Brain fog… diarrhea… itchy skin… bloating…
These are just a few of the symptoms gluten can cause, even if you don’t have celiac disease.
Some experts believe that as many as 18 million people struggle with gluten sensitivity – that’s triple the number of people with celiac disease – and most of them don’t know it.
Many people seek relief from going gluten-free, but even that’s not foolproof. Gluten – which is the main protein found in grains like wheat and rye – is pretty sneaky. It hides out in unexpected places, and even foods labeled as gluten-free can sometimes STILL contain gluten and cause your health to take a hit.
But you can protect yourself against gluten… and help your body address the damage gluten causes… with the right combination of gluten-busting enzymes and gut-supporting probiotics.
Quick Answer: Gluten, the main protein in grains like wheat and rye, can be linked to a range of symptoms even in people who do not have celiac disease. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity may cause brain fog, headaches, digestive issues, skin problems, fatigue, and joint pain. Gluten can also activate a protein called zonulin that loosens the gut barrier, which is associated with leaky gut. Because even trace gluten can show up in foods labeled gluten-free, accidental exposure is common. A gut-support approach that combines gluten-digesting enzymes (DPP-IV and Tolerase-G) with probiotics such as Saccharomyces boulardii, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus coagulans can help your body break down stray gluten and support a healthy gut barrier.
What Are the Signs of Gluten Sensitivity?
Common signs of non-celiac gluten sensitivity include brain fog, headaches, digestive issues, anxiety or low mood, itchy skin conditions, extreme fatigue, and joint or muscle pain. Having one or more, with no other clear cause, may point to gluten.
As surprising as this may sound, testing negative for celiac disease doesn’t mean gluten can’t hurt you. Millions of people suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a condition that causes uncomfortable and even painful symptoms – but not an autoimmune response – when you consume gluten.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to diagnose a gluten sensitivity (at least not yet), but if going gluten-free helps erase or minimize your symptoms, you likely have a sensitivity to gluten proteins.
If you have one or more of these seven common (and in some cases, seemingly unrelated) symptoms, and your doctor can’t find a reason for them, gluten may be the cause.
- Brain fog, difficulty focusing, and memory lapses
- Frequent pounding headaches , including migraines
- Digestive issues, from diarrhea to constipation to bloating and gas
- Anxiety or depression
- Itchy or painful skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis
- Extreme fatigue
- Joint or muscle pain
Moreover, along with all the symptoms above, gluten has also been shown to cause damage to your gut…
Could Your IBS Really Be Gluten Sensitivity?
IBS and gluten sensitivity share many of the same digestive symptoms and neither has a simple test, so they can be easy to confuse. For some people diagnosed with IBS, going gluten-free brings noticeable relief.
While only about 1% of the population is diagnosed as having celiac disease, living a gluten-free life has become extremely popular in the past several years. One likely reason for this is that other bowel-related conditions might be caused or irritated by gluten proteins. One of these conditions is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Both IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gluten sensitivity can cause painful and often horrendous gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and more. Unfortunately, both of these diseases also lack a reliable test or an established cause, making them difficult to both distinguish or diagnose.
It’s worth noting that for some people diagnosed with IBS, significant relief can be found when they go gluten-free.
How Does Gluten Affect the Gut Barrier?
Gluten has been shown to activate zonulin, a protein that loosens the tight junctions in the gut barrier. When those junctions open too far, toxins and other substances can pass into the bloodstream, which is associated with leaky gut.
Your intestines carefully regulate their borders, also known as the gut barrier. Your gut barrier traps bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other harmful substances inside so they can be safely expelled. At the same time, it allows nutrients and other beneficial compounds out into your bloodstream for distribution.
It does that with a network of tight junctions (sort of like interlocking puzzle pieces) that stick together to keep harmful substances in, and separate slightly to let health-supportive nutrients out. A protein called zonulin regulates those tight junctions, telling them when to open and close.
When everything is working the right way, zonulin tells those tight junctions to release nutrients, antioxidants, and other healthy compounds – and also signals them to seal up to keep bad guys (pathogens and toxins) inside.
But when gluten enters the scene, it has been shown to activate zonulin, increasing the space between those tight junctions…
That opening triggers leaky gut, where toxins and other harmful substances escape through the intestinal barrier into the bloodstream. Known as “Toxic Streaming,” this improper junction function means that bad guys are allowed to travel anywhere in your body, including your critical tissues and organs. In response, your immune system triggers a 5-alarm inflammation fire throughout your body. In the short term, this can help stop the bad guys in their tracks. But if the toxic streaming and inflammation continue, it can spell bad news for your body and your health.
How Little Gluten Can Trigger Symptoms?
It can take less than 100 mg of gluten, about the size of a few bread crumbs, to set off symptoms. Because trace gluten hides in many foods, including ones labeled gluten-free, accidental exposure is hard to avoid.
Say you try going gluten-free, and you notice that you feel markedly better. You’ll likely want to keep the positive momentum going. But that can be harder than most people realize…
It takes less than 100 mg of gluten – about the size of a few bread crumbs – to set off your symptoms again.
And, unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to avoid gluten completely…
- According to one study, at least 32% of foods labeled as “gluten-free” contain gluten
- If a restaurant isn’t 100% gluten-free, it can’t fully guard against cross-contamination
- Shared pots, pans, and cooking utensils can transfer gluten to otherwise gluten-free foods
- Gluten-free grains get contaminated with gluten when they’re milled, processed, or packaged on equipment also used for gluten-containing grains (which happens a lot of the time)
So even when sticking to a strict gluten-free diet, there’s a very good chance you’ll get accidentally “glutened.” Unfortunately, you won’t know it until your symptoms attack!
But with the right gut health regimen – which includes supporting your probiotic bacterial colonies and cleaning up residual gluten proteins in your intestines – you can guard against accidental gluten exposure and give your body the tools it needs to feel its best.
How Can You Avoid Getting “Glutened”?
Two approaches help: break down accidentally consumed gluten with enzymes like DPP-IV and Tolerase-G, and support the gut barrier with probiotics such as Saccharomyces boulardii, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus coagulans.
When you’re sensitive to gluten, even the tiniest bit can sometimes knock you sideways. Thankfully, you can avoid the unpleasant consequences of getting “glutened” in two very important ways:
- Break down accidentally-consumed gluten into harmless components
- Mop up any residual gluten left in the intestinal tract
To break down gluten before it can cause damage, science has shown that there are two powerful enzymes that can help: DPP-IV and Tolerase-G. Both work synergistically to stop the ill effect of gluten before it can take hold. Once in your body, they act like scissors – cutting gluten proteins into pieces that your body can manage without needing an oversized inflammatory response.
After the gluten proteins have been handled, the next step is to support the integrity of your intestinal barrier and ensure it continues keeping bad actors like toxins and food particles locked safely in your gut.
One of the best way to do that is with targeted probiotic support:
Saccharomyces boulardii is often categorized as a probiotic, but isn’t your average strain. It’s actually a tropical yeast first isolated from lychee and mangosteen fruit in 1923, and has been shown to promote many gun-related benefits. Research confirms that S. boulardii can:
- Support a healthy immune response
- Encourage optimal nutrient absorption and enzyme activity
- Stabilize gut barrier function to keep the semi-permeable junctions strong
- Drive a healthy inflammatory response
- Promote gastrointestinal ease and quickly address GI issues like gas, bloating and diarrhea
Bacillus subtilis is a super-powerful spore probiotic that, unlike most store-bought probiotics, can survive the harsh environment of your digestive tract. B. subtilis can produce at least 24 kinds of immune-supportive compounds that sets the stage for healthy balance of good bacteria in your gut, all while encouraging:
- A robust immune system
- A healthy intestinal inflammatory response inflammation for strong gut barrier function
- The optimal production of short chain fatty acids, which support the strength of the gut barrier
Bacillus coagulans, another spore probiotic strain, works quickly and effectively to soothe the gastrointestinal tract. When it arrives fully intact in your gut, B. coagulans helps:
- Promote a healthy inflammatory response
- Ease gas, bloating and abdominal pain after eating
- Support your intestinal barrier function to address toxic streaming
- Enhance the diversity of probiotics in your gut microbiome, crowding out the bad guys
[cta gut health]
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten Sensitivity
Can you react to gluten without having celiac disease?
Yes. Many people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which can cause uncomfortable symptoms when they eat gluten but does not involve the autoimmune response seen in celiac disease. There is no standard test yet, so relief on a gluten-free diet is often the clue.
What are the most common symptoms of gluten sensitivity?
They include brain fog and memory lapses, headaches and migraines, digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, bloating and gas, anxiety or depression, itchy skin conditions, extreme fatigue, and joint or muscle pain.
How does gluten affect the gut barrier?
Gluten can activate zonulin, a protein that controls the tight junctions in the gut lining. When those junctions open too wide, substances that should stay in the gut can leak into the bloodstream, which is linked to leaky gut.
Why is it so hard to avoid gluten completely?
Trace gluten turns up in surprising places. One study found at least 32% of foods labeled gluten-free still contained gluten, and cross-contamination is common in restaurants, shared cookware, and processing equipment.
How do enzymes and probiotics help with gluten?
Enzymes like DPP-IV and Tolerase-G help break gluten proteins into smaller pieces the body can manage, while probiotics such as S. boulardii, B. subtilis, and B. coagulans support gut barrier function and a healthy inflammatory response.
Your Safety Net To Guard Against Gluten Consequences
No matter how careful you are, gluten can sneak its way into your skin or stomach and cause problems. To effectively take control of your health, you need some gluten back up.
Gluten Away provides a blend of powerful enzymes and probiotics, including DPP-IV, Tolerase G, B. coagulans, B. subtilis, and S. boulardii.
With Gluten Away, your gut will have the extra support it needs to handle an unexpected gluten visit. That means you can eat your favorite gluten-free foods with more confidence… whether you’re dining out with friends or having a quiet night at home.
Avoid getting “glutened” – Try Gluten Away today!
