If you’re not among the 6% or so of people in the U.S. with gluten intolerance, consider yourself lucky. In addition to having to forgo wheat, barley, and rye, life with a gluten intolerance means that most brands of pasta, cereal, beer, vitamins, and even certain medications are off-limits. To appreciate why this is, it helps to know a little more about gluten and what it does to the body when someone has a gluten intolerance. Gluten is the chief storage protein of wheat grains. In people without a gluten intolerance, gluten is pretty much harmless. But in those not so fortunate, consuming food with gluten can lead to feeling bloated or very gassy. Some people with gluten intolerance also experience the following after consuming gluten-containing foods:
- Abdominal pain
- Anemia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Skin rash
Diagnosing Gluten Intolerance
Because symptoms of gluten intolerance are also associated with other digestive problems, it is best to see a physician who can make a proper and accurate diagnosis. Generally, this requires the physician to take stock of the individual’s symptoms and medical history before moving on to more specific testing and analysis, the first of which will likely be a blood test. The second would more than likely be a biopsy of their small intestines. Most physicians will order these tests to determine if an individual’s symptoms are related to celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that gets triggered whenever someone consumes gluten-containing foods. This is important since treatments for celiac disease and gluten intolerance differ. If a physician rules out celiac disease, they will move on to the three following methods of testing:
- Intentionally consuming gluten – This aspect of testing entails patients intentionally consuming foods with gluten for about six weeks. During this time, physicians administer more blood tests, in addition to skin tests, to rule out a wheat allergy as being the cause of a patient’s symptoms.
- Excluding gluten – This aspect of testing for gluten intolerance entails patients excluding gluten from their diet for six weeks. Physicians will also instruct patients to keep a detailed record of any symptoms they experience during that time. If they notice they’re experiencing fewer or less intense symptoms, it may suggest to physicians that the patient is possibly struggling with gluten intolerance.
- A resumption of eating gluten – If a patient reports experiencing fewer or less intense symptoms after temporarily excluding gluten from their diet, physicians will instruct them to start consuming it again. If their symptoms return or intensify after doing so, the physician will likely conclude the patient has a gluten intolerance.
Conclusion
In summary, be mindful of your diet by avoiding wheat, rye, and other gluten-containing foods. Doing so can go a long way toward keeping symptoms at bay. Be Active Be Well offers Whole health nutrition education, which you can read more about, here. If you are experiencing symptoms indicative of gluten intolerance and have not received a formal diagnosis, consider scheduling an appointment with a physician as soon as possible.
