Elisabeth Hasselbeck is an American television personality and author who is best known for her roles on the reality show Survivor: The Australian Outback in 2001 and as a co-host on the daytime talk show The View from 2003 to 2013. Hasselbeck has been open about living with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten is ingested. She revealed her diagnosis in 2007 and has since written two books about living with the condition and following a gluten-free diet. However, there has been some speculation over the years about whether Hasselbeck truly has celiac disease or is just following a gluten-free diet as a lifestyle choice. This article will examine the evidence surrounding Hasselbeck’s celiac disease diagnosis and try to determine if she definitively has the condition or not.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that affects around 1% of the population worldwide.1 It is caused by an abnormal immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.2 In individuals with celiac disease, eating gluten triggers immune system activity that damages the small intestine’s lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients. This can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal and malabsorption symptoms.3
The condition is diagnosed through blood tests looking for specific antibodies as well as an intestinal biopsy showing damage to the small intestine. The only treatment for celiac disease is maintaining a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding all foods and products containing gluten proteins.4 If left untreated, celiac disease can lead to complications like malnutrition, osteoporosis, infertility and lymphoma.5
Hasselbeck’s Celiac Disease Diagnosis
In 2007, Elisabeth Hasselbeck released her first book, The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide, in which she revealed she had been diagnosed with celiac disease after feeling ill for years.6 According to Hasselbeck, her symptoms began after college when she started feeling extremely fatigued all the time despite intensive athletic training. She dealt with symptoms like headaches, diarrhea, bloating and joint pain for years without knowing the cause.7
Hasselbeck reports that she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005 after her blood tests came back positive for the condition’s antibodies and an intestinal biopsy confirmed damage to her small intestine consistent with celiac.8 Since her diagnosis, she has followed a strict gluten-free diet which she says resolved most of her gastrointestinal issues and fatigue.
Evidence Supporting the Diagnosis
There are several pieces of evidence indicating that Hasselbeck’s report of having celiac disease is legitimate:
- Hasselbeck experienced common celiac disease symptoms like diarrhea, bloating and fatigue for years before her diagnosis.
- Blood testing looking for celiac antibodies came back positive.
- She reports having an intestinal biopsy showing villous atrophy consistent with celiac.
- Her symptoms improved significantly after adopting a gluten-free diet.
- She has maintained a strict gluten-free diet for over 15 years since her diagnosis.
Hasselbeck also clearly has extensive knowledge of living gluten-free, which she has shared in her books and media interviews. She is quite vocal about strictly avoiding any cross-contamination and highlights ingredients that those with celiac disease need to stay away from.
Reasons for Skepticism
Despite the evidence supporting her diagnosis, there are a few reasons some people question whether Hasselbeck truly has celiac disease:
- She has never publicly released or discussed the specifics of her biopsy report or antibody blood work.
- There is no independent verification of her diagnosis from a doctor.
- She was diagnosed later in life (in her late 20s), when celiac frequently develops in childhood.
- Some speculate she follows a gluten-free diet strictly for health reasons, not medical necessity.
Additionally, since going gluten-free, Hasselbeck has endorsed several controversial diets like the alkaline diet in her writing and TV appearances. This has led some to believe she gravitates towards fad diets, rather than needing to eat gluten-free for medical reasons.
Hasselbeck’s Response to Skeptics
Hasselbeck has directly addressed some of the skepticism surrounding her celiac disease diagnosis in interviews:
- Regarding keeping her medical records private, she has said, “I’m not going to hand out my medical charts to people who doubt me. I really don’t care what people think.”9
- On being diagnosed relatively late in life, she said, “There are a lot of people with celiac disease who get diagnosed much later in life. That doesn’t mean they haven’t had it their whole lives and struggled with unexplained symptoms.”10
- Hasselbeck maintains she was correctly diagnosed by doctors and would not have adopted such an restrictive diet without a legitimate medical reason to do so.
She points out she has raised her three children gluten-free as well, which would be an extreme measure if it was not medically necessary.
Analysis from Celiac Experts
Several celiac disease experts have weighed in on the validity of Hasselbeck’s diagnosis over the years:
- Dr. Stefano Guandalini, founder of the University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center, believes her diagnosis is real, saying, “Why would someone willingly submit themselves to such a restrictive diet if they didn’t have to?”11
- Dr. Daniel Leffler, director of clinical research at the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, agrees with the diagnosis based on her symptom history and response to the gluten-free diet.12
- Dr. Joseph Murray, a renowned celiac disease researcher at Mayo Clinic, says her story “has the ring of truth to it” based on her classic symptoms and the fact that she got better on the gluten-free diet.13
Most celiac specialists agree that the details Hasselbeck has shared point to a true diagnosis of celiac disease. However, without access to her actual medical records, they can’t make a definitive assessment.
Does Hasselbeck Actually Cheat on Her Gluten-Free Diet?
One of the more controversial accusations from skeptics is that Hasselbeck secretly cheats on her gluten-free diet, indicating she may not have true celiac disease after all. This speculation exists for a few reasons:
- She has occasionally admitted to indulging in gluten-containing treats over the years, saying she is willing to accept the consequences.
- In some older TV interviews, she appears to say she periodically takes “breaks” from being gluten-free.
- A few photographs and user accounts have claimed to show her eating regular pizza and other glutenous products.
However, Hasselbeck has strongly denied these rumors and reiterated many times that she adheres to a strict 100% gluten-free diet without any cheating due to her celiac diagnosis.
She has explained that any references to breaks or indulgences were misunderstandings – she experiments with gluten-free substitutes and recipes but does not actually consume regular gluten. Hasselbeck points out that the consequences of cheating can be quite severe for celiac patients. Even inadvertent cross-contamination makes her ill.
Evidence Hasselbeck Follows a Strict Gluten-Free Diet
There are many signs indicating that despite some rumors and discrepancies, Hasselbeck does stick to a gluten-free diet:
- Her kitchen and home are completely gluten-free with measures to prevent cross-contamination.
- When eating out, she thoroughly investigates restaurant ingredients and preparations.
- She is an advocate for clearer gluten-free food labeling standards.
- Her baking recipes and food photos are always gluten-free or modified to be so.
- She’s ruled out going on Dancing with the Stars due to fear of gluten exposure.
- Her celiac experts vouch that she sincerely adheres to the diet.
Based on this pattern of behavior over many years, most signs point to Hasselbeck following a strict lifelong gluten-free diet, which aligns with someone who has a legitimate medical reason for doing so.
Conclusion
While Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s celiac disease diagnosis can’t be confirmed definitively without access to her medical records, the balance of evidence indicates she very likely does have the condition and is not just following a gluten-free diet for other reasons:
- She experienced classic celiac symptoms for years before diagnosis.
- Her diagnosis was based on bloodwork and intestinal biopsy, according to her reports.
- Leading celiac experts believe her story fits the profile of someone with celiac.
- Going gluten-free resolved her symptoms, aligning with treatment of celiac.
- She maintains a strictly gluten-free home and diet to avoid cross-contaminations.
There are some lingering questions about the timing and private details of her diagnosis. Additionally, rumors of cheating seem overblown. But taken as a whole, it appears quite likely that Hasselbeck does indeed have celiac disease based on the available public information about her diagnosis and extensive gluten-free lifestyle.