Did You Know That Gluten Disorders Can Affect Your Skin, Digestive System, Mood, and Joints?

As you already know, gluten intolerance is becoming more and more common. It is characterized by adverse reactions to a group of proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Some of the most dangerous disorders are NCGS, celiac disease, GRDs, and wheat allergy. All these three gluten-related disorders can cause symptoms that may have nothing to do with digestion.

Let’s discover the symptoms caused by gluten intolerance and when you should worry.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects 1% of the population and is also the most severe form of gluten disorder. Celiac disease is considered very dangerous since it can seriously damage the digestive system. Mood changes, skin problems, and digestive issues are some of its most common symptoms. Continue reading to find out what you can also experience if you are dealing with celiac disease and severe gluten intolerance.

1. Smelly feces, diarrhea and constipation

After eating gluten, celiac disease patients experience inflammation in the small intestine. It leads to poor nutrient absorption, resulting in diarrhea or constipation, and big digestive discomfort. Diarrhea can cause significant health problems such as electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, and dehydration.

People who suffer from celiac disease might also have pale feces due to poor nutrient absorption.

2. Fatigue

Are you always feeling tired? It might be because of gluten intolerance. One of the first signs that your body is fighting is for sure, the feeling of tiredness. Celiac disease patients might also experience chronic pain, sleep disruptions, inflammation, and even psychological conditions like anxiety.

If you suffer from celiac disease you are likely to have iron efficiently, which affects your ability to produce red blood cells. So, decreased energy levels are normal in this case.

3. Depression and anxiety

People with digestion problems are more prone to developing depression and anxiety. In 2020, according to a steady 1 out of 10 Americans were diagnosed with depression, 20% of the cases being among adolescents and young adults. Depression and anxiety are linked to celiac disease, considering the changes in the gut, vitamin deficiency, and cerebral hypoperfusion.

4. Unexplained weight loss

Unexplained weight loss indicates a serious problem most of the time. Experts say that weight loss is very common for children who are suffering from celiac disease, especially those under 3 years old. Even though weight loss can also appear in adults, it’s more rear.

5. Iron deficiency anemia

The most common nutrient deficiency is iron deficiency and here are the most common symptoms you may experience if you have it too: shortness of breath fatigue, pale skin, and weakness.

Celiac disease impairs nutrient absorption, resulting in reduced iron absorption.

6. Skin reactions

Gluten intolerance can also cause severe skin reactions which are usually called dermatitis hepertiformis and is a manifestation of celiac disease. Everyone with celiac disease is very sensitive to gluten but some people can only experience skin symptoms, without experiencing all the common digestive ones.

Research has shown that some skin conditions can be improved by adopting a gluten-free diet:

• Psoriasis – an inflammatory condition that causes discoloration of the skin
• Alopecia areata – an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss
• Chronic urticaria – a disease characterized by recurrent hives with pale centers

7. Leg or arm numbness

Neuropathy is another surprising symptom of gluten intolerance. It involves numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. This condition is more common for those who suffer from diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Celiac disease patients are also more likely to develop such conditions due to the presence of certain antibodies.

8. Autoimmune disorders

What is happening with your digestive system if you are suffering from celiac disease? Well, the autoimmune disease attacks the digestive tract each time you eat gluten.

9. Joint and muscle pain

There are a lot of reasons for muscle pain but if it is persistent it might be caused by your gluten intolerance. So, make sure you discuss your symptoms with your doctor.

Symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity

Not everyone experiences the severe disorder, some people may also have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of gluten sensitivity:

1. Diarrhea or constipation

If you often experience diarrhea or constipation it’s not normal and you should speak to a doctor ASAP. If you are sensitive to gluten, it may trigger these digestive issues.

2. Bloating

Are you always feeling bloated? You may be gluten intolerant. If you are experiencing bloating and abdominal discomfort, make sure to have a checkup.

3. Headaches and migraine

There are a lot of things that can cause us migraines or headaches, but we should worry when they are persistent. So, if you are always dealing with migraine that is affecting your daily activities, you should pay attention to what may cause it.

4. Stomach pain

Stomach pain is very normal for all the people with gluten sensitivity. It’s, by far, the most common symptom of gluten intolerance.

5. Brain fog

The feeling of being unable to think clearly is called brain fog and it can happen if your body is trying to fight against gluten. It’s often described as:

• having difficulty thinking
• feeling “cloudy”
• experiencing mental fatigue
• 

Image by Andrey_Popov from Shutterstock

Symptoms of wheat allergy

Wheat allergy is widespread among children, causing the immune system to react to certain proteins found in wheat. Here are the symptoms you might experience if you are allergic to wheat:

1. Skin rush

As you already know allergies are usually associated with some skin conditions. It’s important to know that wheat allergies often cause skin rash, inflammation, and itching. The reaction happens shortly after a person consumes the allergen.

2. Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is, by far, the scariest symptom which can be caused by allergies and can be life-threatening if left untreated. It causes swelling, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Usually, symptoms occur minutes after exposure to an allergen, but anaphylaxis can also happen an hour later.

3. Nasal congestion

If you are an allergic person you already know how annoying it can be to daily deal with nasal congestion. Sneezing and runny nose are common signs of wheat allergy and you shouldn’t ignore them because, unfortunately, without a proper treatment allergies can’t be healed. By ignoring the signs, all you do is make everything worse.

The bottom line

If you read the entire article, you can now understand what are the differences between different levels of gluten intolerance. The most important thing is to make a doctor’s appointment as soon as you notice changes in your body and mood. The faster you understand what might be the cause of the problem, the better.

Are you tired of thinking about what you should cook and you recently found out that are gluten intolerant? We have the perfect solution for you! On, Amazon you can find one of the best recipe books for gluten-intolerant persons. The book is called “How to Make Anything Gluten-Free: over 100 Recipes for Everything from Home Comforts to Fakeaways, cake to dessert, brunch to bread!”

After you purchase it, come back in the comment section and tell us what’s your favorite recipe. Also, tell us about your experience as a gluten intolerant. Was it hard to diagnose the disease? Were you mistakenly diagnosed?

Are you interested in finding out more about this topic? Here is an article you should check out: 5 Gluten-Free Dinners You Are Going To Love.