Anyone can develop a gluten intolerance.  Some people are born with it while others will develop it later in life.  Gluten intolerance is more common in women than men.  Gluten intolerance can happen suddenly. About 6% of the U.S. population is gluten intolerant.

There are three different types of gluten intolerance. 

  1. Celiac disease is the most extreme form of gluten intolerance.  It is an autoimmune condition where your immune system is reacting to the gluten.  Celiac disease causes inflammation and pain in the gut after eating gluten.  Over time this condition can damage your digestive system. 
  2. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, NCGS, is not an immune response.  Over time it does not cause more harm to your digestive system. 
  3. The third type of gluten intolerance is wheat allergy.  This is when your immune system responds negatively to just wheat. 

All three of these can be misdiagnosed, or confused between the three of them. 

 

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein that is found in different grains.  Grains that contain gluten are wheat, rye, or barley.  Gluten is only found in grains, but not all grains have gluten.  Grains that don’t have gluten are rice, oatmeal, and seeds; these are all naturally gluten free.  

You won’t find gluten in vegetables, fruits, or meats.

 

Symptoms

Symptoms between the three different types of gluten intolerances can overlap.  Meaning two types may have the same symptoms.  Which can make it hard in figuring out which one you suffer from. 

Symptoms for most people with a gluten intolerance, appear within one hour after eating or drinking something containing gluten.  

Symptoms for celiac disease are abdominal pain, bloating, gas, chronic diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatty stool that floats, constipation, fatigue, skin rashes, weight loss, and iron deficiencies.  

Symptoms of NCGS are bloating, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, headaches, migraines, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and brain fog.  

Symptoms of a wheat allergy are skin rash like hives, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloating, pain, indigestion, nasal congestion, and anaphylaxis.  

 

 

Complications

Gluten poisoning can occur when you ingest a high level of gluten.  This can happen accidentally.  Usually if you suffer from gluten poisoning you will have all of these symptoms and they can last many days.  Symptoms include mouth ulcers, skin rash, headache, irritability, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. 

 

Diagnosis

There are tests to check if you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy.  It is important to get tested for these more serious gluten intolerances.  If your tests come back that you don’t have a wheat allergy or celiac disease then it can be hard to know how to move forward. 

There is no exact test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity.  Your doctor may want you to go gluten free for at least 4 weeks.  After the 4 week time your doctor may suggest that you start adding back in gluten to your diet.  If your symptoms come back then you know you suffer from some degree of gluten intolerance or sensitivity and remaining on a gluten free diet can be best. 

It is important if you feel like your food is giving you adverse reactions, to keep a food diary.  List out everything you eat and how it makes you feel in the hour after you have eaten it.  This can also help your doctor see what may be going on.  

 

Treatment

If you start experiencing symptoms from eating gluten the best thing to do is to drink a lot of water and not eat anything else until symptoms subside.  Eating more can put stress on your digestive system and make symptoms worse. 

There is no cure for gluten intolerance. Removing gluten from your diet is required.  It is important to learn what to look out for when trying to go gluten free. 

Foods that contain wheat and its derivatives, barley, rye, and brewers yeast are all sources of gluten. 

Common foods that contain gluten are pasta, bread, pastries, noodles, crackers, cereal, pancakes, waffles, crepes, biscuits, sauces, gravies, beers, and malt beverages.  

If you can work with a dietician to manage this and make sure you are getting the needed vitamins and minerals.  It can be easy for someone who is gluten free to have low iron. 

Adding a probiotic into your diet can help decrease digestion issues, and alleviate bloating, and gas.  Some studies have shown taking a certain enzyme may help people who are gluten intolerant to digest gluten better. 

 

Causes

The exact cause is unknown.  There are studies that show some people may have trouble digesting a carbohydrate in gluten foods, which stays in their stomachs for too long causing sickness. 

Other studies have shown that the lining in the digestive tract may not work as it should, allowing bacteria into the blood or liver causing inflammation. 

There is no way to prevent yourself from becoming gluten intolerant.

 

 

 

READ MORE: Digestive Health – 4 Steps To Improve Your Gut Microbiome


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