how do i confirm i am suffering on gluten intolerance?

• What is gluten intolerance?

Gluten intolerance is when one eats gluten and has adverse effects such as gas, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue and headaches.

• Am I gluten intolerant?

The only way to know if you're intolerant to gluten is to know your symptoms before and then remove them and see if your symptoms improve. If you're having anaphylaxis then you need to go to the hospital.

• Symptoms of gluten intolerance:

The symptoms of gluten intolerance are of varied types, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, joint pain, etc. The situation can even weaken the system, disabling it to absorb nutrients from dietary items. Medical conditions such as malnutrition, anemia, weight loss and osteoporosis can also occur due to this. The peculiarity of the diseases is that different people experience different symptoms, while some of them might not encounter even a single one. This makes the diagnosis difficult and delayed. The analysis usually involves blood test or biopsy of the small intestine. As a precaution, such people should remove all types of gluten from their diet. Given below are some probable symptoms of gluten intolerance.

Sudden weight loss or weight gain

Nutritional deficiencies due to mal-absorption, leading to low iron levels

Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)

Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)

Aching joints

Depression

Eczema

Head aches

Exhaustion

Irritability and behavioral changes

Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage

Cramps, tingling and numbness

Slow infant and child growth

Decline in dental health

Contrary to the general belief, gluten intolerance is not a food allergy. Rather, it is a sort of a genetic disorder, which primarily deals with sensitivity to the protein named gluten. This protein is commonly found in all types of grains, particularly wheat, barley, oats and rye. The condition arises when the immune system of the body fails to recognize the gluten protein and deems it as foreign. This leads to inflammation and damage in the lower digestive tract (the intestines). Thus, people prone to gluten intolerance can damage their small intestines, even on the consumption of a small amount of it.