Gluten Sensitivity Quick Facts #3

This article is designed to give the basics of the gluten issue without much explanation. 

Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

Two forms emerge from people with gluten sensitivity, Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Celiac disease consists of higher probability of abdominal symptoms, physical changes to the small intestine and a multitude of chronic conditions outside the intestines from systemic inflammation and autoimmune disorders. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity includes the same multitude of chronic and inflammatory conditions outside the intestines and autoimmune disorders without obvious abdominal symptoms and without physical changes to the small intestine. In spite of the life-threatening nature of celiac disease and even though it can be verified by biopsy and blood antibodies in 1:100 Americans it remains grossly under diagnosed.

Diagnosing Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Syndrome is diagnosed by intestinal antibodies, genetic testing and clinical picture that is a person's history and also family history. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity affects somewhere between 1 and 30 and 1 in 3 depending on which researcher you talk to. Despite the life-threatening complications and relative commonality, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Syndrome is rarely diagnosed. Genetic testing has improved greatly in the past several years. A person can be reliably tested for Celiac and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity predispositions. 

Celiac and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity are both an inflammatory response to gluten. Gluten is a combination of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin is considered to be the most biologically active, that is it is the most difficult to digest and most reactive in our bodies. Our body makes anti-bodies to gliadin primarily in the small intestine. Some of these anti-bodies get into the blood stream where they can be isolated by blood testing. Most gluten sensitive people will have a negative blood test but more often a positive stool test for the antibody. A negative blood test or even a negative stool test does not automatically rule out gluten sensitivity. The most reliable indicators that a person will benefit from a gluten free diet (GFD) is one of the clinical conditions listed below plus a positive genetic test. Ultimately a person will have to go GF for many months and observe health patterns (symptoms and appropriate testing) to know if he or she is gluten sensitive. 

Both Are Life-Long Conditions

Gluten Sensitivity in both forms is a life-long condition. The only treatment is elimination of gluten from the diet. Most gluten-related conditions respond to a truly GFD. Gluten or gliadin is not an essential nutrient so the only negative aspect of a GFD is convenience. 

Gluten and Opiate Receptors

It only feels like an essential nutrient because of the addictive nature of gluten. Portions of the gluten protein bind to opiate receptors in the brain like opium, heroin or cocaine so some withdrawal is expected once a person truly goes gluten free. The addiction is powerful and should not be underestimated. 

Gluten is Politically Protected

If any other agent in our diet caused so much misery and death, it would cause a social uproar, and legislation would be enacted to limit its use. Gluten is an integral component to wheat, barley and rye. It is also found in many other foods so to be gluten free; a person will have to learn to read labels and watch for hidden sources of gluten and gluten contamination. Rice and oats are considered safe foods for most people as long as they are not contaminated with wheat, barley or rye in transport, processing or packaging. Most commercial oats are contaminated unless grown and processed apart from wheat, rye &barley completely. Below is a list of conditions or diseases that have been scientifically linked to gluten sensitivity. 

Conditions linked to Gluten Sensitivity

Any of these listed conditions or any chronic inflammatory or auto-immune reaction is a good enough reason to suspect gluten sensitivity and warrants testing. Which condition or conditions that show up will vary greatly from person to person even with a similar genetic profile. Some conditions will also vary during your lifetime. A past history of any of these will warrant testing. If you wish to do some of your own research, you can go to pubmed.com and search celiac with any of the following.

Abdominal bloating and/or distension

Abdominal pain and/or cramping

Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa

ADD and ADHD

Addison's Disease

Allergic rhinitis

Alopecia Areata

ALS

Anemia or Low iron

Anxiety

Aphthous stomatitis (canker sores)

Arthritis

Asthma

Ataxia

Atypical mole syndrome

Autism

Auto-immune conditions

Auto-immune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's)

Back pain

Behavioral difficulties

Behavioral problems in children

Behget's Disease

Bell's Palsy

Bipolar disorder (Manic depression)

Bone or joint pains

Bowel cancer

Brachial neuritis

Bursitis

Cancer

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Chronic muscle or joint pain or stiffness

Congenital giant nervus

Cravings for sweets, bread, carbohydrates

Crohn's Disease

Cutaneous Vasculitis

Depression

Dermatitis herpetiformis

Dermatomyocitis

Diabetes (Type 1 or 2)

Difficulty digesting dairy products

Difficulty in relaxing or chronic tension

Drowsiness after eating

Dysautonomia

Eczema

Edema (puffy swollen legs)

Erythema elevatum dilantum

Erythema nodosum

Esophageal metaplasia (Barrett's esophagus)

Failure to thrive

Fatigue (chronic)

Fibromyalgia

Flatulence

Gastric reflux and digestive complaints

Generalized aquired cutis laxa

Headache

Heart Disease

Heartburn after pasta, pizza or pastry

Hereditary angioneurotic edema

Herpetiformis dermatitis

Huntington's

Ichthiosiform dermatosis

Iron-deficient anemia

Iron-overload

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Lactose intolerance

Learning difficulties

Linear IgA Bulbous Dermatosis

Liver abnormalities – elevated enzymes

Lupus

Malabsorption problems

Malnutrition

Metabolic syndrome

Mineral deficiency

Mood swings

Multiple sclerosis

Muscle cramps and spasms

Myopathy

Nausea and vomiting

Necrolytic migratory erythema

Obesity

Oral Lichen planus

Osteopenia

Osteoporosis

Pale, bulky, greasy and/or smelly stools

Parkinson's

Pellagra

Peripheral neuropathy

PMS symptoms/hormonal imbalances

Poor appetite

Porphyria

Psoriasis

Psychological disorders

Pyoderma gangrenosum

Rashes of unexplained origin

Regional enteritis

Resistant hypothyroidism

Rheumatoid arthritis

Schizophrenia

Sciatica

Seizures/epilepsy

Short stature

Sjogren's syndrome

Skin problems of unexplained origin

Syndrome X

Tendency to over-consume alcohol

Tinnitis

Ulcerative colitis

Urticaria (Hives)

Vitiligo

Weight gain