About 1 in 10 Australians say they follow Gluten-free diet.
This means Eliminate common foods – Bread, pasta, noodles, etc. – Proteins found primarily containing gluten-containing proteins Wheat, barley, rye.
Not everyone who follows a gluten-free diet is in a fundamental state. However, if you experience nausea, bloating, or stomach pain after eating gluten, it can be a sign of gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Gluten intolerance and celiac disease share many similar symptoms, but can cause intestinal damage and malnutrition. So, what’s the difference?
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body accidentally launches attacks in healthy cells and tissues, in this case, in the small intestine, causing inflammation.
It affects the surroundings 1 in 70 people Although Australian, only 20% of this group have been diagnosed.
If you have Celiac diseaseEating foods containing gluten can damage the structures of the small intestine, which help the body absorb nutrients.
A gluten-containing diet may result in digestive problems such as diarrhea, bloating, nausea, gas, and abdominal pain.
gluten It can also cause Non-digestive symptoms such as brain fog, headache, dermatitis (itsy, fierce skin rash), joint pain and fatigue.
In the long term, untreated celiac disease can lead to malnutrition as the damaged villi are unable to absorb nutrients from food. It can also reduce bone mineral density and is associated with neurological disorders such as Epilepsy and dementia.
How is celiac disease diagnosed?
For an accurate diagnosis, you should not yet eliminate gluten from your diet. This is to allow us to measure the effects on the digestive system.
diagnosis I’ll be involved Following the blood test, a biopsy of the small intestine using an endoscope (a light device that allows you to see inside the body).
A blood test is a marker of a response to gluten – a biopsy examines damage to the villi in the intestine.
In some cases, a Capsule endoscopyIf a pill-sized camera is engulfed, it is used to look at the intestines and observe the damage.
What about gluten intolerance?
People with gluten intolerance experience symptoms similar to celiac disease. The difference is that after taking gluten, there is no autoimmune reaction or intestinal damage.
Gluten intolerance is sometimes known Non-coliac gluten sensitivity.
an Estimated 1% Of Australians, they live with gluten intolerance, but only 12 people in this group are diagnosed by doctors.
Doctors rule out celiac disease and wheat allergies as the first step for people with symptoms associated with eating gluten.
If these are excluded, a gluten-free dietary trial supervised by a certified practical dietitian may be recommended to see if symptoms improve.
formal Gluten intolerance diagnosis It can only be seen using a very complex dietary test that compares the effects of gluten and placebo for at least 8 weeks.
This form of scientific research is highly labor intensive and less common.
So instead, many people choose to eliminate gluten without a diagnosis.
Extreme sensitivity to gluten
Celiac disease is more severe than gluten intolerance and may have different sensitivity among diagnosed people.
Even gluten traces can cause symptoms. This means a strict, lifelong, gluten-free diet.
This also means that people with celiac disease should be aware of cross-contamination. For example, cutting or toasting regular bread with gluten-free bread using the same knife, chopping board or toaster can transfer gluten particles to induce a reaction.
According to the latest research, consumption 50mg It is sufficient to cause gluten damage per day to cause intestinal damage in celiac disease patients.
For context, whole wheat bread slices contain approximately 4,800 mg of gluten. In other words, 50mg is about 1/100 of a slice of bread.
Small amounts of gluten do not affect people who are gluten intolerant as well. You may have temporary symptoms, but you will not experience any intestinal damage.
However, symptoms and their severity may vary from person to person, depending on the individual’s sensitivity.
Should I cut out the gluten just in case?
If you don’t have celiac disease or intolerance, you may wonder if there are drawbacks to avoiding gluten.
There may be something.
Grain food Contains gluten It is rich in essential nutrients such as fiber, folic acid, iron, and B-group vitamins.
If you don’t need to avoid gluten when necessary, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Gluten-free products It can also be more expensive and is rich in sugar, salt and fat to supplement the texture and flavor.
Before making any changes to your diet, it is best to talk to a certified practice nutritionist to ensure you don’t miss out on any important nutrients.
So, what happens if you have symptoms?
Common signs of gluten intolerance or celiac disease include bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and stomach pain. Both conditions can cause non-gastrointestinal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and joint pain.
If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s best to talk to a healthcare professional who may be testing celiac disease or wheat allergies before removing gluten from your diet.
Don’t forget to self-diagnose and remove gluten without proper guidance.
If your symptoms relate to you, consult a GP, gastroenterologist, or a qualified nutritionist. Nutritionist Australia has a list Certified Nutritionist.
Yasmine Probstprofessor, medical school, indigenous peoples, health sciences. Advanced certified nutritionist, University of Wollongong and Olivia WillsAssociate lecturer, Nutrition, Nutrition, University of Wollongong
This article has been republished conversation Under the Creative Commons license. Please read Original article.
