How to Spot Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

Gluten intolerance symptoms vary from person to person but are consistent enough that you should be able to be pretty confident of gluten intolerance even without the help of a physician. However, a physician will help confirm the diagnosis and likely check for Celiac disease. Follow these steps to determine whether or not you have gluten intolerance symptoms and explore treatment options.

Instructions

1

Look for responses immediately after eating foods made with grains.

Wheat, rye, barley, oats, and other grains will often have the protein gluten unless the package is labeled gluten free. Take note of any physical reactions after eating a high grain food. Many gluten intolerance victims report stomach and abdominal pains, extreme gas, and diarrhea after eating grain based foods.

2

Move to a gluten free diet to see if it eliminates symptoms.

Starting a gluten free diet is a challenge. However, if you have gluten intolerance you will have to get used to the idea. If you don't, then it will have just been a temporary experiment. Use alternative flours from products such as rice, soy, tapioca flour, potato starch, buckwheat or sorghum.

3

Read every label during your brief gluten fast to be sure it does not contain hidden gluten.

Many processed foods will contain gluten in the form of other ingredients listed such as modified starch, vegetable starch, miso, maltose, gliadin, natural flavoring, kamut, duram flour, maltodextrin, malt vinegar, malted milk, vegetable gum and dextrimaltose. Also especially watch out for whey protein.

4

Keep a food journal during your gluten fast.

Gluten intolerance symptoms should completely disappear. If you notice symptoms trace back to what you ate before, take not of it in your food journal. Then research to see if something had gluten in it. Restaurants should only be visited during this time if they have publicly known gluten free foods.

5

See your physician for a full diagnosis.

If after these measures it seems likely that you have gluten intolerance, schedule an appointment with your physician. You will likely be tested for Celiac disease, but you should be able to get your suspicions confirmed or disconfirmed.

* See tips below for more on gluten intolerance symptoms.