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Gluten intolerance: Symptoms and tips for a life without stomach pain

Approximately one in every 100 people in Germany suffers from celiac disease. Many more are affected by gluten intolerance. A gluten-free, healthy diet helps alleviate symptoms. This article explains the signs of gluten intolerance and how you can enjoy life without gluten.

What is gluten?
The crucial question: How do you pronounce gluten correctly?
What is the difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease?
What is a wheat allergy?
Symptoms: How do gluten intolerance and celiac disease manifest themselves?
How dangerous is gluten intolerance?
How do you diagnose gluten intolerance?
What causes gluten intolerance and celiac disease?
At what age does gluten intolerance occur?
Can gluten intolerance go away?
Nutritional tips for intolerance: How to avoid symptoms
What should you not eat if you have gluten intolerance?
Gluten-free diet: These foods are suitable
3 apps for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease
References & Bibliography

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein complex found in many grains, including wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and certain oat products. With its water-binding and adhesive properties, gluten ensures, among other things, that ground grain, when combined with water, forms an elastic dough that can be further processed. This is why it is also referred to as "gluten protein."

Because grains are a component of many baked goods, gluten is present in numerous foods, such as bread, pizza, and pasta. Most people tolerate gluten-containing foods without any problems. However, for others, even eating a slice of bread triggers digestive discomfort. Is this the case for you? Then you may have a gluten intolerance.

The crucial question: How do you pronounce gluten correctly?

Should the E in gluten be pronounced long or short? Opinions differ on this question. The Duden dictionary lists the E-accented variant first, but also allows the other form.

Why are there two possibilities? Some are based on the pronunciation of chemical compounds, such as propene or polypropylene, where the "e" is accented. Others focus more on the word's origin: Gluten comes from Latin, where the "e" is pronounced rather short, like in the word "noun." Translated, gluten means "glue."

What is the difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease?

Gluten intolerance is not the same as celiac disease, although they are used synonymously. All people with celiac disease suffer from an intolerance, but not being able to tolerate gluten automatically means they have celiac disease.

This is what distinguishes the two:

Celiac disease is a chronic condition: The consumption of gluten triggers an autoimmune reaction in those affected. The body mistakenly perceives gluten as a threat and produces antibodies that, however, do not attack the gluten itself, but rather damage the body's own tissue in the small intestinal mucosa.
For gluten intolerance (also known as gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, NCGS), the body does produce antibodies. However, these do not attack the body's own tissue in the small intestinal mucosa, but rather the gluten. Nevertheless, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea can occur.

Want to learn more about your gut and its functions? In the MITOcare blog, you'll find tips for your gut health .

What is a wheat allergy?

To add to the confusion, in addition to celiac disease and gluten intolerance, there is also wheat allergy. The principle is the same as with gluten sensitivity: The body classifies the substances contained in wheat as foreign bodies and reacts allergically.

Symptoms: How do gluten intolerance and celiac disease manifest themselves?

People who are gluten intolerant often suffer from gastrointestinal problems. There are also other symptoms that are not directly related to the small intestine. Symptoms¹ include, for example,

abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Flatulence
constipation
Headache
Numbness in the hands or feet
fatigue
Muscle cramps
rash
Loss of appetite
Weight loss

The symptoms of chronic celiac disease are similar to those of gluten intolerance. Furthermore, it has been found that people with dermatitis herpetiformis (DHD), a skin disease, also usually have celiac disease. Therefore, the skin disease could be a symptom.

Children and adolescents often suffer from symptoms associated with celiac disease such as mood swings, reduced attention, growth disorders or delayed puberty development.

Particularly devastating for those affected by celiac disease: The body's autoimmune reaction attacks the small intestinal lining, triggering inflammation. Over the long term, this inflammation damages the intestinal villi located in the lining, which are responsible for nutrient absorption. If they malfunction, this leads to nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, deficiencies such as iron and zinc deficiency are also symptoms of celiac disease.

You can read more about iron deficiency in our health blog.

How dangerous is gluten intolerance?

If you're intolerant to the gluten in certain grains, symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, headaches, or fatigue will signal that your body would rather do without them. You should spare it this stress.

What helps against bloating? We have 6 helpful tips for you.

If you have celiac disease, it's even more important to keep grains and other gluten-containing foods away from your small intestine. The reaction to gluten triggered by the autoimmune disease permanently damages your intestinal lining and impairs your supply of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

How do you diagnose gluten intolerance?

A doctor can determine whether celiac disease is present using various tests. To make a diagnosis, the blood is tested for certain antibodies that may indicate celiac disease. A tissue sample from the small intestine is also required for a definitive diagnosis. If the result is negative and a wheat allergy is ruled out, the diagnosis is more likely to be gluten sensitivity.

What causes gluten intolerance and celiac disease?

To develop gluten intolerance, it's enough to have consumed gluten as a child. However, why some people develop an intolerance and others don't is still unclear.

Genetic traits play a role in the autoimmune disease celiac disease. If someone in your family has celiac disease, you may also be affected. Infections in childhood, the immune system , and diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus can all contribute to celiac disease, as can diet and environmental factors.

At what age does gluten intolerance occur?

Celiac disease can occur at any age. It often develops in childhood between the ages of one and three. 2 However, it is often diagnosed later. In Italy, for example, around 60 percent of celiac disease cases in children go undetected.³

According to the German Celiac Society (DZG), many adults are diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 40, and some even later than 60. Symptoms such as iron deficiency or bloating can have various other causes that may initially seem more obvious.⁴

Can gluten intolerance go away?

Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are incurable. However, it is possible to live a symptom-free life by switching to a gluten-free diet. Some people diagnosed with celiac disease find that they can consume gluten over time without experiencing symptoms. However, because the symptoms are complex and gluten can still cause harm, a change in diet should not be attempted without medical advice.

Nutritional tips for intolerance: How to avoid symptoms

Those living with celiac disease inevitably have to pay close attention to food ingredient lists and avoid many baked goods. Fortunately, more and more supermarkets and drugstores offer gluten-free products that are easily recognizable as such: They are labeled with a crossed-out ear of corn.

Products containing gluten or traces of it are also identifiable. This also applies to cosmetics and hygiene products. Foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as cheese, are exempt from labeling.

In addition to food manufacturers, many restaurants are also trying to better meet the needs of people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. One challenge in these areas, as well as in private settings, is the risk of contamination: Normally gluten-free foods can also contain traces of gluten through contact with gluten-containing foods.

You can take medications without any concerns. However, if you are taking multiple medications over a long period of time, you should also pay attention to the ingredients. If you suffer from deficiencies due to celiac disease, consult your doctor about whether you can supplement missing vitamins and trace elements with supplements.

What shouldn’t you eat if you have gluten intolerance?

If you have celiac disease, you should especially avoid products containing grains such as wheat, spelt, rye, barley, green spelt, oats, einkorn, or emmer. These almost certainly contain gluten.

Bread, rolls, cakes, pasta, gnocchi, pizza, and breaded foods are just as taboo as beer and malt beer, even if they contain only small amounts of gluten. Many convenience foods also contain gluten, especially if wheat starch is listed in the ingredients list.

Important: A strict gluten diet is generally only appropriate for people diagnosed with celiac disease, as even small amounts of gluten can contribute to damage to the intestinal mucosa. If you experience abdominal pain and intestinal discomfort related to your diet, you should consult a doctor to determine the cause and then decide whether a gluten-reduced or gluten-free diet is better for you. Self-diagnosis is not helpful.

Gluten-free diet: These foods are suitable

Those who must avoid the gluten protein can switch to gluten-free grains. These include amaranth, buckwheat, guar gum, and locust bean gum. Millet, corn, and oats are permitted if they are not contaminated.

Chia seeds, legumes, potato flour and potato starch, chestnuts, chickpeas, cassava, nut flours, quinoa, soy, tapioca and grape seed flour also fit into a gluten-free diet.

A gluten-free diet also includes unprocessed fruits and vegetables, many types of cheese, unbreaded and unseasoned pieces of meat and fish, pure vegetable oils or fruit juices without additives.

3 apps for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease

A gluten-free lifestyle means a change in everyday life for those affected. Ideally, gluten should be banned from the kitchen. This doesn't mean that an intolerance or celiac disease means you have to forgo the enjoyment and pleasure of eating. There are various apps available today to help you with this.

The CodeCheck app is your trusted companion when shopping at the supermarket. Simply scan the barcode and check the ingredients.
The DZG offers its members an app that provides information about gluten-free products and celiac disease on their smartphones. You can find the app in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store .
With the Find Me Gluten Free app, you can find out which restaurants in your area offer a gluten-free menu and what other affected people say about the selection and the dishes.

Important: Apps are little helpers that make everyday life and nutrition easier for those affected. However, they are no substitute for consciously looking at ingredients and components. So don't rely solely on what the app tells you.

This article is based on carefully researched sources: