NEWS: Study Reveals High-Risk Link Between IBS and Coeliac Disease
Medical specialists in Pakistan highlight high-risk link between IBS patients and coeliac disease diagnosis
Hey Gluten Free Fam,
We know there is an overlap in symptoms between sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and coeliac disease in certain cases. However, depending on who you speak with or which medical professional you’re seeing, these can often be considered two distinct domains that are assessed and treated differently.
IBS is regularly viewed and treated in complete isolation from coeliac disease, and it’s not until the symptoms continue to persist that this option is tested for. Until that stage, you’ve been left to pay incredible sums of money, not to mention the physical and emotional pain and anguish of being left without answers.
Pakistan Study Highlights Prevalence of Coeliac Disease with IBS Patients
Results of a study conducted between 2019 and 2020 have just been published, and it sheds light on this very link between IBS and coeliac disease. The one-year cross-sectional study was performed at District Headquarters (DHQ) Teaching Hospital, Gujranwala, Pakistan.
168 men and 92 women took part in the study. They all passed the initial criteria, showcasing IBS symptoms while having positive anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-TTG) IgA and IgG antibodies. The hypothesis was clear - all 260 participants were deemed at a higher risk than average citizens of being coeliac, but would the results prove the theory correct?
“We recommend routine screening for CD with serologic markers in all IBS patients”
Given the composition of the sample group and the precise nature of the criteria, there was an expectation of 6.5% would return a positive diagnosis. Patients who already live gluten free were excluded from the study.
Of the 260 patients, 39 were diagnosed with coeliac disease. This is 15% of the entire group, a statistically significant outcome given that the global population average for the disease is listed around the 1% figure depending on which location and demographic is being assessed.
Routine Coeliac Population Screening Advised
This breakthrough research continues to underline the necessity of widespread population screening, particularly for those who are suffering from IBS. Only when individuals and families recognise and understand their condition are they able to then adapt to improve their health.
Unsurprisingly, this was the conclusion from the experts at the tertiary care hospital in Gujranwala, Pakistan.
“Patients with IBS, irrespective of age and gender, are more susceptible to develop CD (coeliac disease) compared to the general population,” read the conclusion of the study. “Based on these findings, we recommend routine screening for CD with serologic markers in all IBS patients to identify individuals with latent or potential CD.”
Learning More on Coeliac Population Screening and the IBS Condition
Population screening remains a goal and cause we’re passionate about here at A Gluten Free Family. Ben spoke in-depth with Dr. Nick Cooling about this on Episode 168 of A Gluten Free Podcast. As General Practitioner and the Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Allergy Special Interest Group, he’s uniquely positioned to know exactly what kind of impact that rollout would mean for Australians suffering with symptoms like IBS who desperately need an answer.
The topic of IBS is rarely far away from discussions of coeliac disease. We were lucky enough to have Alex Naoumidis on Episode 145 of A Gluten Free Podcast to talk about IBS and gut health. As a gut health ambassador and founder of Nerva & Mindset Health, Alex opens up on his coeliac diagnosis and how it inspired his research into gut health, what gut-directed hypnotherapy is and how Nerva is using this approach to help manage IBS symptoms for its users.
Study: Warraich M, Shafqat M, Ajmal U, et al. (August 08, 2025) Frequency of Celiac Disease in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Insights From a Tertiary Care Hospital. Cureus 17(8): e89617. doi:10.7759/cureus.89617
