What does it mean to have a ‘gluten belly’? | Preventive Healthcare (2024)

The term gluten belly is used to define the feeling that some people experience after eating foods containing gluten. This sensation usually consists of feeling sick, tired, or bloated. Gluten is a protein that can be found in several foods, especially in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye). Some people are intolerant or allergic to this protein, and they may experience two types of conditions:

• Celiac disease which refers to an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the body after eating food with gluten. This may damage the lining of the small intestine and it could also hinder the absorption of nutrients from food. This reaction that causes inflammation could be due to genetic causes or to high levels of certain types of antibodies to fight against gluten in their blood.
• Non-celiac gluten sensitivitycauses similar signs and symptoms as celiac disease but it does not damage the tissues of the small intestine. People with this type of sensitivity do not have antibodies against gluten in their blood and it is not linked to genetic causes. It seems that it has an autoimmune origin as well, but the process is not well understood.

What are the symptoms of gluten intolerance?

Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity can cause a range of different signs and symptoms including:

• Abdominal pain or discomfort in the region of the belly
• Anemia, usually from iron deficiency
• Anxiety and depression
• Osteoporosis or osteomalacia
• Itchy, blistery skin rash
• Mouth ulcers
• Problems with balance
• Cognitive impairment
• Brain fog, or trouble concentrating
• Bloating orgas
• Diarrheawith or without blood
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Unintentional weight loss
• Constant headaches
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin rash
• Sleeping problems

It has also been observed that many people with gluten intolerance also haveirritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

How is gluten intolerance diagnosed?

Doctor will review the patient’s medical history and evaluate the signs and symptoms. Then, in order to confirm the diagnosis and, since currently there is no specific gluten intolerance test, healthcare professionals will ask the patient to follow a routine as follows:

• For six weeks, the patient will eat a diet containing gluten and doctors will arrange to perform blood tests during this period to check for antibodies that are usually present in people with this condition. If there are antibodies, doctors may refer the patient for an endoscopy to do a biopsy of the intestine and confirm the diagnosis.

Sometimes, however, patients who are intolerant to gluten do not have celiac antibodies in the blood and still can have this condition. In that case, the doctor may recommend to the patient to:

• Eat foods without gluten for six weeks and keep a record of all the symptoms that are experiencing. Doctors will ask if the patient has noticed if the symptoms have improved during this period. If the symptoms have improved or even disappeared, doctors will ask the patient to reintroduce gluten back in the diet and check if the symptoms appeared again. That would mean that they are celiacs.

Once the patient has been diagnosed with celiac disease, doctors may run additional tests to assess how the condition has affected the patient. For example, they may check iron levels to see if there is anemia or vitamin and mineral levels to see if the patient does not correctly absorb nutrients from the food.

A bone density scan (DEXA scan) is also recommended to check if the condition has caused osteoporosis.

How is gluten intolerance treated?

Currently there is no cure for celiac disease or gluten intolerance. However, most of the patients follow a gluten-free diet to relieve the majority of symptoms. Some of the benefits of following a gluten-free diet are that it eliminates or reduces:

• bloating
• joint pain
• the frequency of headaches
• depression and anxiety
• lactose intolerance

However, research shows that a gluten-free diet may increase your risk of:

• Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Nutritional deficiencies such as too little fiber.
• Weight gain
• Cardiovascular diseases

Another treatment that can help is adding probiotics to the diet. They would increase the good bacteria in the gut and may reduce symptoms of bloating, gas, or constipation.

If the patient, yourself, or someone you know experiences severe symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention.