Everyday symptoms could signal serious autoimmune condition
This Coeliac Awareness Month (May), Coeliac UK is warning that thousands of people in Scotland could be living with an undiagnosed autoimmune condition, after new research reveals many are brushing off key persistent or recurrent symptoms as part of everyday life.
24% of adults in Scotland say that they wouldn’t speak to their GP at all about the symptoms of coeliac disease. Meanwhile, nearly half (40%) of people in Scotland dismiss persistent tiredness as normal, and 30% say the same about brain fog or difficulty concentrating – despite these being common warning signs.
Coeliac disease affects 1 in 100 people; only 36% of people with coeliac disease are diagnosed, yet awareness remains worryingly low.
Symptoms ‘hidden in plain sight’
Despite its prevalence, coeliac disease can affect the whole body – but many of its most common symptoms are overlooked and often mistaken for everyday issues or other conditions.
While issues like bloating or diarrhoea are more widely recognised, others – including fatigue, anaemia and neurological symptoms such as brain fog – are frequently dismissed or misattributed.
New YouGov research commissioned by Coeliac UK highlights the critical awareness gap in Scotland:
- Over half of UK adults (56%) aware of coeliac disease don’t realise coeliac disease causes symptoms beyond digestion
- Myths and misconceptions remain widespread. More people attribute symptoms to stress or lifestyle rather than a serious medical condition. 21% blame diet/lifestyle, 13% blame stress and 14% think it’s part of ageing, over a medical condition (21%).
- Only 11% of people know how common the condition is in reality
Coeliac disease is not a food intolerance or lifestyle choice. It is a serious autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own tissues when gluten is consumed, damaging the gut and preventing nutrients from being properly absorbed.
This has real consequences. On average, it takes 13 years from the onset of symptoms for an adult to be diagnosed – more than a decade of potentially avoidable ill health.
Left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to serious long-term complications, including osteoporosis, infertility, chronic gut ulcers, increased risk of infections, and neurological damage.
Hilary Croft, Chief Executive at Coeliac UK, said: “This isn’t a lifestyle choice or a popular food trend – it’s a serious autoimmune condition. We’re seeing people normalise symptoms and ignore their body’s warning signs. Signs that could point to coeliac disease.
“The result is that many people end up waiting for over a decade before they find out what’s causing their pain and discomfort. Fatigue, brain fog or ongoing digestive issues shouldn’t just be dismissed as part of a busy life or getting older.”
This Coeliac Awareness Month, Coeliac UK is urging people not to ignore persistent or recurrent symptoms, and instead to take action and seek medical advice. Their free online self-assessment, Is It Coeliac Disease, helps people understand their risk and start conversations with healthcare professionals.
Hilary continued: “Take action today, and check whether your symptoms could be coeliac disease, with the Coeliac UK self-assessment.”
For nearly 60 years, Coeliac UK has advocated for people affected by coeliac disease by raising awareness, improving diagnosis pathways, funding research and working to ensure safe and affordable access to gluten free food.
