What is Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity?

While gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, is well known, a new condition is gaining ground: non-celiac gluten hypersensitivity. In short, some individuals react to Gluten Sensitivity, without having a diagnosis of celiac disease. The point on the subject! In this regard, you certainly need a family therapy near me to get the job done.

Learn to tell the difference

Let us first recall what celiac disease (CD) is. Also called gluten intolerance, this disease requires two conditions to be diagnosed: an intestinal biopsy revealing an abnormality of the mucosa and the presence of specific antibodies associated with celiac disease. It affects 1% of the population. Sufferers must adhere to a strict gluten-free diet for life.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), on the other hand, is manifested by intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation, bloating, cramps, as well as so-called extra-intestinal symptoms which include fatigue, skin rashes, headaches, or even depression. People with this condition do not meet both diagnostic criteria for celiac disease. Ingestion of gluten does not cause damage to the intestinal mucosa.

“It’s a condition that is still poorly understood,” reports Christine Desjardins, nutritionist at Transformation Healthcare Baltimore, MD. “To date, there are no specific biomarkers for SGNC that could help in its diagnosis. The only way to identify it is through a process of exclusion: we make sure that the symptoms experienced are not caused by celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or even irritable bowel syndrome, “adds the nutritionist.

Risk factors and prevalence

The risk factors for NCGS are still unknown. There is very little evidence on this. Being a non-autoimmune disease, one cannot correlate disease risk to other autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes or Crohn’s disease. Studies are currently being carried out to try to find serological markers which would make it possible to better diagnose hypersensitivity.

According to Transformation Healthcare and the American Celiac Association, the prevalence is difficult to estimate because many people self-diagnose without consulting a doctor. However, its prevalence is estimated at 3-6% of the population.

Associated complications

Knowing that celiac disease can increase the risk of other autoimmune diseases and that, if left untreated, can increase the risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, it is considered more dangerous than NCGS.

Currently, research does not show that NCGS can cause medium/long-term complications. The quality of life can be seriously disturbed, however, in connection with the presence of bothersome symptoms.

On the other hand, one must be careful in self-diagnosis, a person may believe that he suffers from hypersensitivity when he has celiac disease. A late diagnosis of CD can lead to infertility, osteoporosis, anemia, or even bowel cancer. It is therefore important to consult a specialist in case of doubt about gluten and to screen for celiac disease.

Make the correct diagnosis

In the event of digestive symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or cramps following the ingestion of gluten, it is important to consult a transformation health professional to rule out any illness that presents similar symptoms. We will therefore try to eliminate celiac disease, wheat allergy, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In the case of IBS, for example, it is the reaction to Fructus in wheat (fermentable sugars). And not to Gluten Sensitivitythat causes gastrointestinal symptoms. It is important to consult a doctor before excluding gluten from your diet. Starting a gluten-free diet before diagnosis may promote healing of the intestinal lining. Which would distort the results of the screening test.

Once the diagnosis of NCGS is established. It is advisable to follow the recommendations of an expert nutritionist in the field to guide the patient toward a personalized gluten-free diet since Gluten Sensitivity tolerance can vary from person to person. other. In addition, SGNC can be transient just as it can be permanent, hence the importance of rigorous follow-up.