Are there varying degrees of gluten intolerance?

[bastette]

I came across a list of symptoms of celiac disease and was struck by how many of them I have. However, I haven't been plagued by health problems throughout my life, so even if I'm gluten-intolerant, I can't be extremely intolerant. So I'm wondering whether celiac disease is one of those things where you either have it or you don't - or are there degrees of intolerance?

Also, while I've had some of the symptoms most of my life, I've noticed that in the past 5 or 6 years that some of them have intensified quite a bit. I've blamed it on menopause, but maybe I'm developing an intolerance to wheat and other glutens? I've read that this can happen in adulthood. Is it something that can come on in late adulthood, ie, middle age? I'm 54.

At this point I'm considering trying a gluten-free diet for a while to see if some of the symptoms abate.

[Deb]

There is gluten sensitivity, but if you are intolerant, you should not eat any gluten. It's like being pregnant, you can't be a little pregnant, you are or you aren't.

There are many people who are gluten intolerant and have no symptoms at all, they usually do not know until it's found out by accident when testing is being done for something else. There are symptoms you would never connect to gluten intoletance either. When a person is dizzy, how often do they blame food? People do not realize that often times headaches are caused by food. Joint pains, muscle aches...all can be attributed to gluten. Many people will have slight neuropathy which will reverse when gluten free.

Gluten is a monster that causes so much damage, and often by the time a person figures out what is wrong, there is a lot of damage to correct.

Get tested.
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[aklap]

Hi Bast,

Welcome to the board. Just like Deb said, it's like being a "little bit preggers". You either have it or your don't. Now, determining if you have it is another story. Gluten related symptoms can vary wildly between people. It can present with little to no outward symptoms [aka Silent Celiac]...or any combination of the 250+ that have been associated with CD.

The best thing you can do is ask your doctor, explain your symptoms and ask to be tested for celiac disease. CD has been shown to affect about 1% of the population [about 1 in 133 of normal, health people]. If you ave symptoms, the odds rise to 1 in 56. If you have a first degree relative it's up to 1 in 22.

As for Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, it's estimated that 30-40% of the people have issues with gluten. NCGS often time presents with may of the same symptoms as CD. The problem with testing for NCGS is that it does not present with villi damage. Since CD is clinically defined as villi damage, that's what the medical world looks for. If no villi damage has been detected, most medical professionals will tell you that gluten is not an issue for you.

NCGS is constantly evolving in the eyes of mainstream medicine. Slowly celiac experts are starting to realize something that many of us have know for years...gluten causes problems even though there no villi damage - aka Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Medical information has been been around for years that prove gluten affects the body outside the area of the gut. Dermatitis Herpetiformis [skin manifestation of CD] is a perfect example of this - it's common for DH suffers NOT to have intestinal damage. Gluten Ataxtia is another example of neurological involvement with no gastrological involvment. Heck, only 50% of diagnosed celiacs don't present with "classic" gastro symptoms!.

If the doc runs a full celiac panel, there are 2 tests that might give you an indication that gluten might be a problem for you. However, those 2 tests [Anti-Gliadin Autobodies IgA & IgG] have fallen out of favor due to their lack of specificity to CD [other conditions can elevate these 2 tests] and never run. This will not give you an entire picture.

It always best to get tested before you attempt to GF dietary trial. You must be consuming gluten in order for testing to be as accurate as possible.

If all testing for CD comes back negative...1) do not absolve gluten of all guilt at this point - without doing a fair GF trial 2) keep looking for other causes to your medical issues.

My testing for CD came back negative. The only thing that helped me was going GF. My story and many other's can be found in Our Path's to Gluten Free-dom Thread


Our Thread on Celiac Blood Tests & More Diagnostic Info

Either Celiac Disease or Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity can be triggered at any point in time.

Celiac Disease requires a few things...

• The genetics for CD
  
• Ingestion of gluten
  
• A trigger...
  
  • Illness
    
  • Infection
    
  • Surgery
    
  • Pregnancy
    
  • Stress
  
  

Good luck in your knowledge quest! Please don't be afraid to ask questions!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa