Gluten in cosmetics?! We'll clear it up!

If you suffer from gluten intolerance, you should also check the ingredients of cosmetics as a precautionary measure.

Risk for celiac disease: Gluten in cosmetics

People who suffer from celiac disease must follow a strict gluten-free diet. Even the smallest traces of gluten can lead to numerous complaints, especially diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems. If celiac disease remains undiagnosed for a long time, it can lead to serious health problems such as intestinal damage and even cancer. The big challenge is that gluten is found in numerous foods and you constantly come into contact with it unintentionally. Baked goods, in particular, but also ready-made products are risky, because the adhesive protein gluten is found in all common cereals such as wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt.

What many people don't know: Numerous cosmetic products also contain gluten. This can become a problem for celiac sufferers if these products accidentally enter the gastrointestinal tract via the mouth.

Especially dangerous are toothpaste and mouthwash, but also lipstick and other lip care products. Gluten in face creams, make-up or facial cleansing products, as well as in hand creams, can also be risky.

Fortunately, the growing popularity of gluten-free diets has also spread to the cosmetics industry, and cosmetic brands are becoming increasingly sensitive to the addition of gluten in cosmetic products.

Nevertheless, cosmetics are not yet labeled as "gluten-free."

While gluten-free foods are easily recognizable by the label with the crossed-out ear of wheat, cosmetics are not yet officially labeled as "gluten-free." This, of course, makes the search much more difficult.

Therefore, affected individuals should pay close attention to the ingredients. Indications of gluten include the following names:

• Triticum aestivum, Triticum vulgare or Triticum turgidum durum (wheat)
• Triticum spelta (spelt)
• Avena sativa or Avena strigosa (oats)
• Secale cereale (rye)
• Hordeum districhon or Hordeum vulgare (barley)

Depending on the concentration in the product, these ingredients can therefore be of concern to affected individuals.

What are the risk factors?

Gluten from superficially applied beauty products generally cannot penetrate the skin due to its molecular structure. So if you apply a product to your skin and not near your eyes or mouth and then immediately wash your hands, you will most likely not have a reaction. "Most likely" because the possibility can, of course, still exist depending on the degree of sensitivity.

Another risk factor is powders that contain gluten. You can either inhale them or they can get into your eyes or mouth. Here, too, the risk is manageable in most cases, but it is present and depends on your personal sensitivity.

What are the possible reactions?

Again, it depends on the degree of sensitivity. Both people with celiac disease and people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity can react to a gluten-containing beauty product.

Common reactions include:

• Skin rashes, skin irritations, hives and/or redness.
• Itchy, watery, red and/or swollen eyes.
• Runny nose and/or congestion.
• Headaches and/or dizziness.
• Digestive tract problems

How can I minimize the risk of a reaction?

Find out about the ingredients of the products before you buy them. If you are unsure, contact the seller or the brand/manufacturer directly and ask if the ingredients and excipients used in the product contain gluten. There are now several apps that provide information about the product's ingredients by scanning the barcode on the back of the product.

• Carefully read/study the product label and check the online information available about the ingredients.
• Wash your hands as soon as you have applied a gluten-containing product.
• Avoid gluten-containing powder or aerosol products, as these can be accidentally inhaled.
• Only buy toothpaste and lip care products that are gluten-free

Research presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology shows how difficult it is for consumers to determine whether their cosmetic products contain gluten. Even if you don't actually eat cosmetics, even a small amount of gluten in a lip balm could be a problem – just think about how often you bite or lick your lip. Researchers have raised the question of whether gluten-containing lotions and moisturizers could trigger a skin reaction in people with celiac disease. The study was prompted by case studies of two women who experienced skin irritation that disappeared when they eliminated gluten from their diet and stopped using gluten-containing cosmetic products. In cosmetic products, hydrolyzed gluten is used to produce emulsifiers and stabilizers. The molecular size (3500 Da) is ultimately what matters here. We still know too little about the effects or influence of gluten in cosmetic products on health, and further research is necessary. However, people with celiac disease who must follow a gluten-free lifestyle should pay attention to the ingredients in their cosmetics.

Caution with oral and facial care products

Therefore, caution is especially advised with cosmetic and hygiene products that are used on the face or in the mouth. These primarily include mouthwashes, dental floss, and toothpaste.

Shampoo and body creams - a risk for children?

For products for external use only, such as shampoos, shower gels, and body creams, no harmful effects are known for adults with celiac disease. After all, gluten does not enter the body through the skin. However, since children may swallow bath water or put their creamed hands in their mouths, gluten in body care products can also become a problem for them. Therefore, only gluten-free products should be used for the body care of children suffering from celiac disease.

Since all these products, especially toothpaste and lipsticks, can contain small amounts of gluten and may be used by individuals with gluten intolerance who must follow a strict gluten-free diet, it would be desirable for manufacturing companies to more clearly indicate the presence or absence of gluten in these products.

Although gluten intake from non-food sources is unlikely to contribute significantly to gluten exposure and symptoms in the majority of celiac disease patients, it should be considered in cases of persistently active disease or symptoms.

SOURCES

Hall, S.W.; Shaoul, R.; Day, A.S. The Contribution of Non-Food-Based Exposure to Gluten on the Management of Coeliac Disease. Gastrointest. Disord. 2020, 2, 140-143.

Verma, A.K., Catassi, C.. Contribution of Oral Hygiene and Cosmetics on Contamination of Gluten-free Diet: Do Celiac Customers Need to Worry About? Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 68(1):p 26-29, January 2019.

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