Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, rye and barley. Not everyone's body is able to break down this protein, resulting in a condition known as celiac disease. Avoiding gluten products is getting easier thanks to increased awareness and a greater supply of gluten-free products in restaurants and grocery stores, but it is still easy to accidentally consume some gluten even when you are trying to avoid it. This can cause gastrointestinal complications like bloating to develop. Hypertension, on the other hand, is an unrelated condition.
Gluten's Effects
Gluten can cause many unpleasant symptoms to develop in your body. A common symptom is abdominal pain, which can result from many different causes, including gas and indigestion. You may experience constipation and diarrhea. A decreased appetite may result in unexplained weight loss, and in extreme cases nausea and vomiting may occur, according to PubMed Health.
Bloating
Bloating is a common cause of abdominal pain as it relates to gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance. This usually occurs when gluten proteins are not broken down in the small intestine and instead travel down into the larger intestine. Bacteria in this organ are able to break down the gluten but in doing so create gas that builds up in the large intestine, resulting in bloating.
Hypertension
High blood pressure is not identified by medical experts as a condition related to gluten consumption or a gluten-free diet. However, your blood pressure is greatly influenced by the foods you eat, particularly sodium, so it is possible that dietary changes made to accommodate gluten intolerance have caused a spike in blood pressure.
Considerations
If you develop symptoms of gluten intolerance or a sensitivity to gluten, visit a doctor. The short-term side effects of gluten sensitivity can damage the lining of your small intestine and make it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients, and if gluten consumption persists for too long the damage can become permanent. If you are struggling to maintain a gluten-free diet, talk to your doctor or a nutritionist to learn better methods of restricting your diet and avoiding foods that contain gluten.
