Long-Term Health Risks of Untreated Celiac Disease
Psychiatric disorders
Those living with celiac disease are also at higher risk of developing emotional distress. Anxiety and depression are all too common among those living with celiac disease, and the risk is even higher in untreated cases. Celiac disease also increases the risk of developing various psychiatric disorders, though the underlying mechanism is not fully understood, thus those with untreated celiac may even develop schizophrenia. Studies have shown that individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia have a much higher prevalence of anti-gliadin antibodies (antibodies to a form of gluten), which is almost 30 percent in those with schizophrenia.