Differences Between Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance & Sensitivity
Celiac disease (also spelled “coeliac”) is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats (the problem with oats is mostly due to cross-contamination in processing facilities). While celiac disease is initially an autoimmune disorder, it is also a disease of malabsorption, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.
Gluten intolerance can have a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes. Many of the symptoms may appear to be like celiac.
Both celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and gluten sensitivity can be really revved up by emotional stress, infection, surgery, pregnancy and childbirth. Every individual with some level of gluten intolerance or allergy may experience different shades of symptoms, which explains the challenge for medical practitioners to diagnose.
So what are the specific symptoms?
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorption—e.g., low iron levels
- Gastrointestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
- Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
- Aching joints
- Depression
- Eczema /rashes
- Headaches
- Exhaustion
- Irritability and behavioral changes
- Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
- Cramps, tingling and numbness
- Slow infant and child growth
- Decline in dental health
Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerance has been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.
Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied?
It is still a bit of a mystery; celiac and allergies or sensitivities affect adults and children in a variety of ways.
Emotional traumas and stress play a large role in the worsening of symptoms.
How to diagnose ?
Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact, it has been stated that there may be a crossover between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.
Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-immune antibodies in the patient’s blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small-intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet, including gluten, before being tested.
If the blood test comes back negative (that you are NOT celiac), you may get an allergy test to determine if there is medical evidence of an allergy to gluten. Many people will get an ALCAT test or a number of other available allergy tests, and you can request a specific test on gluten alone through a medical doctor. Some tests are available on line. Please see Shop or References for a test you feel comfortable with that fits your needs.
May people are also getting tested more than one time due to false negatives on the initial testing for celiac disease (gluten intolerance).
It is your, your child’s or your loved ones body. Do what you feel is right and do your diligence in homework to a resolution that answers your troubles.
Tina Turbin
