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Mar 12

Gluten Sensitivity: Symptoms, Tests, and Diet – Verywell Health

Diet Comments Off on Gluten Sensitivity: Symptoms, Tests, and Diet – Verywell Health

Gluten sensitivity (gluten intolerance or non-celiac gluten sensitivity) involves having a minor adverse reaction after eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

This is not the same as having celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes a severe reaction to the presence of gluten.

This article discusses the symptoms, testing, and dietary treatment for gluten sensitivity and outlines how it differs from celiac disease.

Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

Many gluten sensitivity symptoms mirror celiac disease symptoms, including:

These symptoms typically appear within hours or even a day after ingesting gluten. They tend to disappear when gluten is removed from the diet and avoided.

Gluten triggers a severe autoimmune response in people with celiac disease. The signs of this condition can look similar to non-celiac gluten sensitivity symptoms and typically include gastrointestinal symptoms such as:

Celiac gluten sensitivity can also come with symptoms such as:

Celiac disease symptoms cause actual damage to the small intestine, but gluten sensitivity does not.

Experts are still looking into what exactly causes gluten sensitivity. Unlike celiac disease, which prompts a specific immune system response and likely happens due to genetic and environmental factors, non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a little trickier to understand.

Some theories behind the cause of gluten sensitivity include a potential sensitivity to another carbohydrate instead of glutenor a leaky digestive tract lining that may allow gluten and bacteria into the bloodstream.

Possibly. There seem to be notable differences between celiac disease, which requires a lifelong commitment to a gluten-free diet and other treatments, and gluten sensitivity, which is potentially not as permanent.

Some research shows that people following a gluten-free diet for a couple of years might change their bodies' gluten tolerance. Still, checking with a healthcare provider before changing your diet or medications is always a good idea.

Though there's no specific test for gluten sensitivity, there are some ways to help determine whether this might be your diagnosis.

If you notice uncomfortable (but not necessarily severe) symptoms after ingesting gluten, it might be time to start tracking your symptoms at home. You can do this by recording which foods you eat daily and highlighting when symptoms occur.

Even if you don't notice an obvious pattern at first, this information is helpful to bring to a healthcare provider as you narrow down the cause of your symptoms.

Is it gluten sensitivity or celiac disease? A healthcare provider can help you make an accurate diagnosis. This might involve:

Depending on the outcome, your healthcare provider might also refer you to a gastroenterologist (a doctor specializing in digestive system conditions).

Treating gluten sensitivity means removing gluten from the diet. And making any changes to your current diet can be challenging, no matter what it is.

Fortunately, there are plenty of gluten-free and whole-food options that you might consider as you make this dietary transition, including:

If you're eating out or buying packaged foods at the grocery store, ask for entirely gluten-free dishes and carefully check all labels.

Eating gluten-free doesn't need to cost more. To make this diet more approachable cost-wise, consider:

When diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, you can focus on coping and living well. Here are some options for doing so:

Gluten sensitivity is when the body has an abnormal response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Though symptoms of gluten sensitivity are similar to those of celiac disease, the latter is an autoimmune condition that requires lifelong care.

Researchers are still looking into what causes gluten sensitivity, but a healthcare provider can help provide a diagnosis. Treatment involves eliminating gluten from your diet and addressing specific symptoms as needed.

Beyond Celiac. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Volta U, Bardella MT, Calabr A, et al. An Italian prospective multicenter survey on patients suspected of having non-celiac gluten sensitivity. BMC Med. 2014;12:85. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-12-85

Biesiekierski JR, Iven J. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity: piecing the puzzle together. United European Gastroenterol J. 2015 Apr; 3(2): 160165. doi:10.1177/2050640615578388

MedlinePlus. Celiac disease.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & causes of celiac disease.

Celiac Disease Foundation.Symptoms of celiac disease.

MedlinePlus. Gluten sensitivity.

Uhde M, Ajamian M, Caio G, et al. Intestinal cell damage and systemic immune activation in individuals reporting sensitivity to wheat in the absence of coeliac disease. Gut 2016;65:1930-1937.

Beyond Celiac. Are you always gluten sensitive for life?

Beyond Celiac. Gluten sensitivity FAQ.

MedlinePlus. Celiac disease screening.

MedlinePlus. Learn about gluten-free diets.

Busby E, Bold J, Fellows L, Rostami K.Mood disorders and gluten: it's not all in your mind! A systematic review with meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10(11). doi:10.3390/nu10111708

By Cristina MutchlerCristina Mutchler is an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience in national media, specializing in health and wellness content.

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