Coeliac self-diagnosis warning
The gluten-free fad that is taking hold could be dangerous and lead to serious diseases being missed, says Coeliac Australia.
Coeliac Australia's dietitian Penny Dellsperger said it was important for people to be diagnosed with coeliac disease before they embarked on a gluten-free diet.
"The symptoms are non-specific and can be quite vague and mimic those of other conditions, so it is important to make sure you are treating the right condition," she said. "If someone goes on a gluten-free diet without proper investigation, they could in fact have ovarian cancer or something else, so it can be quite dangerous to health."
People with coeliac disease have a permanent intolerance to gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, oats and barley that can damage the lining of the small bowel and result in nutritional deficiencies if untreated.
Although one in 100 Australians has coeliac disease, 75 per cent of them are not aware of it. Common symptoms are unexplained extreme fatigue, bloating or other gut symptoms, headaches and joint pains. Ms Dellsperger said people should not fiddle with their diet or self-diagnose but should see their GP.
People were born with a genetic predisposition to the disease. It could set in from the day gluten was introduced into their diet, usually at 6-12 months, but could develop at any age and sometimes was not diagnosed until people were 50 or even 80. It was important for people with the disease to stick strictly to a gluten-free diet or they could place their health at long-term risk of bowel cancer and osteoporosis.
"But if you have got to pick something to have, then at least with this one we know that as long as you stick to the right diet, then you are going to be fine," Ms Dellsperger said.
Information: coeliac.org.au.
"The symptoms are non-specific and can be quite vague and mimic those of other conditions, so it is important to make sure you are treating the right condition," she said. "If someone goes on a gluten-free diet without proper investigation, they could in fact have ovarian cancer or something else, so it can be quite dangerous to health."
People with coeliac disease have a permanent intolerance to gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, oats and barley that can damage the lining of the small bowel and result in nutritional deficiencies if untreated.
Although one in 100 Australians has coeliac disease, 75 per cent of them are not aware of it. Common symptoms are unexplained extreme fatigue, bloating or other gut symptoms, headaches and joint pains. Ms Dellsperger said people should not fiddle with their diet or self-diagnose but should see their GP.
People were born with a genetic predisposition to the disease. It could set in from the day gluten was introduced into their diet, usually at 6-12 months, but could develop at any age and sometimes was not diagnosed until people were 50 or even 80. It was important for people with the disease to stick strictly to a gluten-free diet or they could place their health at long-term risk of bowel cancer and osteoporosis.
"But if you have got to pick something to have, then at least with this one we know that as long as you stick to the right diet, then you are going to be fine," Ms Dellsperger said.
Information: coeliac.org.au.
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