What is gluten intolerance? It is an intolerance to grains, specifically the main protein found in the form of gluten in certain cereal plants, such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye. The most toxic protein is considered to be alpha-gliadin. There are three main forms of gluten intolerance: celiac disease, gluten allergy, and non-celiac non-allergic gluten sensitivity.
Attention! Gluten intolerance is not psychosomatic; it is a pathophysiological process.
The most common form of gluten intolerance is celiac disease. This disease is hereditary and has a chronic nature, in which immune mechanisms are involved. In celiac disease, gluten entering the body causes inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestine, which subsequently forms autoimmune processes in the body. As a result, a person may experience symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, vomiting, and abdominal pain due to damage to the villi of the small intestine. In more severe cases, anemia, rickets, and other conditions may develop due to the disruption of the absorption of essential macro- and micronutrients. In Russia, the incidence of celiac disease is approximately from 1 case in 300 children to 1 case in 2000 children, depending on the region, and is usually detected at the age of 1 year when cereals appear in the child's complementary food.
The second form is gluten allergy. It differs from celiac disease in that changes in the mucous membrane of the small intestine may be absent, while immunoglobulin E against gluten is detected in the blood. Most often, gluten allergy is confirmed in children who already have any allergic diseases. Sensitivity to gluten is a relatively new form of gluten intolerance. It may manifest with extra-intestinal symptoms and cause general malaise, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, and more.
At the same time, it has been known since the beginning of the 20th century that the nervous system can be affected in celiac disease – such consequences are observed in about 10% of people with gluten intolerance. The most common neurological manifestation of celiac disease is gluten ataxia, which affects the cerebellum. This, in turn, causes such consequences as balance disorders when walking, speech and voice disturbances, and more. Quite often, gluten intolerance causes motor function disorders in the limbs and decreases sensitivity in them – such consequences are diagnosed in 40-50% of patients with celiac disease.
It is important to understand that gluten intolerance is one of the few diseases that can be symptomatically treated, meaning that strict adherence to a diet may alleviate the consequences of the disease. Generally, improvement occurs within a few days after gluten is eliminated from the diet, and typical symptoms of varying severity subside after 4-6 weeks. A significant reduction in the severity of ataxia described above is observed after a year on a gluten-free diet. Is it difficult to adhere to this diet? It is essential to understand the basic principles and remember that gluten can be found not only in grains and their processed products but also in certain types of sausages, canned goods, sauces, and even in tea and coffee. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study product compositions, prefer special shelves where gluten-free products are located – usually, there is a crossed ear of wheat on their label or it states “gluten-free.”
Meanwhile, the consumption of meat, milk, eggs, vegetables, and fruits, as well as some types of grains: rice, buckwheat, and millet is allowed. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms permanently and significantly improve the quality of life with gluten intolerance, it is necessary to study this issue and spend time on forming a complete menu, as it is the strict adherence to the diet that plays a crucial role in the prevention of this disease.