I am 18 years old, was diagnosed with celiac disease about seven months ago, and since then I have heard a lot about a connection between celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. I have only seen studies that show that children with type 1 diabetes can also have celiac sprue, and I have been wondering if this means that people with celiac disease, like me, are also at risk for type 1 diabetes or if it only works the other way around. I don’t think I have diabetes, but I want to know if I really am at increased risk for getting it in the future, especially since there is some type 1 on my dad’s side of the family.

As you must already know, celiac disease is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, and the diagnosis is confirmed nowadays by finding a positive serum anti-transglutaminase test. In recent years, however it come to be realised that more than one autoimmune condition can occur in the same subject. The most common association includes type 1A (autoimmune) diabetes, hypothyroidism, celiac disease, and one form of adrenal insufficiency. In addition, there are a number of rarer components. This called the Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome, but not all of these are always combined, which is to say that by no means all cases of celiac disease also have diabetes and vice versa. Reading Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndromes will give you a somewhat technical, but very up to date and easily understood review of all of this.

If you really wish to pursue this further because of the family history, you should talk to your doctor about getting a test for one or better still all three of the conventional diabetes related antibodies anti-GAD, anti-ICA512 , and anti-insulin. A negative test would effectively eliminate the possibility of type 1 diabetes.

DOB