Dr. Hibberd's answer:

 

Celiac disease may cause symptoms that mimic irritable bowel syndrome, but the two are not related.

 

Celiac disease patients must follow a gluten-free diet or their disease may become life-threatening. Some irritable bowel patients may be gluten sensitive, and may improve on a gluten-free diet.

 

Active cultured yogurt and probiotics can be helpful in promoting healthy gut bacteria that are useful in helping the intestines absorb nutrients. Bacteria may become unbalanced by repeated or prolonged antibiotic use, excessive laxative use, repeated excessive enemas, or colonic treatments. Imbalance of bowel bacteria is a frequent cause of cramps, fatigue, and loose stools.

 

Infections may temporarily disturb normal bacterial balance, and probiotics and active yogurt use seems to restore a normal level of healthy gut bacteria.