Gluten intolerance is very present nowadays. It is a condition which causes a person to react after ingesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. The most common symptoms include: pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems and depression.
Wheat is a grain found in bread, cereal and pasta, but it can also be found in soups and salad dressings. Barley is also a grain often used in stock feed products, while rye is a type of grain commonly found in cereal, bread and beer. All of these grains contain gluten, and they can all cause gluten insensitivity.
There is also a disease caused by gluten intolerance and it is called celiac disease. It is classified as an autoimmune disorder and causes damage to the small intestine. When a person ingests gluten, the body reacts with an abnormal immune response and attacks the intestines. The damage impairs the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. If it’s left untreated, celiac disease can cause long-term health problems. At the moment, about 1 out of 100 people are suffering from this condition!
The symptoms of gluten intolerance subside once you remove gluten from your diet. This article is going to present you the most common signs of gluten intolerance:
1.Brain fog
Brain fog can be a pretty enigmatic symptom of gluten intolerance as it can be caused by different conditions. It is also commonly associated with Celiac disease. An article titled “Gluten sensitivity as a neurological illness” which was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, found that immunoglobins, a class of antibodies, react abnormally to gluten and that the reaction contributes towards reduced cognitive function.
2.Unexpected weight gain
Due to malabsorption and gut permeability, sudden weight gain is related to gluten intolerance, as well as systemic inflammation triggered by gluten. People suffering from gluten intolerance should eliminate it from their diet and their weight will soon go back to normal.
3.Abnormal immune function
In case of gluten intolerance, the IgA antibodies have a counter effect on the immune system. These antibodies are found in the gastrointestinal tract and saliva, and they are the body’s primary response to colds, the flu or other diseases. When they counteract the system, it cannot defend against these diseases properly.
4.Dental problems
One study published in the “BMS Gastroenterology” found that there’s a link between gluten intolerance and a condition called “aphthous stomatitis”, linked to mouth ulcers and canker sores. Malabsorption causes gluten intolerant people to have low calcium levels and this mineral is vital for your oral health.
5.Headaches and migraines
Migraines can be pretty painful and they are more common in gluten intolerant people. A recent study discovered that 56% of the gluten intolerant participants had migraines, but just 14% of the control group suffered from the same problem.
6.Skin problems
The condition has been linked to acne, eczema and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) since the malabsorption caused by gluten intolerance affects the skin. Skin symptoms caused by gluten intolerance include redness, itching, burning, rashes and blisters. DH is a difficult condition defined by the Gluten Intolerance Group as “a chronic disease of the skin marked by groups of watery, itchy blisters that may resemble pimples or blisters.”
7.Joint and muscle aches
Often, the underlying reason behind muscle and joint pain are the inflammatory effects of gluten intolerance. WebMD also links the pain to the condition, as well as a research published by the Arthritis Foundation.
8.Fatigue and exhaustion
These symptoms, which are very similar to brain fog as its mechanisms are still a mystery. There’s little scientific research on the subject, but medical experts claim that gluten intolerance causes fatigue and exhaustion due to inflammation and de-allocation of the body’s energy reserves.