You Don’t Have Celiac Disease, But Could You Be Gluten Sensitive?

How do you know if you are Gluten Sensitive?  Are test results really the best way to confirm your suspicions?

Lets discuss the differences between Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity.
I’m going to layout the basics for you… hopefully eliminating some confusion and providing you with some straight forward answers.

So many people tested by their doctor for Celiac Disease, with negative results, are still experiencing the signs and symptoms they just know are directly correlated with gluten. There is an immense amount of information on the internet regarding Celiac Disease that has provided people like you and me with such great awareness and resources for those suffering with a plethera of ailments.   Yet, the questions I most often hear, are from supposed Non-Celiac’s who question how gluten effects them, and wonder if eliminating gluten will help them “feel better” anyway. I’m here to tell you YES, there is a high probability that eliminating gluten from your diet will improve your quality of life, because you are Gluten-Sensitive.  There are more
than 200 signs and symptoms of celiac disease, yet a significant percentage of people with celiac disease have no symptoms at all. 

Symptoms include:

• Recurring abdominal bloating and pain, bloating
• Chronic diarrhea/constipation or vomiting
• Autoimmune Disorders (most common is Thyroid)
• Liver and biliary tract disorders (like fatty liver and gallbladder disorders)
• Weight loss
• Pale, foul-smelling stool
• Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to iron therapy
• Fatigue
• Failure to thrive or short stature
• Delayed puberty
• Pain in the joints
• Tingling numbness in the legs
• Pale sores inside the mouth (ulcers)
• A skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH)
• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• Unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriage
• Osteopenia (mild) or osteoporosis (more serious bone density problem)
• Peripheral Neuropathy and numbness/tingling in extremities
• Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and general “brain fog” and confusion.

• Other common findings are the existence of many other autoimmune diseases, migraines, ADHD, and ataxia. 

Even more confusing to the general population is that celiac disease and gluten sensitivity also mimic symptoms of other conditions such as Crohn’s disease, gastric ulcers, irritable bowel (IBS), parasitic infection, and various skin disorders or nervous conditions.   I encourage you to google “celiac symptoms” to know if you have one or more of these symptoms.  Let’s discuss first, exactly what Celiac disease is.

Celiac Disease, sometimes called Celiac sprue:

Celiac disease, which is essentially an autoimmune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, affects approximately three million Americans, but according to estimates, only three percent of them have been properly diagnosed. Yes you read this correctly- only 3% of 3 million!! That’s about 1 in 133. Once Celiac disease is diagnosed, the only effective treatment is a gluten-free diet.

Evidence is mounting that indicates the current blood testing available may not be the most effective way to test for Celiac disease.   Although awareness of celiac disease and gluten-free living is increasing in the various medical fields, accurate and reliable testing has not been established or uniformly implemented by medical practitioners. Currently a popular method of testing is a blood test, and so many laboratories can supposedly “test” for this, but some people with celiac disease can get blood testing many times and the results will nevertheless be negative.  With so many American celiacs going without a proper diagnosis, experiencing a severely limited quality of life,  not to mention unknowingly walking around with a  potentially fatal autoimmune disorder; it is imperative that every American is educated on celiac symptoms, testing, and treatment of this disease- the treatment is easy, and the relief for millions will be a priceless gift.

Testing Options for Celiac Disease Today
Blood testing has been successful in diagnosing about 20% people with celiac disease, but current methods are so inaccurate that at least 80 percent of the time people with the disease are give a FALSE negative in diagnosis.  They then continue to consume the toxic substance that will eventually be their continuing demise in health and quality of life… never given the tools and information to heal.
Here are the basics on how blood testing method was develop (20%):

Our immune systems, which are complex and genius, create antibodies that attack any “foreign invaders” known as antigens that enter our body.  Tests can be conducted that find an increase of antibodies in the system, which are on the prowl for certain foreign invaders. Specifically, anti-gliadin, or anti-gluten antibodies, can be tested for; when these exist in the system in large amounts, it is a sign of the autoimmune disorder, celiac disease.  Here is where our problem lies:  The autoimmune response is not isolated in the blood stream, but with celiac disease the effects are  concentrated in the the small intestine.  The immune system attacks the lining of the small intestines, where the damage from this disease really occurs, losing our ability to absorb nutrients among many other damaging reactions.

There is another method, by taking a biopsy of the intestine, which is an invasive as well as expensive procedure.  This will give you a better look at they will rate the level of erosion in your intestines. Damage is ranked by a 0-4 scale called the Marsh Score. Stage zero signifies a normal intestinal villi, while Marsh score stage 4 means total villous atrophy, or completely flattened villi, stage 2 Marsh score when celiac disease is confirmed.

The problem with Celiac Disease testing and “negative” results:

The issues with these forms of testing is that it is now, and well documented, that by the time they find some level of erosion in the intestines, and antibodies in your blood- the body had been attacking itself for years prior, causing you symptoms and silent damage! This would mean that the people finally diagnosed, usually later in life, most likely have had gluten-sensitivity issues their whole life- until full blown celiac disease “showed up”.  50% of confirmed gluten-sensitive people are under the Marsh 2 score. This has to show you that the odds are that if you’re suspect to gluten intolerance, you probably just haven’t had the right testing to confirm it.

There’s research indicating some people labeled “gluten-sensitive” may in fact have early-stage celiac disease.  A study published in the December 2010 Journal of Proteome Research finds that “potential” celiac patients with positive blood tests (signifying sensitivity) but negative biopsies actually have the same distinctive metabolic fingerprint as diagnosed celiacs. These “gluten-sensitive” people may simply represent an earlier stage of the condition, before it causes major damage to the intestines, the researchers said. 

So why should we wait until the damage is done to be “diagnosed” with a biopsy or blood test? We shouldn’t.  We should be proactive; get educated on symptoms, testing options, and healing treatment opportunities.  If you suffer with any intestinal or neurological disorders, then I would suggest you start a gluten free diet right away- 100%, and see what it does for you.  The lab testing options Doctors have for Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) are far from accurate at this point. (UNLESS you test with Cyrex Labs). If you’re not better, and you’re still eating gluten, who cares what your past test results “say”- your body will tell you the truth, if you give it the chance and go gluten free. 

PLEASE, Don’t take your negative test result for celiac disease with all too much significance.  There is a HIGH probability that you are gluten sensitive, especially if you have ANY correlated symptoms that are unresolved. Worse yet, you may be silently suffering right now… but you won’t be silent for long.  These inflammatory reactions in our body rear their ugly heads at some point in life, and often stump medical professionals because of  how similar they are to other ailments.  Sometimes the blooming of the disease and intolerance do truly manifest into a completely different disease like Hashimoto’s, and the true cause (gluten) is never addressed or treated.    A gluten free diet is an all too simple implement, offering you peace of mind and body… try it out for 30 days: what do you have to lose? It’s easy to find gluten-free replacements on every shelf of your grocery store.  Better yet, the healthiest foods are already naturally gluten free like vegetables, fruits, meats (not processes or sauced), nuts and seeds.

I will go into more detail in “Part 2” of this article on this so called newer phenomenon of the rising development of gluten sensitivity.  I will explain why wheat today is nowhere near what it was even 2 generations ago.  I will also educate you on testing options now available in the US, if you feel you would like to be tested for gluten sensitivity! 

If you would like help going on a gluten free or Paleo type of diet, or would simply like to learn about implementing a healthier diet specifically for you, please contact me at tiffany@glutenfreewithtiffany.com

Tiffany Dalton

Certified Nutrition Consultant, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner

 

You can start here with some Celiac Organizations and Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celiac_disease

www.celiac.com

http://www.celiac.org/