Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that can affect a person of any age, race, or sex, including men. Symptoms can vary widely from person to person—some people have no symptoms at all, aside from the intestinal damage characteristic of celiac disease—and there are a few unique ways it can affect men. Learn more about celiac disease in men by reading below.
Like other autoimmune diseases, celiac disease occurs in more women than men. The disease is currently diagnosed more frequently in women as well, somewhere between two and three times more often. However, a recent comprehensive review of celiac disease by celiac disease experts from Italy and the United States found that when looking at blood tests of undiagnosed populations, it appears that men have celiac disease at much higher rates than previously believed. The review found that the actual female to-male ratio [of celiac disease] is 1.5 to 1.
The symptoms most often associated with celiac disease are gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and recurrent abdominal pain, but celiac disease can also affect other parts of the body, including the bones, skin, and reproductive system. Symptoms in men may also include:
Men with type 2 refractory celiac disease also appear to experience intestinal lymphoma more often than women.
Men with celiac disease may have gonadal dysfunction, which could complicate fertility issues. Semen issues (such as sperm morphology, number and mobility issues) found in men with celiac disease improved after following a gluten-free diet. A 2025 review of studies that investigated celiac disease and infertility in men found conflicting conclusions and recommended that more research in this area is needed.
Celiac disease tends to be underdiagnosed in men. Men with symptoms of celiac disease, especially osteoporosis, are encouraged to be tested for celiac disease. The earlier you can catch celiac disease the better since the diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve a person’s overall well-being.
Blood tests are the first step in a diagnosis of celiac disease. Your doctor should order one or more of a series of blood tests to measure the body’s response to gluten.
Currently, recommended tests include:
According to World Health Data Statistics 2019, there’s a “health gap” between men and women, especially in high-income countries. The data shows that men tend to use health services less than women. It is important for men to seek professional medical services to prevent complications that can occur if their condition, whatever it may be, goes undiagnosed.
It is of the utmost importance that you do not go on a gluten-free diet before getting tested. Going gluten-free before getting tested can potentially give you incorrect results— test results for celiac disease are only accurate if you are consuming gluten
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