{"id":1888,"date":"2018-06-08T07:27:55","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T07:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1888"},"modified":"2021-05-17T18:17:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T18:17:24","slug":"13-warning-signs-of-gluten-intolerance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/13-warning-signs-of-gluten-intolerance\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Warning Signs of Gluten Intolerance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you have been paying attention to the news lately, then you have probably heard of gluten. But what you may not know is that you could be one of the millions of people who suffer from gluten intolerance or allergy. Gluten is the name of a specific protein that is found in wheat, rye, and barley. A very severe form of gluten intolerance is called celiac disease.<\/p>\n

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes severe damage to the digestive system. But as much as 13 percent of the population may have a gluten allergy that is not as severe. Even though this gluten allergy is not as serious as having celiac disease, it can still cause problems. If you have a gluten intolerance, then you may want to avoid foods with gluten and talk to your doctor about what else you can do. Here are some warning signs of gluten intolerance.<\/p>\n

1. Bloating<\/h3>\n

Bloating can be caused by a lot of different things, but gluten intolerance is definitely one of them. Bloating<\/a> is the feeling that you are too full or that your abdominal area has swollen. Bloating is uncomfortable, and it makes it difficult to get through the day.<\/p>\n

Bloating is actually the most common sign of gluten intolerance. Studies have found that nearly 90 percent of people who had non-celiac gluten intolerance experience bloating as a symptom. Generally, you will experience this bloating after you have eaten.<\/p>\n

Obviously, you want to determine whether what you ate had gluten in it when you feel bloated to determine if that was the cause. There are other causes of bloating as well, so it can be a little confusing trying to decipher the clues and determine whether it was gluten that caused the problem. The best thing to do is determine whether you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed below as well.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. Diarrhea or Constipation<\/h3>\n

Obviously, everyone experiences diarrhea and constipation<\/a> at some point in their lives. These are normal digestive problems that can be caused by changing your diet drastically, not getting enough fiber, getting too much fiber or dozens of other things.<\/p>\n

But diarrhea and constipation can also be symptoms of gluten intolerance. The way that you can differentiate experiencing diarrhea and constipation normally from that caused by a gluten allergy is simply by the frequency; if you have regular constipation or diarrhea, then there is likely a chronic problem such as gluten intolerance.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, you will probably be able to attribute those digestive problems to something else. You can always talk to your doctor if you are not sure. Your healthcare provider will have tests available or protocols to help you determine whether you do indeed have a gluten intolerance. He or she can also give you advice on treating the problem if one exists.\"\"<\/p>\n

3. Stomach Pain<\/h3>\n

Having a stomachache<\/a> is no fun, but it usually temporary. Unfortunately, due to the variety of things that we eat, the occasional stomachache is all but inevitable. However, regular stomach pain can be one of the symptoms of gluten intolerance. You usually know why you have a stomachache. You may have eaten too much, or you may have eaten something that does not normally agree with you \u2013 but you eat it anyway because it\u2019s so delicious.<\/p>\n

Other times, abdominal pain may be caused by illnesses or conditions, some of which require immediate medical care. Appendicitis is an example of this. But if you have regular stomach pain without really knowing what the cause is, especially if it happens right after eating, then it is possible you have a gluten allergy. Do some detective work, and figure out whether you have the same stomach pain when you eat non-gluten food items to know for sure.\"\"<\/p>\n

4. Chronic Headaches<\/h3>\n

If you get regular headaches, then you may suffer from a gluten allergy. If you are experiencing regular headaches plus a couple of other symptoms from this list, the odds are pretty good that you are one of the millions of people who have a sensitivity to gluten. It is not clear why, but gluten sensitivity has been linked to headaches, especially among those sufferers who have celiac disease.<\/p>\n

People with celiac disease may experience regular migraine headaches when they consume gluten. People with celiac disease build up antibodies to combat gluten when it is consumed. It is this process that results in the inflammation-causing your headache. Depending upon how sensitive you are to gluten, and the amount that was consumed, you may experience anything from a mild headache to a full-on migraine<\/a>. However, your symptoms should improve if you avoid gluten in your diet.\"\"<\/p>\n

5. Fatigue<\/h3>\n

If you feel tired all the time, then it could be a sign of gluten intolerance. This is a really tough symptom to diagnose when it comes to determining why, because fatigue<\/a> can be caused by so many different things. Obviously, everyone is going to be fatigued once in a while even if they are in perfect health. This is not the sort of fatigue you would experience after spending the day at work or from being under some sort of major mental strain.<\/p>\n

The fatigue that can be attributed to gluten sensitivity is usually chronic and does not appear to have a fixed cause. In other words, you will find yourself feeling tired for no reason whatsoever. This can lead to trying to improve your energy levels with sugar, caffeine or other stimulants; which can cause a huge crash. Some people go through life experiencing regular fatigue without realizing that it is the gluten in their food that is causing it.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. Dermatitis and Other Skin Problems<\/h3>\n

Skin problems are probably not the first thing that you think about when it comes to gluten intolerance symptoms, but they are one of the things that can demonstrate a gluten allergy. Dermatitis<\/a> herpetiformis is an advanced form of the skin problems that happen with people that have celiac disease.<\/p>\n

However, less serious skin problems have also been linked to consuming gluten. In laboratory testing, it was shown that several skin problems showed improvements after removing gluten from the diet. Some of these include psoriasis, alopecia areata, chronic urticaria, and others.<\/p>\n

You may not notice skin problems as the result of having gluten sensitivity, but you may instead notice skin improvement after stopping the consumption of gluten. Many people with a gluten allergy had no idea that their skin would improve after getting on the right diet, but they were given a pleasant surprise when some of the skin conditions they didn\u2019t think they could do anything about actually showed improvement.\"\"<\/p>\n

7. Depression<\/h3>\n

Depression is a mental illness that might not be caused by anything but genes. However, in some cases, it can be caused by consuming gluten when you have an intolerance to it. Depression can really be debilitating. Depression<\/a> can make it difficult to get out of bed and go through your day.<\/p>\n

Most people simply wake up after a good night sleep and are able to go through the motions of getting ready, even if they do not feel particularly motivated, but someone with depression simply cannot see any bright spots in the day ahead or the days after that and so they tend to stay in bed and avoid activities. Chronic depression can be treated with medication and therapy from a mental health provider, but if you have intermittent depression that is caused by gluten, there is a good chance that you can solve the problem by changing your diet.\"\"<\/p>\n

8. Weight Loss<\/h3>\n

If you are losing weight but you are not sure why it could be due to gluten sensitivity. Lots of people are trying to lose weight, and when it happens unexpectedly, most people are not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, they prefer to simply be thankful that they are losing weight without worrying too much about why. But losing weight without effort can be a symptom of a much larger problem.<\/p>\n

If you find yourself dropping pounds, and you experience any of the other symptoms that are listed here, then you may want to see your doctor and get tested for gluten intolerance. Even if gluten intolerance is not the issue, you should always investigate if you find yourself losing weight without an explanation. There are many serious illnesses and conditions that have unexplained weight loss as a symptom<\/a>.\"\"<\/p>\n

9. Anemia<\/h3>\n

Anemia<\/a> that is caused by an iron deficiency is one of the most common problems in the world when it comes to nutrient deficiencies. Somewhere between two percent and five percent of American adults who experience anemia do so because they have an iron deficiency. The symptoms of iron deficiency include low blood volume, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale skin, headaches, fatigue, and general muscle weakness.<\/p>\n

Those who suffer from the more severe form of gluten sensitivity called celiac disease have impaired absorption of nutrients in the large intestine. That means that even if you are getting the right amount of iron, it is not going to make it to the places it needs to go in your body. Those with less severe forms of gluten intolerance may also experience lower iron as a result which can cause anemia. The good news is, once you have identified the cause, it can easily be treated.\"\"<\/p>\n

10. Anxiety<\/h3>\n

Everyone experiences anxiety once in a while, but if you have chronic anxiety<\/a> that is not been diagnosed as part of a mental illness, then you may want to consider gluten intolerance as a potential contributing factor. Anxiety is an extremely common mental illness today, with some experts speculating that it is caused by how fast-paced our society has gotten and how difficult it can be to make sure bills get paid on time, kids get where they need to go and that you fulfill all of the responsibilities that make up the modern, 21st-century life.<\/p>\n

But anxiety can be treated in many cases if you know the cause. That\u2019s why it is important to talk to a mental health provider if you experience regular anxiety or determine if there is a physiological reason for it such as gluten intolerance. In either case, it can be treated.\"\"<\/p>\n

11. Immune System Problems<\/h3>\n

You could also see problems with your immune system when you have gluten sensitivity. As you know, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, which means that your immune system is severely compromised if you have it. With celiac disease, your immune system attacks your digestive system after you consume gluten. The gluten protein triggers those antibodies. These antibodies may be triggered in people that have less serious forms of gluten intolerance as well.<\/p>\n

The problem is, having this immune disorder can make you susceptible to other autoimmune diseases like autoimmune thyroid<\/a> disease. No matter what, you do not want to have a compromised immune system, and if it is gluten that is causing the immune system to act up, then you need to get diagnosed and seek treatment options from your doctor as quickly as possible. While not usually fatal, immune system problems from gluten intolerance can make life more difficult.\"\"<\/p>\n

12. Joint Pain & Muscle Aches<\/h3>\n

Pain is a common symptom of getting older; so many people discount it and do not attribute it to something external like gluten intolerance. However, joint and muscle pain might not be due to the symptoms of aging but may instead be the direct result of celiac disease or lesser gluten allergy.<\/p>\n

Some doctors believe that people with celiac disease have a genetic profile the results in an oversensitive nervous system. These doctors believe that the neurons that cause joint pain fire more easily due to this overexcited nervous system problem. Plus, consuming gluten may result in inflammation. Inflammation<\/a> is definitely the cause primarily behind joint pain and muscle aches. \"\"<\/p>\n

13. Neuropathy in the Arms or Legs<\/h3>\n

Another problem sometimes caused by an allergy to gluten is neuropathy in the arms or legs. Again, this is something that lots of people experience, so it is not uncommon for someone to ignore the symptoms; especially if they are intermittent and rarely flare-up. But everything that you experience in your body is caused by something.<\/p>\n

Neuropathy<\/a> in the arms and legs is no different. Some of the other things that can cause neuropathy in extremities include vitamin B12 deficiency and diabetes. Not everyone who has celiac disease or gluten intolerance experiences neuropathy, but those who have problems with gluten are much more likely to report the symptoms compared to healthy individuals who do not have any reaction to consuming gluten.\r\n

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