| Gluten intolerance symptoms, be they mild or | | | | weight over time. This can either be weight loss |
| severe, affect just under a sixth of the US | | | | or weight gain. The patient may suffer from |
| population. Gluten, found in wheat, rye and barley, | | | | gastrointestinal problems, including fat in the stools. |
| is a type of protein which some individuals cannot | | | | This is due to the fact that the body is not |
| tolerate in their system. In extreme cases, people | | | | processing foods containing gluten properly. As |
| may suffer from what is known as celiac disease, | | | | food is not being processed efficiently, chronic |
| where body's immune system undergoes a | | | | fatigue, periods of exhaustion, headaches, and |
| severe allergic reaction to the presence of gluten. | | | | bouts of depression may occur. These symptoms |
| Most people with an intolerance of gluten suffer | | | | can in turn lead to behavioral changes, such as |
| from much milder symptoms. Either way, | | | | irritability. Some symptoms are the direct result |
| whenever the body reacts negatively to a | | | | of gluten intolerance, while others are secondary, |
| particular food, especially one which can make up | | | | with other gluten intolerance symptoms being a |
| a significant part of one's diet, there is always the | | | | root cause. More severe symptoms are aching |
| possibility of a degree of malnutrition coming into | | | | joints, skin disorders, such as outbreaks of |
| the picture. | | | | eczema, and cramping. Effects on women can |
| Gluten intolerance symptoms are not always easy | | | | include irregularity in the menstrual cycle and |
| to pinpoint. They cover a fairly broad range, and | | | | infertility. This intolerance symptoms even include |
| the symptoms themselves can often come from | | | | incidences of miscarriage. |
| other causes. Gluten intolerance therefore, can at | | | | It's important to have tests taken for gluten |
| times be quite difficult to correctly diagnose. A | | | | intolerance if any of these symptoms are |
| person suffering from a chronic iron deficiency, | | | | present, even when they are mild in nature. Even |
| chronic fatigue, or a gastrointestinal infection will | | | | a mild case of gluten intolerance is an indicator |
| exhibit many of the same symptoms experienced | | | | that the body is not properly processing all the |
| by the person allergic to foods containing gluten. | | | | food being eaten, and nutritional problems can |
| One way to test for this intolerance, is to test | | | | therefore arise. Food intolerance can lead to other |
| for certain antibodies which will be present if a | | | | problems over a period of time, including cancer |
| patient ingests food containing gluten, and does | | | | and diabetes. If gluten intolerance symptoms are |
| not have a tolerance for the protein. The | | | | diagnosed early on, many potentially more serious |
| presence of the antibodies help to isolate gluten | | | | health problems may be avoided, or at least more |
| intolerance as the cause of whatever symptoms | | | | effectively treated. You should be able to make a |
| are being experienced. | | | | transition to a gluten free diet or a diet better |
| To the extent the immune system is involved, | | | | fitted to your individual needs without too much |
| common symptoms include unexplained changes in | | | | of a problem. |