / ADD
- autism spectrum (includes Aspberger’s)
- schizophrenia
- Mesangial IgA deposits (often associated with celiac, Crohn’s, adenocarcinoma, dermatitis herpetiformis, psoriasis, or nephropathy)
- Mineral deficiencies (see Malnutrition)
- Miscarriages (see Abortions)
- Mortality – highest death rates usually occur between the ages of 45-54 for men and 55-64 for women with the major cause being intestinal lymphoma. 31 to 100-fold increase in death from small intestinal lymphomas; 8-fold increase from esophageal cancer; 2-3-fold increase from all other malignant diseases in celiac men; chronic liver disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Mycosis fungoides
- Natural killer cells are reduced
- Nephropathies (Berger’s disease, IgA glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, proteinuria)
- Neurological chronic conditions of unknown cause
- ataxia
- axonal neuropathy
- brain atrophy
- cerebellar atrophy / syndrome
- epilepsy
- hypoperfusion (frontal cortex)
- intellectual deterioration
- multiple sclerosis
- optic neuropathy
- paresthesia
- peripheral neuropathy
- polyneuropathy
- progressive neuromyopathy
- Ramsay Hunt’s syndrome (epilepsy with myoclonic ataxia)
- Obstetrical disorders (recurrant abortions, stillbirths, infertility, subfertility, reduced pregnancy rate)
- Ocular myopathy (weakness of the eye muscles
- Opioid-like neuropathy
- Optic neuropathy (damage to the optic nerve which carries images from the eye to the brain)
- Osteocalcin elevation (a bone protein)
- Osteoporosis / osteopenia (70% of untreated celiacs have low bone density and in those who do not respond to standard therapies – estrogen, vitamin D, calcium, bisphosponates, calcitonin; bone density increases 7.7% within one year of being on a gluten-free diet)
- Otitis media (middle ear infection)
- Palmoplantar pustulosis (skin condition affecting soles and palms)
- Pancreaticobiliary diseases (involves the pancreas)
- pancreatic insufficiency
- pancreatitis
- papillary stenosis
- papillitis
- chronic duodenitis
- impaired cholecystokinin release
- Paresthesia (skin sensations for no apparent reason – prickling, burning etc)
- Pericarditis, recurrent (inflammation of the heart covering)
- Pervasive developmental disorder
- Polyarthritis
- Polymyositis (inflammation of the muscles)
- Polyneuropathy (affects the nerves)
- Presentile dementia
- Prolactin, elevated
- Proteinuria
- Psoriasis
- Psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety)
- Puberty, delayed
- Ramsay Hunt’s syndrome (epilepsy with myoclonic ataxia)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sarcoidosis (inflammation of the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues and may result in no symptoms)
- Secretin release inhibition – secretin is a digestive hormone made up of 27 amino acids and secreted in the duodenum)
- Secretory IgA deficiency
- Sexual behaviour disorders (decreased desire and satisfaction from intercourse)
- Short stature or growth failure
- Sicca syndrome, also known as Sjögren’s syndrome
- Skin diseases
- Sperm abnormalities (reduced, abnormal motility or morphology)
- Steatorrhea (excess fat in the stool)
- Stillbirths
- Suicide
- Thrombocytopenic purpura (reduced circulating blood platelets)
- Thyroid diseases, autoimmune
- Turner syndrome – affects only females and associated with such autoimmune disorders as thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Urticaria (hives)
- Vasculitis – disorders that destroy blood vessels
- Villous atrophy – destruction of the tiny villi in the intestines that are necessary for absorbing nutrients
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Vitiligo – reduced pigmentation of the skin resulting in white patches
- Weight loss or failure to gain weight
- Zinc deficiency (see Mineral deficiencies)
