The human digestive system consists of a series of hollow organs that allow food particles to pass through, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine, along with organs and glands that produce substances and enzymes needed to break down the food particles -- the pancreas, liver and gallbladder. Conditions that inhibit the absorption of nutrients, like gluten intolerance, may also be associated with other digestive problems like pancreas dysfunction.
Role of Pancreas
Your pancreas, a gland located just behind the stomach, consists of two types of cells. The islets of Langerhans cells function within the endocrine system by producing two hormones, insulin and glucagon, that help regulate blood glucose, or sugar, levels. The acinar cells, known as the exocrine portion of the pancreas, produce protease enzymes to break down proteins, amylase enzymes to break down carbohydrates and lipase enzymes to break down fat.
Gluten Intolerance
Scientists refer to the complex of proteins found in wheat, rye and barley as gluten. Gluten intolerance, also known as subclinical or atypical celiac disease, occurs when your immune cells mistakenly attack the cells lining your digestive tract after you have ingested gluten. Over time, the destruction of cells in the small intestines inhibits the absorption of nutrients, resulting in a variety of symptoms, including gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weight loss.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
Diseases of the pancreas like chronic pancreatitis, which causes long-term inflammation of the pancreas, can lead to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency – a condition in which the pancreas fails to produce enough pancreatic enzymes to meets the needs of digestion. Because patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency cannot break down and absorb fat, they often develop chronic diarrhea. Although gluten intolerance can also cause diarrhea, a research study published in “Digestive Diseases and Sciences” found that 30 percent of patients diagnosed with gluten intolerance and suffering from persistent diarrhea also suffer from exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Treatments
Because there is no specific treatment or cure for gluten intolerance, the only way to heal the damage to the intestines, prevent further damage and relieve symptoms is to follow a gluten-free diet. Removing all gluten from the diet can be difficult and time-consuming because many foods, including processed foods, dressings and sauces, contain hidden sources of gluten. If you have gluten intolerance, consult your doctor or a registered dietician to obtain a list of ingredients associated with gluten and learn to read nutrition labels. If your diarrhea fails to subside on a gluten-free diet, your doctor can perform tests to determine the health of your pancreas. If you get a diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, your doctor can prescribe pancreatic enzyme pills to boost your level of pancreatic enzymes and promote effective digestion.
References
- Digestive Diseases and Sciences; Pancreatic Insufficiency in Adult Celiac Disease; K.E. Evans et al.
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Your Digestive System and How It Works
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Pancreatitis
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Pancreas Function
- PubMed Health: Celiac Disease
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology From Bed to Bench: Subclinical Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity; M.R. Nejad et al.
