Celiac disease – gluten intolerance
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which gluten from cereals damages the lining of the small intestine. It often does not manifest as diarrhea but inconspicuously – as anemia, fatigue or weight loss, which is why it goes unrecognized for a long time. At our center in Bratislava at Bernolákova 9 we can diagnose it reliably without a long wait. The lead specialist for gastroenterology is MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský.
- Lead specialist for gastroenterology MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský
- Blood tests for celiac disease and a confirmatory gastroscopy with biopsy usually within a few days
- Comprehensive care – from diagnosis through education to long-term follow-up
- We speak English
Bratislava – Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II)
What celiac disease is
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease – the immune system of a genetically predisposed person reacts to gluten, a protein contained in wheat, rye and barley. This reaction damages the lining of the small intestine: the villi that absorb nutrients flatten out and the body starts to lack iron, vitamins and other substances.
It is therefore neither an allergy nor a fashionable intolerance – untreated celiac disease can lead to anemia, bone thinning, fertility problems and other complications. It can appear at any age, in children as well as adults.
After the diagnosis is made and gluten is strictly eliminated, the bowel lining usually regenerates completely and the complaints subside.
Symptoms of celiac disease
Only some patients have the classic digestive complaints – celiac disease often presents atypically
- Diarrhea or bulky, fatty stools; in some people, on the contrary, constipation
- Bloating, abdominal pain and gas
- Weight loss or, in children, failure to thrive and delayed growth
- Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to treatment – often the only symptom
- Long-term fatigue, weakness and irritability
- Atypical manifestations: itchy skin rashes (dermatitis herpetiformis), mouth ulcers, bone thinning, menstrual or fertility problems
It is precisely because of the atypical forms that many adults with celiac disease remain undiagnosed for years.
Causes and risk factors
- Genetic predisposition – the disease runs in families; first-degree relatives of patients with celiac disease are at particular risk
- The trigger of the complaints is gluten in the diet – the protein of wheat, rye and barley
- People with other autoimmune diseases – type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroiditis – are at higher risk
- Celiac disease can first appear at any age, sometimes after a strain such as an infection, surgery or pregnancy
Diagnosis of celiac disease at our center
The first step is blood tests for celiac disease – we measure specific antibodies in the blood (especially against tissue transglutaminase), which point to the disease with high reliability. If needed, we add a blood count and tests focused on anemia and missing nutrients.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the duodenal lining – we take tiny samples during a gastroscopy, which on request you can have under sedation with minimal discomfort. Histological examination shows the typical damage to the intestinal villi.
Important: do not start a gluten-free diet before the examination. Once gluten is eliminated, antibodies fall and the lining heals – the tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and the diagnosis could not be established reliably. The diet should follow only after celiac disease has been confirmed.
When to see a doctor
It is worth considering testing for celiac disease even with inconspicuous, long-lasting complaints
- Long-term diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain
- Iron-deficiency anemia that keeps coming back despite treatment
- Unintended weight loss or a child's failure to thrive
- Long-term fatigue without a clear cause
- Celiac disease in a close relative or another autoimmune disease
- Blood in the stool or complaints at night – these require examination without delay
Frequently asked questions about celiac disease
The first step is blood tests for specific antibodies. If the result is positive, we confirm the diagnosis by a biopsy of the duodenal lining, which we take during a gastroscopy. At our center you can usually have both examinations within a few days.
Once gluten is eliminated, the antibodies in the blood fall and the bowel lining heals. The tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and celiac disease could be neither reliably confirmed nor ruled out. Therefore start the diet only after the diagnostic work-up is complete.
Yes, and it is fairly common. Many adults with celiac disease have no marked digestive complaints – the disease manifests as iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, bone thinning or fertility problems. That is why we consider celiac disease even with such inconspicuous symptoms.
Celiac disease is a lifelong condition, but it can be fully controlled. With a strict gluten-free diet the bowel lining regenerates, the complaints subside and the risk of complications drops considerably. There is as yet no medication for celiac disease – the treatment is the diet.
No. Even small amounts of gluten keep the inflammation and damage to the lining going, even though you may not feel any complaints. The diet must be strict and lifelong – we will help you set it up correctly and monitor how effective it is.
It is recommended – celiac disease runs in families and first-degree relatives are at increased risk. Antibody testing makes sense even if they have no complaints.
Related topics
Gastroscopy
The examination during which we take samples of the duodenal lining to confirm celiac disease – also under sedation.
Bloating and digestive problems
Long-term bloating and gas are among the common symptoms of celiac disease and other digestive disorders.
Who will take care of you
Gastroenterologist · lead specialist for gastroenterology at Proctocare
MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, with an emphasis on precise diagnostics and an individual approach. He has also long specialized in inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis).
- Gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience
- Gastroenterology Clinic of the Slovak Medical University and the University Hospital Bratislava
- Publishing and lecturing activity in the field
Gastroenterologist · head of the endoscopy unit at the University Hospital Bratislava (UNB)
A gastroenterologist with more than 30 years of experience in digestive endoscopy. He specializes in gastroscopy, colonoscopy and advanced endoscopic procedures.
Gastroenterologist · Bratislava office
She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, including endoscopic examinations and functional gastroenterology, with an emphasis on patient comfort during the examination.
Author and medical review: MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský – gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience, head medical guarantor of gastroenterology at Proctocare. · Last medical review: July 2026
Book an examination for celiac disease
Blood tests for celiac disease and a gastroscopy with biopsy without a long wait. Call +421 948 687 667 – Bratislava, Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II).
Bratislava: Bernolákova 9, 811 07 (STEIN II) · Mon–Fri 07:30–19:30, Sat 07:30–12:30
info@proctocare.sk
Celiac disease – gluten intolerance
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which gluten from cereals damages the lining of the small intestine. It often does not manifest as diarrhea but inconspicuously – as anemia, fatigue or weight loss, which is why it goes unrecognized for a long time. At our center in Bratislava at Bernolákova 9 we can diagnose it reliably without a long wait. The lead specialist for gastroenterology is MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský.
- Lead specialist for gastroenterology MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský
- Blood tests for celiac disease and a confirmatory gastroscopy with biopsy usually within a few days
- Comprehensive care – from diagnosis through education to long-term follow-up
- We speak English
Bratislava – Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II)
What celiac disease is
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease – the immune system of a genetically predisposed person reacts to gluten, a protein contained in wheat, rye and barley. This reaction damages the lining of the small intestine: the villi that absorb nutrients flatten out and the body starts to lack iron, vitamins and other substances.
It is therefore neither an allergy nor a fashionable intolerance – untreated celiac disease can lead to anemia, bone thinning, fertility problems and other complications. It can appear at any age, in children as well as adults.
After the diagnosis is made and gluten is strictly eliminated, the bowel lining usually regenerates completely and the complaints subside.
Symptoms of celiac disease
Only some patients have the classic digestive complaints – celiac disease often presents atypically
- Diarrhea or bulky, fatty stools; in some people, on the contrary, constipation
- Bloating, abdominal pain and gas
- Weight loss or, in children, failure to thrive and delayed growth
- Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to treatment – often the only symptom
- Long-term fatigue, weakness and irritability
- Atypical manifestations: itchy skin rashes (dermatitis herpetiformis), mouth ulcers, bone thinning, menstrual or fertility problems
It is precisely because of the atypical forms that many adults with celiac disease remain undiagnosed for years.
Causes and risk factors
- Genetic predisposition – the disease runs in families; first-degree relatives of patients with celiac disease are at particular risk
- The trigger of the complaints is gluten in the diet – the protein of wheat, rye and barley
- People with other autoimmune diseases – type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroiditis – are at higher risk
- Celiac disease can first appear at any age, sometimes after a strain such as an infection, surgery or pregnancy
Diagnosis of celiac disease at our center
The first step is blood tests for celiac disease – we measure specific antibodies in the blood (especially against tissue transglutaminase), which point to the disease with high reliability. If needed, we add a blood count and tests focused on anemia and missing nutrients.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the duodenal lining – we take tiny samples during a gastroscopy, which on request you can have under sedation with minimal discomfort. Histological examination shows the typical damage to the intestinal villi.
Important: do not start a gluten-free diet before the examination. Once gluten is eliminated, antibodies fall and the lining heals – the tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and the diagnosis could not be established reliably. The diet should follow only after celiac disease has been confirmed.
When to see a doctor
It is worth considering testing for celiac disease even with inconspicuous, long-lasting complaints
- Long-term diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain
- Iron-deficiency anemia that keeps coming back despite treatment
- Unintended weight loss or a child's failure to thrive
- Long-term fatigue without a clear cause
- Celiac disease in a close relative or another autoimmune disease
- Blood in the stool or complaints at night – these require examination without delay
Frequently asked questions about celiac disease
The first step is blood tests for specific antibodies. If the result is positive, we confirm the diagnosis by a biopsy of the duodenal lining, which we take during a gastroscopy. At our center you can usually have both examinations within a few days.
Once gluten is eliminated, the antibodies in the blood fall and the bowel lining heals. The tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and celiac disease could be neither reliably confirmed nor ruled out. Therefore start the diet only after the diagnostic work-up is complete.
Yes, and it is fairly common. Many adults with celiac disease have no marked digestive complaints – the disease manifests as iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, bone thinning or fertility problems. That is why we consider celiac disease even with such inconspicuous symptoms.
Celiac disease is a lifelong condition, but it can be fully controlled. With a strict gluten-free diet the bowel lining regenerates, the complaints subside and the risk of complications drops considerably. There is as yet no medication for celiac disease – the treatment is the diet.
No. Even small amounts of gluten keep the inflammation and damage to the lining going, even though you may not feel any complaints. The diet must be strict and lifelong – we will help you set it up correctly and monitor how effective it is.
It is recommended – celiac disease runs in families and first-degree relatives are at increased risk. Antibody testing makes sense even if they have no complaints.
Related topics
Gastroscopy
The examination during which we take samples of the duodenal lining to confirm celiac disease – also under sedation.
Bloating and digestive problems
Long-term bloating and gas are among the common symptoms of celiac disease and other digestive disorders.
Who will take care of you
Gastroenterologist · lead specialist for gastroenterology at Proctocare
MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, with an emphasis on precise diagnostics and an individual approach. He has also long specialized in inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis).
- Gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience
- Gastroenterology Clinic of the Slovak Medical University and the University Hospital Bratislava
- Publishing and lecturing activity in the field
Gastroenterologist · head of the endoscopy unit at the University Hospital Bratislava (UNB)
A gastroenterologist with more than 30 years of experience in digestive endoscopy. He specializes in gastroscopy, colonoscopy and advanced endoscopic procedures.
Gastroenterologist · Bratislava office
She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, including endoscopic examinations and functional gastroenterology, with an emphasis on patient comfort during the examination.
Author and medical review: MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský – gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience, head medical guarantor of gastroenterology at Proctocare. · Last medical review: July 2026
Book an examination for celiac disease
Blood tests for celiac disease and a gastroscopy with biopsy without a long wait. Call +421 948 687 667 – Bratislava, Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II).
Bratislava: Bernolákova 9, 811 07 (STEIN II) · Mon–Fri 07:30–19:30, Sat 07:30–12:30
info@proctocare.sk
Celiac disease – gluten intolerance
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which gluten from cereals damages the lining of the small intestine. It often does not manifest as diarrhea but inconspicuously – as anemia, fatigue or weight loss, which is why it goes unrecognized for a long time. At our center in Bratislava at Bernolákova 9 we can diagnose it reliably without a long wait. The lead specialist for gastroenterology is MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský.
- Lead specialist for gastroenterology MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský
- Blood tests for celiac disease and a confirmatory gastroscopy with biopsy usually within a few days
- Comprehensive care – from diagnosis through education to long-term follow-up
- We speak English
Bratislava – Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II)
What celiac disease is
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease – the immune system of a genetically predisposed person reacts to gluten, a protein contained in wheat, rye and barley. This reaction damages the lining of the small intestine: the villi that absorb nutrients flatten out and the body starts to lack iron, vitamins and other substances.
It is therefore neither an allergy nor a fashionable intolerance – untreated celiac disease can lead to anemia, bone thinning, fertility problems and other complications. It can appear at any age, in children as well as adults.
After the diagnosis is made and gluten is strictly eliminated, the bowel lining usually regenerates completely and the complaints subside.
Symptoms of celiac disease
Only some patients have the classic digestive complaints – celiac disease often presents atypically
- Diarrhea or bulky, fatty stools; in some people, on the contrary, constipation
- Bloating, abdominal pain and gas
- Weight loss or, in children, failure to thrive and delayed growth
- Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to treatment – often the only symptom
- Long-term fatigue, weakness and irritability
- Atypical manifestations: itchy skin rashes (dermatitis herpetiformis), mouth ulcers, bone thinning, menstrual or fertility problems
It is precisely because of the atypical forms that many adults with celiac disease remain undiagnosed for years.
Causes and risk factors
- Genetic predisposition – the disease runs in families; first-degree relatives of patients with celiac disease are at particular risk
- The trigger of the complaints is gluten in the diet – the protein of wheat, rye and barley
- People with other autoimmune diseases – type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroiditis – are at higher risk
- Celiac disease can first appear at any age, sometimes after a strain such as an infection, surgery or pregnancy
Diagnosis of celiac disease at our center
The first step is blood tests for celiac disease – we measure specific antibodies in the blood (especially against tissue transglutaminase), which point to the disease with high reliability. If needed, we add a blood count and tests focused on anemia and missing nutrients.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the duodenal lining – we take tiny samples during a gastroscopy, which on request you can have under sedation with minimal discomfort. Histological examination shows the typical damage to the intestinal villi.
Important: do not start a gluten-free diet before the examination. Once gluten is eliminated, antibodies fall and the lining heals – the tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and the diagnosis could not be established reliably. The diet should follow only after celiac disease has been confirmed.
When to see a doctor
It is worth considering testing for celiac disease even with inconspicuous, long-lasting complaints
- Long-term diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain
- Iron-deficiency anemia that keeps coming back despite treatment
- Unintended weight loss or a child's failure to thrive
- Long-term fatigue without a clear cause
- Celiac disease in a close relative or another autoimmune disease
- Blood in the stool or complaints at night – these require examination without delay
Frequently asked questions about celiac disease
The first step is blood tests for specific antibodies. If the result is positive, we confirm the diagnosis by a biopsy of the duodenal lining, which we take during a gastroscopy. At our center you can usually have both examinations within a few days.
Once gluten is eliminated, the antibodies in the blood fall and the bowel lining heals. The tests and biopsy could then come out falsely negative and celiac disease could be neither reliably confirmed nor ruled out. Therefore start the diet only after the diagnostic work-up is complete.
Yes, and it is fairly common. Many adults with celiac disease have no marked digestive complaints – the disease manifests as iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, bone thinning or fertility problems. That is why we consider celiac disease even with such inconspicuous symptoms.
Celiac disease is a lifelong condition, but it can be fully controlled. With a strict gluten-free diet the bowel lining regenerates, the complaints subside and the risk of complications drops considerably. There is as yet no medication for celiac disease – the treatment is the diet.
No. Even small amounts of gluten keep the inflammation and damage to the lining going, even though you may not feel any complaints. The diet must be strict and lifelong – we will help you set it up correctly and monitor how effective it is.
It is recommended – celiac disease runs in families and first-degree relatives are at increased risk. Antibody testing makes sense even if they have no complaints.
Related topics
Gastroscopy
The examination during which we take samples of the duodenal lining to confirm celiac disease – also under sedation.
Bloating and digestive problems
Long-term bloating and gas are among the common symptoms of celiac disease and other digestive disorders.
Who will take care of you
Gastroenterologist · lead specialist for gastroenterology at Proctocare
MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, with an emphasis on precise diagnostics and an individual approach. He has also long specialized in inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis).
- Gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience
- Gastroenterology Clinic of the Slovak Medical University and the University Hospital Bratislava
- Publishing and lecturing activity in the field
Gastroenterologist · head of the endoscopy unit at the University Hospital Bratislava (UNB)
A gastroenterologist with more than 30 years of experience in digestive endoscopy. He specializes in gastroscopy, colonoscopy and advanced endoscopic procedures.
Gastroenterologist · Bratislava office
She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, including endoscopic examinations and functional gastroenterology, with an emphasis on patient comfort during the examination.
Author and medical review: MUDr. Tomáš Zamborský – gastroenterologist with more than 20 years of experience, head medical guarantor of gastroenterology at Proctocare. · Last medical review: July 2026
Book an examination for celiac disease
Blood tests for celiac disease and a gastroscopy with biopsy without a long wait. Call +421 948 687 667 – Bratislava, Bernolákova 9 (STEIN II).
Bratislava: Bernolákova 9, 811 07 (STEIN II) · Mon–Fri 07:30–19:30, Sat 07:30–12:30
info@proctocare.sk