Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

Don’t assume that the gluten-free movement is just a fad. You can have gluten intolerance symptoms even if you don’t have celiac disease. Learn more.

People have been eating bread for a long time, so why, all of a sudden, would so many say that it makes them ill?

There are many possible explanations, but not one that scientists agree on. What we do know is that more people are testing positive for celiac disease, a measurable immune response to gluten, a protein in wheat and rye. Even more people still say that they feel better on a gluten-free diet.

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Gluten intolerance symptoms

Thousands of Americans report gluten intolerance symptoms even after they have ruled out celiac disease or an allergy to wheat.

Abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and gastroesophageal reflux may all be gluten intolerance symptoms.

The signs of gluten intolerance usually show up within six to 24 hours after you eat gluten, but they may not be as obvious as bloating. Fatigue, headaches, achy joints and muscles, leg or arm numbness, mental fogginess, skin rashes, depression, and anxiety have also been linked to gluten.

Many gluten-intolerant individuals experience fatigue despite getting enough sleep. Sometimes the cause is anemia. People may find that gluten puts them in a low mood. It’s also possible that gluten triggers migraines, and that a gluten-free diet could help banish them.

Wheat allergy

Especially if you have digestive symptoms, the real problem may not be gluten. It may be a group of common carbohydrates called fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), which can trigger irritable bowel syndrome.

Wheat is one of them.

Besides gluten, another component of wheat, amylase trypsin inhibitors, can trigger an immune reaction that, in turn, could trigger stomach symptoms. You may actually have non-celiac wheat sensitivity.

One theory suggests that some people begin life with genes that make their nervous system more sensitive, and life stress can make their bodies hypervigilant, triggering migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and reactions to gluten.

How to fight gluten allergy symptoms

The big test is to eliminate foods that you think may bother you, then see how you feel. If you feel better but still have symptoms like bloating and diarrhea, check out the list of high FODMAPs foods to see which you may be eating a lot of. Some simple changes could help, such as switching from tea to coffee, using almond milk rather than cow’s milk, and choosing blueberries and cantaloupe over apples and pears.

Just don’t assume that gluten-free foods are healthy. Sugar and potato and rice flours aren’t full of nutrients.

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