If you tell someone you cannot eat gluten, he may automatically think you have celiac disease. While the gluten-free diet is commonly connected to the autoimmune disorder, new research indicates that some individuals may be sensitive to gluten without having the same autoimmune effects. This condition is known as non-celiac gluten intolerance.
Celiac Disease
To understand non-celiac gluten intolerance, it is important to know a little bit about celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the digestive tract. When people with celiac disease eat foods that contain gluten, which includes any foods made with wheat, barley or rye, their immune system reacts by attacking and damaging the small intestines. The damage is painful and the intestines cannot properly absorb nutrients, causing diarrhea and malnutrition. The only method of treatment for celiac disease is the complete avoidance of gluten.
Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance
In 2011, the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Celiac Research announced it had proven gluten sensitivity was different from celiac disease. The researchers reported that the genes that cause celiac disease differ from the genes that cause non-celiac gluten intolerance. In addition, the effects on the digestive system differ. While people with celiac disease suffer serious consequences if they eat foods with gluten, people with non-celiac gluten intolerance tend to have less severe symptoms, including abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches or tingling of the extremities.
Treatment
If you suffer from non-celiac gluten intolerance, like celiac disease, to feel better you should avoid foods that contain gluten. This means omitting most bread products, cereal and processed foods from your diet. Instead, you should eat gluten-free grains such as rice, millet and quinoa. You can find gluten-free products, such as bread or cereal, made with these grains to include in your diet. Fruits, vegetables, fresh meats and milk are naturally gluten-free, and you can safely eat them.
Considerations
It is estimated that around 6 percent of the U.S. population suffers from non-celiac gluten intolerance, according to the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Symptoms of non-celiac gluten intolerance are similar to irritable bowel syndrome, which is a common digestive disorder effecting about 20 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. So before you make changes to your diet, it is important to get a formal diagnosis from your doctor.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders; Celiac Disease; September 2008
- University of Maryland School of Medicine; University of Maryland School of Medicine Researchers Identify Key Pathogenic Differences Between Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity; March 2011
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; September 2007
Member Comments