Gluten isn't always to blame!

- Digestive problems – Too much sugar or gluten intolerance?

More and more people are suffering from gluten intolerance and digestive problems after consuming gluten-containing foods. A creeping epidemic or just another hype? Gluten is not always to blame. The cause could also be non-absorbable carbohydrates or overgrowing bacteria in the small intestine.

Gluten-free substitute products are a billion-dollar business. Prominent figures such as Novak Djokovic and Gwyneth Paltrow recommend avoiding gluten, as it supposedly improves health. Gluten is a protein found in numerous cereals such as wheat and barley. Indeed, the number of people suffering from gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction in the intestine that causes serious health problems, is increasing.

Approximately 1 in 100 people in Germany suffer from celiac disease. In addition, there is a growing number of people who believe they suffer from so-called gluten sensitivity. The symptoms are similar to those of celiac disease, such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or fatigue, headaches, and skin problems. In contrast to celiac disease, however, no inflammatory processes are triggered in the intestine by the body's own immune system, which lead to damage to the small intestinal mucosa. To date, there is no biomarker or clear laboratory test to unequivocally prove gluten sensitivity.

Gluten sensitivity: Real or imaginary?

To date, the condition has not been fully medically elucidated, and thus gluten sensitivity is not fully understood. The diagnosis can only be made by an exclusion principle. Practice often shows that it is not always gluten that causes gastrointestinal problems. Current research has identified other food components that can trigger chronic digestive problems.

Is sugar the problem?

Food components from the sugar family, summarized under the term FODMAP, are increasingly becoming the focus of research. FODMAP is the English abbreviation for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and (and) polyols. These refer to rapidly fermenting carbohydrates, such as those found in sweets, bread (especially wheat), dairy products, stone fruit, or cabbage. Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found in many industrially produced products as sweeteners or humectants. Thus, FODMAPs include fructose, lactose, and sugar substitutes. All these components can lead to excessive gas production. The consequences are digestive problems, bloating, and abdominal pain, similar to gluten sensitivity or irritable bowel syndrome. In recent years, however, a completely different possible cause has gained increasing importance.

The "new" disease: SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)

SIBO stands for "Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth," which indicates an excessive accumulation of bacteria in the small intestine. The symptoms are similar to those of gluten sensitivity. In addition, the symptoms are triggered by components found in gluten-containing foods. In SIBO, it is specifically oligosaccharides, i.e., multiple sugars, which are found in cereals, but also in fruits, vegetables, and sugar substitute products. The excessive number of bacteria in the small intestine of people with SIBO produces a lot of gas due to the metabolism of oligosaccharides, which leads to the complaints.

How do I find out what is causing me problems?

Currently, only celiac disease and SIBO are clinically detectable. A blood test is required to diagnose celiac disease. SIBO is diagnosed by a breath test or a gastroscopy with analysis of the small intestinal fluid. In case of sensitivity to FODMAPs or gluten, a change in diet and observation of the consequences is the only method to determine whether these components could be causing the symptoms. However, a certain uncertainty remains.

Should the clarification of the symptoms by a specialist nevertheless lead to the result that celiac disease or gluten sensitivity is present, the goal of the affected persons must be to consume as little gluten as possible. Enzymes, as additional aids to a "supposedly" gluten-free diet, can help here.
⁠However, it must be clear that an enzyme product like GluteoStop cannot replace a gluten-free diet for celiac disease. BUT it can help, in addition to a gluten-free diet, to reduce the unwanted and unconscious exposure to gluten. And that is what it is all about, to add as little gluten as possible to your body if gluten is the trigger of tormenting symptoms.