What is Gluten?
Gluten is a composite of gliadin and glutenin, two proteins found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. These proteins help hold the grains together, providing the elasticity needed to make bread, pasta and other foods. Of the gluten-containing grains, wheat is by far the most common. Some people have difficulty digesting the proteins and find that consuming gluten causes digestive problems, such as bloating and irritable bowel, along with other unpleasant GIT symptoms.
When flour mixes with water, the gluten proteins form a sticky network that has a glue-like consistency. This glue-like property makes the dough elastic and gives bread the ability to rise during baking. It also provides a chewy, satisfying texture. The name gluten derives from this glue-like property of wet dough.
Most people can tolerate gluten with no adverse effects. However, it can cause problems for people with certain health conditions. This includes celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, and some other diseases.
Gluten in Foods
Gluten is found in most foods that are produced using wheat, barley or rye grain. It is not just found in bread and dough, gluten is also found in common foods like salad dressings, sauces, seasonings and beer. If you’re trying to eliminate gluten from your diet, you’ll need to read labels carefully, and remember to look for all the different ways gluten may be listed on the label. Many popular gluten-free foods are now clearly marked, which can help you find suitable alternatives. And you will easily find lots of information online about maintaining a gluten-free diet.
Gluten Allergy
When someone says they’re allergic to gluten, this usually means they have celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when triggered by gluten consumption. Celiac disease patients will typically experience digestive problems along with other symptoms, like a skin rash or even seizures, when they eat foods containing gluten.
If you don’t have celiac disease but think your body may be sensitive to gluten, you can try eliminating gluten from your diet, then reintroducing it to see if symptoms subside or return. This can determine whether gluten is the cause in any symptoms you are experiencing.
Gluten Intolerance
Digestive discomfort is the most common indication of gluten intolerance. The patient may also have anemia or trouble gaining weight. To find out what is causing the discomfort, patients need to be tested to check for celiac disease.
Following are diagnostic tests used to find out if a patient has celiac disease:
- Blood tests: Several blood tests screen for antibodies. A common one is the tTG-IgA test. If that is positive, the doctor may recommend a biopsy to confirm the results.
- Biopsy from small intestine: A doctor will take a small tissue sample from the small intestine, and send it to the lab, where a lab analyzes the biopsy tissue for damage.
If a patient thinks they might have celiac disease, they should consult with their doctor before trying a gluten-free diet. If the patient does not have celiac disease, the best way to find out if they are sensitive to gluten is to follow a strict gluten-free diet for a few weeks to see if symptoms get better. Then, they will have to introduce gluten back into their diet and see if the symptoms come back. If the symptoms do not improve on a gluten-free diet and do not get worse when they re-introduce gluten, then the reason for stomach discomfort is probably something else other than gluten. The gluten-free diet test is not a sure-fire way to diagnose the issue, and patients should not try this on their own. If a patient suspects they may have an issue, they should consult with a doctor and get tested for celiac disease or allergies.
Celiac disease
Celiac disease is the most severe form of gluten intolerance, it is an autoimmune disorder in which the body treats gluten as a foreign invader. The immune system attacks the gluten, as well as the lining of the gut. This damages the gut wall and can cause nutrient deficiencies, anemia, severe digestive issues, and an increased risk of many diseases.
Some patients with celiac disease do not have digestive symptoms but may have other symptoms, such as fatigue or anemia. For this reason, doctors often find it challenging to diagnose celiac disease. Some studies suggest that 80% of patients with celiac disease did not know they had the disease.
Following are the common signs and symptoms of celiac disease:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Discomfort in the digestive tract
- Fatigue
- Foul smelling stools
- Headaches
- Small intestines damage
- Skin rashes
- Nausea
- Unexplained weight loss
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