Former Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has opened up about the moment she discovered she’s suffering from an autoimmune condition that affects one in 10 people
Olympic swimming star Rebecca Adlington wishes she had asked her doctors to test her for coeliac disease sooner. But her story, which she is sharing this Coeliac Awareness Month, is by no means unusual. With just 36% of people with coeliac disease medically diagnosed in the UK, an estimated 500,000 people will be living with unexplained and often debilitating symptoms.
It was only in October last year, aged 35, Rebecca was finally diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune condition that causes the body to react to gluten in the diet. The four-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer describes it as “life changing”, after years of upset.
“As I have had multiple pregnancies, I put a lot of symptoms down to hormonal changes,” she explains. “I suffered with stomach pain, fatigue, mouth ulcers, bloating, and constantly felt run down or ill. The tiredness affected both my personal and professional life as I didn’t feel as productive or have enough energy like other people.
“Meanwhile, the mouth ulcers affected my diet as I struggled to eat sometimes as they were so painful and so many. The stomach pain was persistent. I also experienced two miscarriages and whilst my doctor couldn’t pinpoint the cause, this and my stomach pain ultimately led to me being tested for coeliac disease and subsequently diagnosed.”
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She adds: “If you are experiencing ongoing symptoms or issues like I had, just ask the doctor for a test. I never even thought I might have coeliac disease but I wish I had asked my doctors to test me sooner.”
For this year’s Coeliac Awareness Month, running throughout May, Coeliac UK is urging the public to ask their GP: “Is it coeliac disease?” and take the charity’s free online self-assessment tool to calculate their risk. People can check if they are experiencing common symptoms and, if so, it is recommended they ask for testing for the condition. But it’s important to not remove gluten from your diet until you have a blood test – and possibly a biopsy – to confirm it, as this risks a potential false negative result.
Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition affecting one in 100 people in the UK – yet it remains hard to diagnose. When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, their body attacks its own tissues, causing damage to the gut and leading to serious health complications if left untreated. The only treatment is a lifelong, strict, gluten-free diet.
Symptoms of coeliac disease can be recurrent, persistent or unexplained. They may include, but are not limited to, fatigue, stomach pain, anaemia, and neurological issues, such as loss of balance, brain fog and neuropathy – numbness and tingling in the body.
Now mum-of-two Rebecca is on a strict gluten-free diet, she has seen vast improvements in her health and wellbeing. “Since removing gluten, I feel significantly better. My mood, my energy – everything is better. I am not in pain any more. I am able to exercise more as I feel better.
“To achieve a balanced diet, I eat things that naturally don’t have gluten, like rice and potatoes, but also rely on gluten-free substitutes for items like bread and flour, but these are so much more expensive. Shopping takes longer as you have to examine every label and ingredient to make sure it doesn’t contain gluten. I had lots of people recommend Coeliac UK to me when I announced my diagnosis on social media. I found their support and information so helpful when adjusting to living on a strict gluten-free diet.”
Hilary Croft, Coeliac UK CEO, says: “For those battling with unexplained symptoms, a coeliac disease diagnosis can be life changing. Our campaign aims to increase awareness of coeliac disease and we aim to reach the estimated half a million people living with the symptoms of undiagnosed coeliac disease to help guide them on the road to recovery. At Coeliac UK, we’re here to help with advice and information for anyone who suspects they might have coeliac disease as well as those looking for ongoing support.”
The Coeliac Awareness Month campaign looks at raising awareness of coeliac disease by sharing real stories and empowering those affected by it to recognise symptoms, complete its online self-assessment, and take the first step on the road to recovery.
For more information, visit coeliac.org.uk/awareness-month-2025