Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 14:10

Symptoms of Wheat Intolerance

Identifying Symptoms of Wheat Intolerance

There are actually dozens of symptoms caused by the 'inability to digest gluten' - in wheat and other grains. This list covers a few of the main ones and their categories. Note that these are exactly the symptoms which fill up doctors' waiting rooms:

• • Gastro-intestinal: stomach bloating & pain, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation etc.

• • Neurological: headache, memory loss, behavioural difficulties, depression

• • Immune conditions: frequent infections like colds & 'flu, and bacterial infections, mouth ulcers

• • Inflammation and inflammatory disease: Stiff joints, proneness to allergies, arthritis, colitis, thyroiditis, psoriasis and others.

• • Skin rashes: eczema, psoriasis, itching flaky skin

• • General: food cravings, tiredness, chronic fatigue, unwell feeling

For a full list of symptoms - Sign up for the free Symptoms Matrix.

I think I might have food intolerance: What should I do?

Beginning with our free e-course, we can help you establish if you are suffering from gluten or wheat intolerance or if your symptoms indicate an intolerance to dairy, fructose or yeast. You may even be suffering from more than one food intolerance.

Doing nothing can be a risk. Undiagnosed food intolerance can cause serious long-term health problems like osteoporosis, anaemia and many others.

Sign up for our free e-course now and begin the steps to a healthier, happier you!

In-depth Information About Wheat Intolerance

What Is In Wheat That Causes These Symptoms?

Most of these symptoms are caused by a protein in the wheat grain - known as gluten - or more precisely - the protein breakdown fragments of gluten.

Gluten is an enormous molecule - in fact it is one of the most complex proteins eaten by man. To be digested it needs to break down many times and many of us do not have the right biological equipment to achieve its full digestion. Our bodies were not 'designed' to digest grass grains like wheat.

• • The animals which have the perfect and ideal digestive systems for grass grains are birds
  • Yes, grazing animals like cows eat grass - but they have evolved four stomachs to do the job!

Gluten is very difficult to digest

Some digestion begins in the mouth where the wheat product is chewed and munched and mixed with enzymes in the saliva. This physically breaks up the food before it is swallowed and enters the stomach.

But the actual protein breakdown does not begin until the wheat passes into the stomach. In gluten sensitive people (those who are unable to digest gluten) the efefects can first be felt in the duodenum - the very first part of the intestine. Typically a "bloating" sensation happens there after a meal - located right under the ribs and above the waist.

But - as many people know too well - there are other symptoms still to come. The first split-up of the huge gluten protein produces two smaller types of protein - known as peptides:

• Gliadins
• Glutenins

Unfortunately - for people who are wheat or gluten intolerant - this is where all the problems begin. Gliadins and glutenins behave in quite different ways - but when working together can have devastating effects on the human body.

While the gliadins work to perforate the intestine and create systemic havoc (inflammation) - glutenins also get a free ride into the bloodstream via the damaged intestine - and initiate other mischief.

Two Protein Breakdown Products of Gluten:

1). Gliadins

The first breakdown product of gluten - gliadins - can have a destructive effect on certain parts of the intestine. In fact, because of this, gluten is regarded by some as "the protein with teeth" - because this peptide gliadin (protein fragment) can actually tear tiny holes in the small intestine.

Now this may not sound too bad. Everything heals pretty quickly, right?

However the small intestine is where two vital bodily functions take place - absorption and filtering.

• • ABSORPTION of all the good parts of food happens in the small intestine. We need to convert food into energy so we can live and breath and work. So we need the right mix of nutrients and water for every organ and system to operate properly. When absorption does not happen properly we miss out on fluids and nutrients and develop dehydration, mineral deficiencies and go on to chronic diseases like anaemia and osteoporosis and others.

• • FILTRATION happens at the small intestine too. The small intestine also acts as a screening mechanism. It prevents toxins like bacteria, fungals and indigestible things from entering our bloodstream. But when this filter gets holes in it - (with gluten damage you can actually see damaged tissue via the biopsy) - all kinds of foreign particles and substances flow freely into the bloodstream and from there can travel to anywhere in the body: the joints, the organs, the skin and brain.

And even though the human body can heal itself fairly quickly for isolated or one-off events, we generally eat grain-based foods several times a day: breakfast cereals, sandwiches, muffins, cookies, bowls of noodles and pasta. so if you are gluten intolerant - your body never gets the chance to heal. Years and years of damage eventually makes you ill.

 2). Glutenins

The other breakdown peptide of gluten is glutenin. This peptide is responsible for strengthening bread dough and allows loaves to remain raised and 'light' for eating. However gliutenins are also associated with addictive symptoms: cravings, binge eating and addictive behaviour.

• • You can see from all this that your small intestine is a vital part of your body - and why intestinal health is so central to good health.

I think I might have food intolerance: What should I do?

Beginning with our free e-course, we can help you establish if you are suffering from gluten or wheat intolerance or if your symptoms indicate an intolerance to dairy, fructose or yeast. You may even be suffering from more than one food intolerance.

Doing nothing can be a risk. Undiagnosed food intolerance can cause serious long-term health problems like osteoporosis, anaemia and many others.

Sign up for our free e-course now and begin the steps to a healthier, happier you!

We want you to be well!

References

Wheat Gluten and its links to Gastrointestinal, Neurological and other disorders