Gluten is often mentioned in the news as a problematic protein in foods that can cause a range of physical effects. Usually referred to in a general way as gluten intolerance, some people think it’s synonymous with celiac disease and/or wheat allergy, though, in fact, these are three different conditions.
Your health needs to know what’s really going on in your gut. Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida can help with an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, regardless of your underlying condition. Let’s look more closely at signs you may have a gluten intolerance and how to know for sure.
Gluten is a protein in many foods, including grains and foods and drinks made from grains, such as beer, breads, cereal, and pasta. When you’re gluten intolerant, you feel sick after consuming these foods.
An intolerance isn’t the same as an allergy. A person with a wheat allergy will also feel sick, but their symptoms will differ. Allergies produce histamine responses, so people with allergies experience things like itchiness, rashes, breathing problems, or vomiting.
With gluten intolerance, no abnormal immune system response or histamine-based symptoms exist. Instead, common symptoms include:
Gluten intolerance affects about 6% of the American population.
While gluten triggers celiac disease, this condition also differs from intolerance. A celiac patient has an autoimmune response to gluten, as though gluten were a virus rather than a food protein.
As your body attacks gluten, this response can inflame and damage the digestive tract. People with celiac disease have an abnormal gene and high levels of antibodies that react to the presence of gluten.
Identifying a gluten intolerance issue requires a three-stage testing plan to identify the condition causing your illness. Generally, the plan proceeds like this:
Lasting about six weeks, you’ll eat a regular diet including gluten. We’ll test for celiac disease and wheat allergies during this stage.
Once allergies and celiac are ruled out, you’ll start a six-week stage without gluten in your diet while keeping a record of symptoms or lack of symptoms.
If your symptoms improve in stage 2, we’ll gradually reintroduce gluten into your diet. If your symptoms return, it’s evidence of gluten intolerance.
At this point, we work with you to develop a treatment plan. Some patients continue with a gluten-free diet, while others find that adding probiotics helps their bodies with good bacteria that aid the digestion of gluten.
If you suspect you have a gluten-related sensitivity or disorder, contact Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida. You can book your visit with the nearest of our five locations by phone or online today.
