Coeliac disease is one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in the world. Research suggests the average person waits between 6 and 10 years before receiving a diagnosis — and that’s if they’re diagnosed at all. If you’ve been searching for a coeliac disease quiz to help make sense of your symptoms, you’re in exactly the right place. This checklist won’t replace a clinical diagnosis, but it will help you identify patterns that are genuinely worth discussing with your GP.
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In my practice, I see clients who have spent years cycling through vague diagnoses — IBS, stress, “a sensitive stomach” — without anyone ever checking for coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. When my husband was going through his own years of unexplained gut problems, I came to understand just how exhausting and demoralising that process can be. This post is for anyone who suspects gluten might be at the root of how they’re feeling, and who wants a clear, evidence-informed starting point.
Something I always explain to new clients is that coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, not a food allergy or simple intolerance. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is a separate and less well-understood condition that shares many of the same symptoms but without the same immune response. Both are worth investigating. Work through the questions below honestly, and let’s see what your answers reveal.
The Coeliac Disease / Gluten Sensitivity Symptom Checklist
Read through each question and answer honestly with a yes or no based on your experience over the past few months.
- Do you experience significant digestive symptoms (bloating, diarrhoea, pain, nausea) after eating bread, pasta, or wheat-containing foods?
- Do you have unexplained fatigue or energy crashes, particularly after meals containing gluten?
- Do you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) with diagnosed coeliac disease?
- Have you been diagnosed with or do you have symptoms of anaemia, osteoporosis, or vitamin D/B12 deficiency?
- Do you have a related autoimmune condition such as Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, or rheumatoid arthritis?
- Do you experience mouth ulcers, dermatitis, or an itchy skin rash that flares and settles unpredictably?
- Do you experience brain fog or difficulty concentrating particularly after eating gluten?
- Do you have unexplained joint pain or inflammation?
- Did your symptoms improve when you previously tried avoiding gluten, even briefly?
- Do you have ongoing digestive symptoms that have been difficult to explain or have been dismissed by doctors?
Give yourself 1 point for every ‘Yes’ answer, then check your score below.
What Your Score Means
0–3: Coeliac disease or significant gluten sensitivity is less likely based on this checklist, though individual symptoms are worth monitoring. If any single symptom is persistent or worsening, it’s always worth mentioning to your GP regardless of your overall score.
4–6: A moderate overlap with coeliac or gluten sensitivity patterns. I would encourage you to ask your GP for a coeliac blood test — specifically the tTG-IgA test. And importantly, do not go gluten-free before testing, as this affects result accuracy significantly. You need to be eating gluten daily for at least six weeks before the test for a reliable result.
7–10: A strong correlation with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. In my clinical experience, a score in this range warrants prompt action. I would strongly recommend requesting a formal coeliac blood test from your GP before making any dietary changes whatsoever. Going gluten-free prematurely can mask the antibodies that make diagnosis possible.
Understanding What These Symptoms Mean
When a client tells me they feel exhausted, foggy, and bloated but their GP hasn’t flagged anything serious, I always consider whether coeliac disease has been properly ruled out. In coeliac disease, the immune system mounts an abnormal response to gliadin — a protein found in gluten — which triggers inflammation that progressively damages the villi lining the small intestine. These tiny, finger-like projections are responsible for absorbing nutrients. When they become flattened or destroyed, the gut’s ability to absorb iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and folate is significantly compromised. This is why so many people with coeliac disease present with anaemia, fatigue, or bone density issues long before digestive symptoms are taken seriously.
Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is a distinct condition without the autoimmune or intestinal damage component, but the symptomatic overlap is considerable. Brain fog, joint pain, and skin rashes — which can include dermatitis herpetiformis, a specific blistering rash directly associated with coeliac disease — are frequently dismissed as unrelated to diet. The gut-brain axis connection is particularly relevant here. Emerging research supports a clear bidirectional relationship between intestinal inflammation and neurological symptoms, which is why cognitive symptoms like difficulty concentrating and mood changes are increasingly recognised as legitimate features of both conditions.
Family history also matters more than many people realise. First-degree relatives of someone with coeliac disease have approximately a 1 in 10 risk of developing the condition themselves. If a parent or sibling has a confirmed diagnosis, routine testing is genuinely advisable even in the absence of obvious symptoms — because coeliac disease can be clinically silent for years while continuing to cause internal damage. Something I always explain to clients in this situation is that a negative blood test is worth having as a clear baseline, not just a formality.
Take a Validated Coeliac Disease / Gluten Sensitivity Quiz
Beyond this checklist, there are a couple of well-regarded external tools I recommend to clients who want to dig a little deeper before their GP appointment. These aren’t diagnostic, but they provide a more structured way to assess your risk and consider whether other intolerances might also be contributing to your symptoms.
- Coeliac Australia Self-Assessment Tool — A free, 3-minute tool developed by an official coeliac disease organisation. It provides a risk level based on your responses and is a helpful way to frame the conversation with your doctor.
- Intoleran Intolerance Test — A quick 2-minute online test that covers a broader range of digestive sensitivities including FODMAP, lactose, fructose, fructans, and other intolerances. Worth doing if you’re unsure whether gluten or another dietary factor is behind your symptoms.
What to Do Next
If your score was 4 or above, or if any of these questions resonated strongly with your experience, here’s what I’d recommend as practical next steps.
Step 1: Book a GP appointment and ask specifically for a coeliac blood test. Request the tTG-IgA test by name. You must continue eating gluten normally until the test is done — ideally for at least six weeks beforehand. If your GP is dismissive, you are within your rights to advocate for yourself or seek a second opinion.
Step 2: Keep a detailed food and symptom diary. Track what you eat and how you feel — particularly after gluten-containing meals. This information will be invaluable in your appointment and can help identify patterns your memory alone might miss.
Step 3: Educate yourself so you’re prepared. If coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity is confirmed, navigating a gluten-free diet can feel overwhelming at first. Two resources I’ve found genuinely useful for clients are the Gluten Free Food List: The World’s Most Comprehensive Ingredient List for the Gluten-Free Diet, a pocket-friendly reference that takes the guesswork out of label reading, and Essentials of Celiac Disease and the Gluten-Free Diet, which gives a thorough, accessible overview of living gluten-free with a confirmed diagnosis. Both are practical tools rather than theoretical reads, which is exactly what you need when you’re first finding your footing.
Step 4: Support your digestion in the meantime. If you’re awaiting test results and finding certain meals difficult to tolerate, a digestive enzyme supplement may offer some interim relief. Products like Enzymedica GlutenEase are formulated to support gluten and casein digestion and may ease digestive discomfort — but I want to be clear that enzyme supplements are not a treatment for coeliac disease and should not replace proper medical investigation or a strict gluten-free diet post-diagnosis.
I know how it feels to watch someone you love struggle with symptoms that keep getting dismissed or misattributed. If any part of this checklist has made you think “that sounds like me,” please don’t brush it aside. You deserve a proper answer, and a simple blood test is often all it takes to start getting one. Take your score to your GP, advocate for yourself, and know that a diagnosis — if that’s what it leads to — is not a life sentence. It’s a life-changing piece of clarity. I’m rooting for you.
— Lucy Bamboo, Registered Nutritionist, Digestion FAQ
