The dangers of gluten for people with certain health conditions

In time, more and more people are on a gluten free diet, and are starting to avoid consuming any foods that contain gluten. No wonder the presence of gluten in food is now often considered to have negative effects on health.

In fact, most studies claim that consuming gluten is safe for everyone, except for people with celiac disease. But on the other hand, some health researchers believe that the dangers of gluten can also occur in some people with certain other health conditions.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein found in grains especially wheat, rye (rye), and jali (barley). Wheat is the most consumed source of gluten. The two main proteins in gluten are gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin is responsible for most of the negative effects on health.

In processed products, gluten can help the development process when making bread, as well as give the bread a chewy texture. When flour is mixed with water, gluten forms a sticky network that has a glue-like consistency. This glue-like property is what makes the dough elastic, and makes the bread float when baked. In addition, it is the adhesive properties that give it a chewy texture.

However, people with this disease should not eat gluten

1. Celiac disease

Celiac disease is a condition in which a person's immune system mistakes gluten as a foreign substance that threatens the body. The immune system then attacks the gluten and the lining of the small intestine, causing damage to the intestinal villi which ultimately reduces the ability of the intestines to absorb nutrients.

This condition also causes nutritional deficiencies, various digestive problems, and increases the risk of various other diseases.

The most common symptoms of celiac disease are indigestion such as diarrhea or constipation, headaches, and weight loss. Some people also may not have symptoms of dilution, but may have other symptoms such as anemia and fatigue.

Celiac disease can be very difficult to diagnose. A study reveals that up to 80 percent of people with celiac disease don't know if they have the disease.

2. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity

Not only in people who have celiac disease, the dangers of gluten can also apply to people who do not have celiac disease but have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. A person with non-celiac gluten sensitivity will still react negatively to gluten even if they do not have celiac disease.

Usually, people who experience this will experience symptoms similar to those of celiac disease, such as diarrhea, fatigue, and joint and bone pain. However, they did not experience intestinal problems after consuming gluten. These symptoms can occur due to poor digestive system conditions.

There is no clear definition of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, but it is diagnosed when a patient reacts negatively to gluten. Generally, one way to diagnose it is to temporarily stop eating gluten and re-consume it. This is done to find out if you have symptoms of gluten sensitivity or not.

3. Irritable bowel syndrome, wheat allergy, and others

A study conducted on 34 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who were divided into two groups, one on a gluten free diet, and the other group eating gluten.

The result, the group that ate gluten more often felt pain, flatulence, diarrhea, and fatigue than the other groups. In other words, IBS sufferers can benefit from a gluten free diet.

Gluten will also react negatively in people who have a wheat allergy. About one percent increase in digestive problems occurs in people with a wheat allergy who eat gluten.

In addition, other research shows that a gluten free diet can also benefit sufferers with schizophrenia, autism, and gluten ataxia disease.