Do you have coeliac disease or gluten intolerance?

While coeliac disease means completely avoiding foods containing gluten, a gluten intolerance usually allows some leeway. — dpa

People who react badly to gluten and those who suffer from coeliac disease sometimes display similar symptoms, such as diarrhoea and fatigue, hence the confusion between which condition an individual might have.

“If you eat gluten and have an immediate reaction, such as diarrhoea, that’s more likely to be gluten intolerance than coeliac disease, which is a slow process that you don’t tend to feel immediately,” says Dr Sarmed Sami, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, United Kingdom.