The Telltale Signs of a Gluten Intolerance

Like most food sensitivities, the symptoms of gluten intolerance often start in the gut. Sensitive individuals sometimes notice they feel bloated — an uncomfortably tight, full feeling in their stomach area — after consuming gluten, regardless of how much food they've eaten. Bloating can be caused by a buildup of gas, constipation, or inflammation that affects the normal functioning of the digestive tract.

Quick Tips to Reduce Bloating

• Go for a walk after eating to "get things moving".
• Try over-the-counter gas relief medicine, like simethicone.
• Sip digestion-friendly herbal tea, like peppermint or ginger.
• Massage the belly in a circular motion.

People with Celiac disease not only report higher than average rates of idiopathic headaches (or headaches from unknown causes), but people with idiopathic headaches tend to have higher rates of Celiac disease. For that reason, people who experience frequent headaches should be tested for Celiac disease. Studies have shown that nearly 75 percent of people with gluten intolerance find relief from headaches after following a gluten-free diet.

Gluten sensitivity and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms tend to go hand in hand, whether someone has celiac disease or not. Symptoms of IBS include gas, constipation, and diarrhea, all of which cause abnormal intestinal muscle contractions that result in painful abdominal cramps.

Quick Tips to Ease Abdominal Pain

• Use a heating pad or hot water bottle and apply warmth to your belly.
• Eat carefully and avoid large, heavy meals.
• Watch your posture. Hunching over can make cramps feel worse.
• Stress can worsen symptoms. Quiet the mind with meditation and soothing music, or try mindful breathing techniques.

People with non-celiac gluten intolerance sometimes break out in an eczema-like rash when they consume gluten. Studies have shown that dietary changes, like eliminating gluten and incorporating vegetables, organic foods, and fish oil, can help clear up dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Celiac disease frequently causes a skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis (or DH), an intensely itchy, painful, bumpy rash caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten. A dermatologist should obtain a biopsy of any rash that flares up after consuming gluten to rule out DH. Even without digestive symptoms, this rash indicates that gluten may be causing damage to the small intestines. DH typically flares up on both sides of the body, most commonly on the forearms near the elbows. It can also appear around the knees, buttocks, scalp, or hairline.

Constipation is often the last thing that comes to mind when people think of symptoms of gluten intolerance. However, one study suggests that a person experiencing constipation who does not respond to laxatives should be tested for celiac disease

Constipation, or the infrequent and often difficult passage of stools, is likely caused by the dysfunctional digestive process in people with celiac disease.

Ironically, a gluten-free diet can worsen constipation because it tends to be low in soluble fiber. Eating gluten-free sources of natural fiber, such as quinoa, millet, and amaranth, is a great way to help keep things "moving."

When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, their immune response damages the intestinal lining over time. This seriously disrupts the digestion of food, leading to diarrhea or the urgent need to pass loose, watery stools three or more times a day. Although gluten does not damage the intestinal lining of people with non-celiac gluten intolerance, they may still experience diarrhea after consuming it. This condition is not only uncomfortable, but when left untreated, it can eventually lead to other health problems, like chronic fatigue, vitamin deficiencies, and severe dehydration. For these reasons, seeking medical care is important if diarrhea lasts more than three days.

Studies show that once people with celiac disease start a gluten-free diet, they experience a significant reduction in diarrhea compared to those who didn't.

Feeling exhausted all the time is one of the major signs of gluten intolerance. One in three people with Celiac disease experience longstanding fatigue. Researchers have also found that a significant number of people with chronic fatigue syndrome have blood markers for non-celiac wheat sensitivity. Inflammation caused by gluten intolerance makes it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. Gastrointestinal symptoms, like diarrhea, can further deplete absorption. This leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies associated with fatigue, such as iron deficiency anemia. Many people with gluten sensitivity find that switching to a gluten-free diet makes them feel more energetic within a few days of making the change.

Gluten sensitivity goes beyond the gut -- it can affect mood, too. Although "you are what you eat" is an age-old saying, researchers have only just started looking into the connection between the gut and mental health. People with gluten sensitivity frequently report feelings of gluten-induced depression and anxiety.

Some research suggests that celiac-related intestinal damage prevents the absorption of certain mood-boosting vitamins, resulting in symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, it's not yet clear why people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also experience these symptoms.

A gluten-free diet is not a substitute for addressing depression and anxiety through traditional means like therapy or medication. However, a medical professional may be able to help examine the connection between a gluten-sensitive individual's dietary intake and their mental health.

When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, the immune system goes into attack mode, causing inflammation to flare up in seemingly random places all over the body -- including the skin, bones, muscles, joints, and other bodily tissues. It's less clear why people with non-celiac gluten intolerance also frequently report unexplained aches and pains after consuming gluten, as there is no known autoimmune component to their sensitivity.

Certain foods, including cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, berries, avocados, turmeric, and fatty fish, can help reduce inflammation. In addition to gluten, avoid processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Untreated celiac disease damages the digestive tract. This affects the body's ability to absorb critical nutrients from food that help it function normally and recover from injury or infection. Over time, this can lead to malnutrition and weight loss and can also stunt children's growth and delay their development. While non-celiac gluten intolerance does not directly damage the digestive tract, its IBS-like symptoms (like chronic diarrhea) can have similar effects in severe cases. Treatment for weight loss caused by malnutrition requires the guidance of a medical professional and includes dietary supplements and increasing daily caloric intake.

Good oral hygiene is important for everyone, but gluten-sensitive individuals should be extra vigilant with their tooth-brushing habits. Along with digestive disturbances and skin conditions, gluten sensitivity can also make an unwelcome appearance in the mouth. Research shows that adults with celiac disease report more oral health problems than those without. Gluten intolerance causes inflammation throughout the body, including the gums, and people with celiac disease are at high risk for gingivitis. Xerostomia (or dry mouth) and dental enamel defects are also common, both of which increase the risk of cavities and tooth decay.

Feeling a little out of it after eating gluten? Are you more forgetful than usual? Has your focus flown out the window? These strange symptoms might be "all in your head," after all. Gluten-related neurological disorders, or GRND, are a spectrum of neurological symptoms activated by gluten in sensitive individuals. Brain fog, for example, is a phenomenon frequently reported by both celiac and non-celiac gluten-intolerant people alike.

In rare cases, the body's inflammatory response to gluten can cause ataxia, or damage to the cerebellum, in people with celiac disease. Gluten ataxia affects limb coordination, walking balance, speech, and eye movements. Others may experience gluten-related neuropathyinhaling airborne gluten, like flour, can be enough to trigger symptoms for people with celiac disease. People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also report experiencing these symptoms when airborne gluten is present. This may be because gluten particles dispersed through the air can enter the digestive tract through the nose and mouth.

Gluten intolerance can be a pain in the... well, stomach. Researchers have found a link between peptic disease (which includes GERD, heartburn, and stomach ulcers) from gluten exposure in people with celiac disease, likely caused by inflammation along the digestive tract. Digestive ulcers are painful open sores on the small intestine or stomach lining that can cause indigestion, bloating, and gastrointestinal bleeding, leading to anemia if left untreated.