Are you celiac or allergic to gluten?

gluten intolerance vs. celiac disease

Gluten intolerance, clinically referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive (NCGS), affects as many as 1 in 7 people - that's 15% of the population! NCGS often has a slower onset and may be hard to diagnose due to its broad spectrum of symptoms and causes. Both celiac disease and NCGS can be exacerbated by physical and emotional stresses such as infection, surgery, pregnancy, and childbirth.

Celiac disease is a severe, incurable, sudden onset, autoimmune disease that recent studies show affects 1 in 133 people in the United States - that's over 3 million people. Celiac is a reaction of the small intestine, to gluten, a protein commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Celiac disease causes damage to the small intestine and leads to malabsorption (i.e., an inability of the body to absorb certain nutrients), resulting over time in vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition.

Individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance may experience varying severity of symptoms or no symptoms at all. As a result, celiac disease and gluten intolerance often go misdiagnosed and untreated.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance and celiac disease include but are not limited to the following:

Gastro-intestinal problems such as gas, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea

Emotional changes including irritability, depression, and behavioral difficulties

Joint pain, muscle ache, cramps, tingling and numbness of extremities

Skin disorders such as rashes and eczema

Dental disorders and mouth sores

Weight loss or weight gain

Head aches and migraines

Fatigue

Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion resulting in:

anemia

osteoporosis

slow infant and child growth

infertility, irregular menstrual cycle, and miscarriage

 

What is Gluten and Why Are People Sensitive to It?

Gluten is a highly complex protein that occurs in four main grains: Wheat, rye, barley and oats. Gluten is present in all types of Wheat grain like whole grain wheat, wheat bran, spelt, triticale and others. This means Gluten is also present in all baked foods that are made from these grains: bread, pies, cake, breakfast cereals, porridge, cookies, pizza and pasta. There are thousands of processed foods which contain Gluten.

Gluten is one of the most complex proteins consumed by man - and is therefore extremely difficult to digest. This is why babies first introduced to solid foods are not given wheat. They are started on a thin porridge of rice because their tiny digestive tract can process it easily.

People with Gluten intolerance are unable to digest gluten. In fact in Celiacs this protein actually attacks the lining of the small intestine causing damage that flattens out the tiny villi (finger-like protrusions which provide most of the surface area for nutrient absorption). Gluten intolerance can be difficult to identify and diagnose with blood tests and medical investigations. But it is easily identified with the tried and proven Elimination Diet.

Doctors know Elimination Diets work, because they use them to confirm or disprove others investigations like blood tests and biopsies.

For the small percentage of Gluten sensitive people who are Celiac to be clinically diagnosed there must be a positive Celiac blood test AND damage caused to the villi in the small intestine as a result of exposure to Gluten.

The only treatment for any Gluten Sensitivity is to alter eating habits to exclude Gluten: a Gluten-free diet

additional information on celieac disease and gluten intolerance can be found at:www.celiac.com

other celiac resources

celiac disease foundation
13251 ventura blvd, #1
studio city, ca 91604
tel: 818–990–2354
fax: 818–990–2379
email: cdf@celiac.org
www.celiac.org

celiac sprue association/usa inc.
p.o. box 31700
omaha, ne 68131–0700
tel: 1–877–CSA–4CSA (272–4272)
fax: 402–558–1347
email: celiacs@csaceliacs.org
www.csaceliacs.org

gluten intolerance group of north america
31214 124th avenue se
auburn, wa 98092
tel: 253–833–6655
fax: 253–833–6675
email: info@gluten.net
www.gluten.net

national foundation for celiac awareness
224 south maple st.
ambler, pa 19002
tel: 215–325–1306
email: info@celiaccentral.org
www.celiaccentral.org