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Does Celiac Disease Cause Blood In The Stool?

In this article, we will take a close look at the connection between celiac disease, a systemic autoimmune disorder, and the presence of blood in stool. We will analyze scientific studies that have explored this relationship, and discuss the implications of this symptom in the context of celiac disease.

Jakub Gwiazdecki

Author - Jakub Gwiazdecki

Fifth year medical student at the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava.

Jakub used MediSearch to find sources for this blog.
MediSearch gives instant answers to medical questions based on 30 million scientific articles.

Does Celiac disease cause blood in the stool?

Blood in the stool is not a common symptom of celiac disease [1]. However, in some cases, small bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract can occur when you are not on a gluten-free diet [2]. Also, around half of severe cases of celiac disease can present with blood in the stool [3].

What are the common symptoms of celiac disease?

Celiac disease can present a wide range of symptoms. The symptoms can vary from person to person. One might not even notice the disease, while someone else will experience a lot of discomfort.

The common symptoms of celiac disease include:

  • abdominal pain,
  • gases,
  • bloating,
  • chronic constipation or diarrhea,
  • weight loss,
  • fatigue,
  • foul-smelling stool [4, 5].

However, celiac disease can also have other influences on the body. It can lead to iron deficiency, joint pain, and weak bones.

Also, celiac disease can have a dermal presentation, called dermatitis herpetiformis. This dermatological condition affects roughly 25% of celiac-ill people. It causes itchy skin rushes that consist of blisters filled with clean fluid. Specific locations of the rush are the elbows, keens, and buttocks [4].

Is blood in stool in celiac disease dangerous?

Blood in the stool in celiac disease can occur. However, it is uncommon.

Blood in stool in celiac disease is normally not a dangerous condition. The amount of blood being possibly lost that way is typically not dangerous [1].

However, even tiny regular bleeding combined with celiac disease can contribute to the development of iron-deficiency anemia [3].

Additionally, in rare cases, celiac disease can lead to coagulopathy. In this condition, the clot formation ability is impaired. The coagulopathy can present in blood in the stool and can be life-threatening [6].

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