How Can You Be So Insensitive… to Gluten?
Is after eating painful or utterly uncomfortable? Do you experience bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or headaches after eating bread and other products containing wheat, barley, or rye? If this describes your Friday night after eating your favorite Italian Feast, you could have a gluten intolerance.
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease of part of the GI tract that affects up to 1% of the population, many of which remain undiagnosed, causing a myriad of symptoms that are not usually associated with the GI system including; headaches, anxiety, depression, pain syndromes, bone loss, joint pain, skin conditions, and fatigue, to name a few.1 This blood test uses appropriate immune markers to determine if there is a gluten sensitivity or perhaps Celiac Disease, thus aiding in a timely diagnosis and treatment prior to the development of other autoimmune or chronic diseases brought about by the subsequent malabsorptive state of those with this disorder.
The following signs are often a red flag for celiac in adults:
- Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia
- Fatigue
- Bone or joint pain
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis or osteopenia
- Liver and biliary tract disorders
- Depression or anxiety
- Peripheral neuropathy (tingling, numbness, or pain in the hands and feet)
- Seizures or migraines
- Amenorrhea
- Infertility
- Canker sores inside the mouth
- Itchy skin rash
Whether you are experiencing any of these symptoms or not, it is crucial to get tested for celiac if you have a 1st-degree relative with the condition (this puts you at a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac yourself). However, if you suspect that you have gluten intolerance rather than celiac, the single best way to determine gluten intolerance is to, under guidance from a qualified medical professional, remove it from the diet and see how you feel without it and how you feel when you add it back in.
1.Caio G, Volta U, Sapone A, et al. Celiac disease: a comprehensive current review. BMC Med. 2019;17(1):142. Published 2019 Jul 23. doi:10.1186/s12916-019-1380-z
