What is Gluten Sensitivity?

People are becoming more conscious of what they eat. This movement is becoming less of a niche and more commonly accepted. After all, why wouldn’t you want to know what is getting put into your food? One point of controversy that has emerged is gluten sensitivity, but what, exactly, is gluten and how does it affect your body. 

Gluten is the catch-all umbrella name for proteins found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Much like its name suggests, gluten tends to act as a glue that holds food together and gives it its shape.

What makes gluten more difficult for the body to deal with, whether gluten sensitive or not, is that they are resistant to full digestion. The enzymes in our digestive tract cannot completely digest gluten proteins because gluten has a high concentration of the amino acid proline. This leads to large, undigested amino acid chains – called peptides – traverse the wall of the small intestine and travel to other areas of the body. This can trigger and lead to inflammation in various parts of the body in people who are sensitive to gluten. 

So what are different conditions related to gluten sensitivity? The most well-known and, potentially, most threatening condition is celiac disease. People that live with celiac disease have an increased resistance to digesting gluten, which, over time, will severely damage the linings of the small intestine. This prevents your digestive system from absorbing the necessary amount of nutrients leading to malnutrition. This intestinal damage can also lead to diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, and anemia.

Recently, there has been a collective surge in awareness of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or NCGS. While NCGS doesn’t have the more severe long-term effects of celiac disease, many of the same symptoms can arise in someone with NCGS, such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea, as well as symptoms that aren’t present with celiac disease, such as fatigue, anxiety, and headaches.

When you’re following a gluten-free diet it can be difficult to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients from what you eat. Supplements can ensure that you’re supplying your body with what it needs to stay healthy and strong. Gluten-free diets are notoriously low in Vitamin B, so we strongly recommend BodyK’s Active B Trio supplement. Another supplement that can boost your body’s nutrients is BodyK’s Micellized Vitamin A supplement. Another service we have available here at BodyK is our Wellness Coaching which will provide you with different ways to improve your health after a brief consult.