Gluten Intolerance

Gluten Intolerance:

Although you may not have celiac disease, which is the most severe form of gluten intolerance, you may still have an issue consuming it. What is “gluten”, anyways?! Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt. It is an autoimmune disease that affects about 1% of the population and may lead to damage in the digestive system. Both forms of gluten intolerance can cause widespread symptoms, many of which have nothing to do with digestion.

Here are some signs and symptoms to pay attention to when consuming gluten:

1. Bloating is when you feel as if your belly is swollen or full of gas after you’ve eaten. A lot of time your stomach protrudes and has a sharp pain. It is hard to breathe or eat more. This is usually the number one complaint of gluten intolerance.

2. Diarrhea, Constipation and Smelly Feces

If you experience this the same day or day after your consume gluten, you may be intolerant. Individuals with celiac disease experience inflammation in the gut after eating gluten. This damages the gut lining and leads to poor nutrient absorption, resulting in significant digestive discomfort and frequent diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both. If your bowel looks pale and foul-smelling, it is due to poor nutrient absorption and may be from gluten intake. Furthermore, frequent diarrhea can cause some major health concerns, such as loss of electrolytes, dehydration and fatigue.

1. Abdominal Pain

The most common symptom of gluten intolerance after consuming is stomach aches and pains. Up to 83% of those with gluten intolerance experience discomfort and a sharp pain after eating it.

1. Headaches
   

Gluten intolerant people are more susceptible to getting migraines than those who can handle gluten when consuming.

1. Feeling Tired/Brain Fog

Aside from it being high in carbs and causing a crash after eating (which you may experience regardless if you are intolerant or not), fatigue usually will occur on days that you eat gluten. If you constantly feel very tired, then you should explore the possibility of an underlying cause. Gluten intolerance can also cause iron-deficiency anemia, which in turn will cause more tiredness and lack of energy in various studies. Many with gluten intolerance complain they have trouble concentrating or thinking properly as well.

1. Skin Problems

Gluten intolerance can also affect your skin, which is a telling sign when someone is first diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

A blistering skin condition called dermatitis herpeformis is the skin manifestation of celiac disease. This is caused by the inflammation of the gut and can even appear when someone with Celiac is next to or touches gluten due to the reaction. It can redden the skin, cause it to scale, or also cause hair loss.

1. Depression/Anxiety

Depression has been linked to Celiac disease when those individuals consume gluten for factors such as:

1. Abnormal serotonin levels:Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that allows cells to communicate. It is commonly known as one of the “happiness” hormones. Decreased amounts of it have been linked with depression.

2. Gluten exorphins:These peptides are formed during the digestion of some of the gluten proteins. They may interfere with the central nervous system, which may raise the risk of depression.

3. Changes in the gut microbiota:Increased amounts of harmful bacteria and decreased amounts of beneficial bacteria may affect the central nervous system, increasing the risk of depression.

4. Unexplained Weight Loss Because you may have trouble absorbing the nutrients from gluten and from the inflammation in the gut, you may experience weight loss after eating gluten on a regular basis if you are intolerant.

5. Iron-Deficiency Anemia

In celiac disease, nutrient absorption in the large intestine is impaired, resulting in a reduced amount of iron being absorbed from food. This anemia may be among the first symptoms of celiac disease.

1. Autoimmune Disorders

Celiac disease is defined as an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your digestive tract after you consume gluten. Fascinatingly, this autoimmune disease can make you more prone to other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, IBS, liver disease, depressive/emotional disorders and type 1 diabetes.

1. Joint and Muscle Pain

There is a scientific theory that links those with celiac disease have a genetically determined over-sensitive or over-excitable nervous system, thus they may have a lower threshold to activate sensory neurons that cause pain in muscles and joints. Moreover, gluten exposure may cause inflammation in gluten-sensitive individuals. The inflammation may result in widespread pain. It is commonly reported this pain is in the joints and muscles.

1. Leg or Arm Numbness

Another surprising symptom of gluten intolerance is neuropathy, which involves numbness or tingling in the arms and legs.