Gluten is a type of protein in grains like wheat, rye, barley, oat, spelt, kamut and bulgur. Cereals, pasta, breads, crackers and baked goods may contain gluten if made with one of these grains. Eating gluten may make you sick if you have a gluten intolerance. Gluten in your diet can also cause a digestive problem called leaky gut syndrome. This condition can affect you similarly to a gluten intolerance, but the two conditions are significantly different.
Cause
An abnormal immune system response characterizes a gluten intolerance. The response may be due to a genetic disposition or acquired following bowel tissue damage. The immune system releases tissue antigens when you eat gluten. These antigens are the same that fight infections. Antigens can cause bowel inflammation. Bowel inflammation is the root cause of leaky gut syndrome. This common disorder occurs in people with intestinal lining that is more porous than normal. The lining allows toxic materials to pass through the gut wall into the bloodstream. Gluten, medications and other foods can contribute to the inflammation in leaky gut syndrome.
Symptoms
The symptoms of leaky gut syndrome and a gluten intolerance overlap, but they are not identical. Constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, fatigue, irritability and headaches are symptoms of both conditions. Additional symptoms can distinguish between the two conditions. Gluten intolerance can also cause mouth ulcers, joint pain, fatty stools, vomiting, growth delay in children, unexplained weight loss and skin problems. However, leaky gut syndrome can cause poor concentration, memory loss and facial swelling in the presence of strong smells.
Treatment
Abstaining from eating gluten may be beneficial if you have a gluten intolerance or leaky gut syndrome. Cutting gluten out of your diet is the only way to treat a gluten intolerance. Gluten foods irritate your system if you have an intolerance even if you do not experience symptoms every time. Eliminating triggers from your diet that cause inflammation also helps leaky gut syndrome. Adopting a gluten-free diet along with avoiding taking medication like aspirin, drinking alcohol and eating foods with added sugar and refined starches may benefit leaky gut syndrome because doing this can strengthen your intestinal wall.
Complications
Gluten intolerance may lead to further complications if left untreated. The inability to absorb nutrients fully due to intestinal damage may cause malnutrition, which could then lead to additional problems. Gluten intolerance is linked to osteoporosis, intestinal cancer, seizures, nerve damage and dermatitis herpetiformis, which is an itching, blistering and burning rash. Leaky gut syndrome may also cause malnutrition, but it often presents with other illnesses instead of causing them. Leaky gut syndrome is associated with some types of arthritis, inflammatory and infectious bowel diseases, acne, pancreatic disease and chronic liver disease.
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