Also known as celiac disease or celiac sprue, gluten intolerance is a condition that affects your body's ability to digest gluten, a protein found in many foods. Because gluten is found in carbohydrate sources -- a significant part of most American's diets -- it can be difficult to switch to a gluten-free diet. While some people report weight loss due to gluten intolerance, others may experience weight gain due to eating high-calorie gluten-free choices.
Initial Symptoms
When you have a gluten intolerance, the villi that line your intestines cannot properly absorb nutrients. This can be harmful because your body cannot digest these nutrients. The undigested material continues to pass through your intestines, which can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, constipation, loss of appetite, lactose intolerance and nausea. Weight loss can be another side effect associated with undiagnosed gluten intolerance. Because your body cannot absorb the nutrients, they cannot be used for energy. In this way, gluten intolerance may result in initial weight loss.
Gluten-free Diet
More Americans are becoming aware of gluten intolerance, and some are turning to the diet as a means for weight loss thanks to reports that celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow use gluten-free diets to lose weight, according the "Health" magazine website. Some people experience weight loss when on a gluten-free diet because they may be cutting out high-calorie foods like baked goods and fast foods that contain gluten. A gluten-free diet involves eliminating foods like wheat, barley and rye. Gluten also is commonly added as a food thickener or in food processing, meaning you should avoid foods like candy, potato chips, hot dogs, french fries and many sauces.
Considerations
While a gluten-free diet can eliminate some less-than-healthy foods in your diet, many gluten-free replacement products are now available. This includes gluten-free brownies, cookie mixes, pizza doughs and pasta. These foods can contain just as many, if not more, calories than their gluten-containing counterparts. When you consider this, it is possible to gain weight when you are gluten-intolerant.
Conclusions
Just as with most diets, weight gain is related to the calories you take in and subsequently burn off. Gluten intolerance can add another layer of food restrictions to your daily diet, which can be helpful if you choose healthier gluten-free foods, such as fruits and vegetables. However, if you replace gluten-containing foods in your diet with gluten-free foods that contain more calories, you may gain weight.
References
- Health.com; Do Gluten-Free Diets Take Off Pounds; Dee Sandquist, M.S., R.D.; July 2009
- CNN.com; How Do I Lose Weight on a Gluten-Free Diet?; Dr. Melina Jampolis; June 2011
- "Huffington Post"; Is a Gluten-Free Diet Really Healthier?; Susan Dopart, M.S., R.D.; March 2011
- PubMed Health; Celiac Disease -- Sprue; January 2010
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Celiac Disease; September 2008
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