Do you have a gluten sensitivity? 

Are you sure?

Gluten sensitivity isn’t only gastrointestinal distress symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.

Some of the lesser known reactions are not as obvious, but can be the signal your body is broadcasting.

Do you have any of the following:

• Smelly feces and/or gas

• Fatigue

• Skin problems like acne, psoriasis, alopecia, and/or chronic uticaria

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Unexplained or unwanted weight loss

• Iron-deficient anemia

• Autoimmune disorders

• Joint and/or muscle pain

• Leg and/or arm numbness

• Brain fog

Gluten intolerance is often linked to Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, but those without those diagnoses may have problems tolerating the sticky substance.  

Gluten, found in many baked goods, is a complex mixture of hundreds of related but distinct storage proteins.  Gliadin and glutenin are the two most common of these proteins, which are found in wheat products.  Similar storage proteins in rye, oats, and barley are also included when referring to the broad category of gluten. 

The structure and function of the “type” of gluten performs different functions within each of the categories.  The most common is the ability to bind, which makes it an excellent extending agent commonly used as an additive in processed foods for improved texture, moisture retention, and flavor.

The structure of gliadin in particular contains peptide sequences that are highly resistant to gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal proteolytic digestion.  This means your body has a tough time breaking it down properly.  

The substances we want resisting gastric juice breakdown are the prebiotic fiber that feeds the properly stationed good strains of bacteria.  Otherwise, we want the perfect pH for our stomach to disinfect our food thoroughly, trigger pepsinogen to be release and breakdown protein.

That includes the protein gluten found in wheat and other grain products.

When it is not broken down properly, it can cause major problems down the path – which can show up as the above listed issues.

Not everyone has an overt gluten reaction they recognize easily, nor does every country have the same standards for the amount of gluten in most baked goods (other than in dedicated gluten-free products).

This variation is most commonly seen between the US and Europe, where baked goods with wheat in particular contain much less.  Anecdotally, many people who are gluten-sensitive or have been diagnosed with celiac disease or Crohn’s disease have no problems consuming baked goods in Europe, but are significantly impacted in the United States.

Why is that?

For starters, the wheat used in Europe is a softer version of that grown in the US.  Additionally, heavy use of the known hormone disrupting pesticide, glyphosate, and added gluten protein to baked goods for a more fluffy appearance contributes to the problem.

Glyphosate can kill and disrupt the beneficial bacteria in our gut – similar to antibiotics.  It can wipe out entire strains that we need for healthy metabolism, organ function, and system repair.  The resulting devastation may look like digestive issues commonly associated with gluten sensitivity or allergy, or it may look like the list at the top of this page.

There are trade-offs you must be aware of if you choose to ditch gluten-filled goods for gluten-free baked goods.  In this short article, I give the bullet points to consider with the swap.

Should you go gluten-free? Yes!

After extensive research, testing, and trials with our patients and clients, I urge everyone to remove gluten from their diets for a minimum of 60 days.

References:

The Most Common Signs of Gluten Intolerance

What is gluten?

Why Do I Get a Gluten Reaction from American Wheat but not Overseas?