You do not feel good. You have exhaustion and habitual headache, even your skin and mood is different. Have you ever wondered if it could be gluten intolerance?
Most people suspect when there is a gastrointestinal disorder, but if they do not attribute it to any other variable. It may even be possible that you have had conventional tests for celiac disease and it has come back negative.
In any case, if you have not changed your diet and you continue to have these problems, perhaps you should consider your relationship with gluten.
Next, we will find all the symptoms that you can perceive of gluten intolerance, although most are not usually known. You don't have to run to the bathroom right after eating a sandwich to have an intolerance.
Undiagnosed intolerance
First of all, I want you to know that if you consume gluten and you feel unwell even if you don't have digestive problems, give a negative test and ensure that it's all in your head, you're not alone. There are many cases of gluten intolerance that are not diagnosed, and today we will tell you why.
Wheat is a cereal that contains different proteins: gliadins (within it there are four different types, including alpha-gliadin), glutenins, agglutinins and prodynorphins. When we eat wheat, enzymes in our digestive tracts (tissue transglutaminases) help break down the wheat compound. In this process, additional proteins (deamidated gliadins and gliadorfins) are formed.
I know that it will sound Chinese to you, but it is interesting for you to understand why it can give you negative in a conventional test.
La celiac disease It is the severe form of gluten intolerance, which can cause real damage and damage to the tissues of the small intestine. Its main feature is an immune response to specific gliadin (alpha-gliadin mentioned above) and to a specific type of transglutaminase (tTG-2). The problem is that there are people who can react to other components of wheat and gluten. And conventional tests only detect antibodies against alpha-gliadin and tTG-2.
Statistics ensure that for each case that is diagnosed, 6'4 remain undiagnosed due to atypical forms without gastrointestinal symptoms. Even some patients who are finally diagnosed never experience an upset stomach after consuming gluten.
In addition, there is a clear autoimmune response to wheat proteins and transglutaminase enzymes that is only possible due to gluten intolerance. you can suffer too gluten sensitivity without the disease, but there is still no definitive diagnostic test.
alarming symptoms
Gluten intolerance can negatively influence almost every tissue in the body, including the brain, skin, liver, circulatory system, muscles and, of course, the stomach. That is why it is common for it to present with digestive difficulties (abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation) or many other symptoms that we are now revealing to you.
Digestive problems
People with celiac disease experience inflammation in the small intestine after eating gluten. This damages the intestinal lining and leads to malabsorption of nutrients, resulting in significant digestive upset and frequent diarrhea or constipation.
Frequent diarrhea can cause some major health problems, including electrolyte loss, dehydration, and fatigue. Additionally, people with celiac disease may experience pale, foul-smelling stools due to malabsorption of nutrients.
Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia has been shown to be a symptom of gluten intolerance in some scientific studies. In fact, science suggests that it may be the first noticeable symptom of celiac disease and that up to 75% of people with anemia may be gluten intolerant.
Having gluten intolerance can negatively interfere with the absorption of iron from food. In celiac disease, the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine is impaired. This results in a reduced amount of iron being absorbed from food. Recent studies suggest that iron deficiency may be significant in both children and adults with celiac disease.
Autoimmune disorders
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the digestive tract after consuming gluten. Having this autoimmune condition makes us more prone to other autoimmune conditions, such as autoimmune thyroid disease.
And autoimmune thyroid disorders may be a risk factor for developing emotional and depressive disorders. This makes celiac disease more common in people who have other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, autoimmune liver diseases, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Fatigue
Many of those who are gluten intolerant report feeling tired and fatigued, especially after eating… gluten! Science has linked gluten sensitivity to chronic fatigue symptoms in some people. In addition, muscle fatigue and muscle and joint pain are also added to it.
Several factors are thought to contribute to fatigue in people with celiac disease, including chronic pain, interrupted sleep
and psychological conditions such as depression.
Lack of concentration
Suffering from cognitive dysfunction can also be a sign of gluten sensitivity. Patients routinely report experiencing symptoms of "foggy mind," something like an inability to concentrate, and "mental fatigue."
“Brain fog” refers to the feeling of not being able to think clearly. People have described it as being more forgetful, having trouble thinking, feeling "foggy," or experiencing mental fatigue. Having a "cloudy mind" is a common symptom of gluten intolerance, affecting almost 40% of people with gluten intolerance.
This symptom may be caused by a reaction to certain antibodies in gluten, but the exact reason is unknown.
Headache
Headache is a frequent symptom in people sensitive to gluten. A recent study reports that it is the symptom presented by more than half of the participants. Migraine, particularly, is a related symptom.
Still, some studies have shown that people with gluten intolerance may be more prone to migraine episodes than others. If we have regular headaches or unexplained migraine episodes, we could be sensitive to gluten.
Eczema and skin disorders
As with fatigue, brain fog, and headaches, people with gluten sensitivity may notice worsening skin health, including eczema, rash, and dermatitis, right after eating gluten-containing foods. . Even those who are intolerant to gluten can also develop scaly, psoriasis-like patches. Normally, these lesions are typically found in the muscles of the upper extremities.
A blistering skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis it is a manifestation of celiac disease. Although everyone who has celiac disease is sensitive to gluten, some people with the condition do not experience digestive symptoms that indicate celiac disease.
Additionally, several other skin conditions have shown improvement on a gluten-free diet. Some examples are:
- Psoriasis. This inflammatory condition is characterized by scaling and redness of the skin.
- Alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that presents as non-scarring hair loss.
- Chronic hives. This is a skin condition characterized by recurrent itchy pink or red lesions with pale centers.
Depression and anxiety
Who would have suspected that gluten sensitivity can also lead to mental health problems. Data suggest that up to 22% of celiac disease patients develop anxiety and depression. In fact, one study found that people with celiac disease were more likely than others to feel anxious in the face of threatening situations. Depression and related mood disorders appear to occur with both sensitivity and celiac disease.
There are a few theories as to how gluten intolerance can lead to depression. These include:
- Atypical serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that allows cells to communicate. It is known as one of the "happiness" hormones, as decreased levels have been associated with depression.
- Gluten exorphins. These peptides are formed during the digestion of some of the gluten proteins. They can interfere with the central nervous system, which can increase the risk of depression.
- Changes in the intestinal microbiota. An increased amount of harmful bacteria and a decreased amount of beneficial bacteria can affect the central nervous system, increasing the risk of depression.
Unexplained weight loss
An unexpected weight change is often a cause for concern. Although it can be due to a number of reasons, unexplained weight loss is a common side effect of undiagnosed celiac disease.
In a previous study in patients with celiac disease, two-thirds had lost weight in the 6 months prior to diagnosis. Weight loss can be explained by a variety of digestive symptoms along with malabsorption of nutrients.
Joint and muscle pain
People experience joint and muscle pain for numerous reasons. There is a theory that people with celiac disease have a genetically determined hypersensitive or hyperexcitable nervous system.
Therefore, they may have a lower threshold for firing sensory neurons that cause pain in muscles and joints. There are those who find a close relationship between muscle contractures and gluten.
Other symptoms of intolerance
It is true that the symptoms listed above are the most likely to create a negative response to gluten. But they are not the only ones to consider. There are other chronic diseases that can develop due to long-term untreated celiac disease or sensitivity. For example:
- Epilepsy
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- autism spectrum disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Type I diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)