Conditions We Treat » Coeliac Disease
Coeliac
Disease
Coeliac disease damages the gut lining and significantly impairs iron absorption. Even on a strict gluten-free diet, iron deficiency can persist and worsen. IV iron bypasses the gut entirely.
50%
Of newly diagnosed coeliac patients have iron deficiency anaemia
1 in 100
People in the UK have coeliac disease
100%
Bioavailability of IV iron: oral iron absorption impaired in coeliac
Why it happens
Why coeliac disease causes iron deficiency
Coeliac disease triggers an immune response to gluten that damages the villi, the tiny finger-like projections lining the small intestine. These villi are responsible for absorbing nutrients, including iron. When they are damaged or flattened, iron absorption is significantly impaired.
The duodenum, the section of small intestine where most iron absorption takes place, is among the first areas affected by coeliac damage. Even in patients who are strictly following a gluten-free diet and whose gut is partially healing, absorption can remain compromised for months or years.
Oral iron faces exactly the same problem as dietary iron, it has to pass through a gut that cannot absorb it properly. IV iron skips this entirely, delivering iron directly into the bloodstream where it can be used immediately.
Symptoms
What to look out for
These symptoms can overlap significantly with coeliac disease itself, making iron deficiency easy to miss. If they persist despite good dietary adherence, iron levels are worth investigating specifically.
Persistent fatigue
Ongoing exhaustion that does not resolve with a gluten-free diet alone, often a sign that iron deficiency remains untreated.
Performance plateau
Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, feeling mentally slow. A common but overlooked consequence of iron deficiency.
Breathlessness
Getting out of breath more easily than expected, a sign that haemoglobin levels are falling.
Hair thinning
Increased hair loss that continues despite coeliac management. A visible and distressing sign of ongoing iron deficiency.
Pale skin
Loss of drive to train. Can feel psychological but often has a physiological root in iron deficiency.
Poor exercise tolerance
Feeling physically weaker or less able to exercise than expected, even when otherwise well.
Who qualifies
Are you eligible?
Every patient is assessed individually. The following criteria are used as a guide for patients with coeliac disease.
01
Confirmed coeliac disease with iron deficiency
A diagnosed coeliac patient with blood tests showing low ferritin, haemoglobin, or transferrin saturation.
02
Inadequate response to oral iron
Oral iron has been tried but has not raised iron levels adequately, due to impaired absorption through a damaged gut lining.
03
Persistent deficiency despite gluten-free diet
Iron deficiency continuing despite good dietary adherence, as the gut continues to absorb iron poorly during the healing process.
04
Symptoms significantly affecting daily life
Fatigue, brain fog, and other symptoms impacting your work and quality of life are clinically significant and warrant treatment.
Still feeling exhausted
on a gluten-free diet?
Iron deficiency may be contributing. Book a consultation and we will review your blood results together.
Or email hello@londonironinfusionclinic.co.uk
Other conditions we treat
Gastrointestinal
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
IBD also impairs iron absorption significantly through gut inflammation.
Most Common
Iron Deficiency Anaemia
The most common nutritional deficiency in the UK.
Post-operative
Post-Surgical Anaemia
Surgery to treat coeliac complications can also cause significant iron loss.