Table Sugar Intolerance?

[maggie163]

Hi everyone. I have read this board for a few monthes- since I was diagnosed with celiac disease back in August. I was the first in my family to be diagnosed and now it turns out that my dad, both brothers, and at least 1 cousin have celiac, probably more, they are just slow to be tested. Wow- its been a big change. I am 19 years old and a college sophmore... so it was weird coming back to school and eating in the dining hall....

ANYWAY my question is- I have a suspicioun that I am sensitive to sugar. When I eat (gluten-free) candy, or even fruit, I sometimes get a horrid stomachace, a inflated appetite, and diarrea. I developed lactose intolerance due to celiac disease, is it possible I developed sugar problems too? If so--- does it go away/ can it be managed?

Thanks alot

--Maggie

[cornbread]

Hi Maggie,

I have no problem with sugar (yet!), but after going gluten-free I developed problems with other foods - corn, rice, soy, potatoes... I don't get my usual glutened symptoms with them, instead I get a distended abdomen, headache, back/stomach ache, acne and (with soy only) some toilet issues. I have also tested for food allergies and was positive to egg, although I don't *feel* that it gives me problems. I also have stomach pains after most 'safe' foods I eat, as if my insides are just sore all over.

From what I've read, additional food sensitivities can be indicative of a leaky gut (caused by celiac disease), and once the gut is healed these extra, temporary sensitivities will go away. I also got my first ever environmental allergies right after going gluten-free.

I am getting tested for 'intestinal permeability' (aka leaky gut) next week. The test my doc is using is from Great Smokies Lab:

Open Original Shared Link

You have to get a doctor to order it, but if you call the lab they will give you a list of doctors in your area that use their services.

If I find out I do have intestinal permeability, I can then take steps to heal it which I believe involves dietary changes (basically eating very simply and giving the gut chance to repair without extra stresses) plus enzymes, probiotics, l-glutamine, etc. I'm sure there's a little more to it than that, but that's what I've hired my Dr. for! (naturopath btw - my GI doc had never heard of leaky gut... ) Anyway, apparently the gut can heal if you treat it right, then you can begin reintroducing the foods that you became sensitive too.

Of course, if the permeability test is negative, it's back to the drawing board!

[tarnalberry]

intolerance to table sugar is ... rare. at best. mostly because table sugar is such a simple sugar (it's a disaccharide of glucose and fructose). it's not impossible, however, to not produce enough sucrase to break the bond between the two monosaccharides, however. I would expect it's more likely, though, that a yeast or other bacterial overgrowth in the intestines is getting a fair amount of that sugar and digesting it itself (which would cause the gassiness and diahrrea). you may try adding it back in again, a bit, after a few months of eating gluten free, and seeing how you do.

do you have this problem with fruits or fruit juices or gluten-free breads or grains?

[skbird]

I know for me I'm hypoglycemic and if I eat table sugar, I get a stomach ache that feels horrible, like burning or that I've eaten glass. I also get a headache/hangover, etc. I am less likely to get this with organic sugars or honey/maple syrup, but I have to limit them, too. They tend to not give me the stomach burning problem.

I don't know why they hurt my stomach like that - I don't have a bacterial overgrowth problem and it doesn't happen right away. But it's unpleasant enough that I don't eat refined sugars at all. I have been sneaking a lot of other sugars lately which is not good for me and I need to stop but sometimes it's just hard when there are lots of other food limitations.

I have read in a few books about diet that unrefined sugars contain some trace minerals that help in the processing of them once they are in your body. It seems like a homeopathic explanation - hard to imagine that trace minerals in sugar could mitigate a worse sugar respone, but there's either truth to it or it's a great placebo theory for me because I do have fewer problems with raw/natural sugars. Of course whole fruit is the best when it comes to my consuming sugar, as there is fiber and water to help slow the reaction.

It could be that you are sensitive to sugars in general (hypoglycemia), bacterial overgrowth as Tiffany suggested, or simply something else in the treats you're eating that you aren't aware of. Hope you find an answer.

Stephanie

[RiceGuy]

I agree with tarnalberry and skbird on this one.

I too have not been able to eat refined sugar, which I discovered some time ago. It is only recently that I even heard of celiac disease, though I had heard of gluten intolerence. I never thought gluten was causing so much of my health issues, but wow, what a difference it has made to cut out the gluten stuff!

Getting back to the sugar, from what I've read, the refined sugar is a more immediate source of food for yeast. That was a large part of the problems I've had. I didn't eat very much refined sugar, or even natural occuring types like in fresh fruit. However, once yeast builds up in your digestive system, it devours simple sugars, and multiplies like crazy. The toxins released from the yeast give rise to so many symptoms it can make your head spin. At that point, getting rid of this can be like trying to pull all the fuzz of a loosely knit sweater. The more you try, the more you get, with seemingly no end in sight. Meanwhile, the sweater is taking a real beating (you're the sweater).

All I can say is, I first cut out the yeast sources, like bread, but since gluten wasn't on my radar, I replaced that with baking powder biscuits. I noticed a fairly quick (two weeks) response, and I knew I was on to something. I also began taking something called Caprylic Acid. Google that, read up, and I'll bet you will want to get some. For me it was a true turning point! Realizing what I'd found, I decided to cut out the sugars too. The list of symptoms that began to fade is huge. Everything from migraines, to shoulder pain, to nose bleeds. Cognitive functions also improved.

I've never turned back on this effort. Once I tried a hamburger on a regular yeasted bun to see what would happen. The stomach ache and ichy-all-over feeling was all I needed. That was the last time I ever intentionally ate any yeast - Period.

However, the gluten issue remained to be diagnosed, and I was eating gluten like there was no tomorrow! The leaky gut might be why the yeast could invade and cause such problems in the first place. So who knows if one day I might be able to eat something with yeast in it, or something with some refined sugar, without side effects.

I know I'm not the only one who can tell you how daunting the prospect of eliminating so many foods can be. But believe me, the rewards are worth it if you are indeed having issues with them. Your insides need time to recover, but the reading I've been doing as of late indicates good results can be expected, even full recovery. I don't think that means you can go back to all your former eating habits though! Many celiacs don't even know what's wrong until much later in life, so I'd say you are fortunate to have such resources as this site.

BTW, I only used the Caprylic Acid for like two bottles I think. After that, it seemed like the yeast issues were under control. Those symptoms never came back, though again the gluten issue was still taking its toll.

[dlp252]

Funny you should mention it, lol. Last night my mom called to see what I could have for Thanksgiving. I just said almost the exact thing to her--I think I might be intolerant to sugar along with all the other stuff, lol. I've not had a lot of sugar in the past 2 years as I've suspected I have a Candida Albicans issue (one of the the many theories I've investigated to explain my symptoms), so stayed away from most kinds of refined sugars, but ocassionally eating a small piece of fruit without problems. But, since Halloween, I've been eating a few pieces of chocolate here and there and I get that bloated feeling. I also got the feeling after eating a piece of gluten-free pie made by a celiac (so know it wasn't cross-contaminated or anything). I also remarked to a friend once that I think chocolate was making me sick...everytime I ate a mini Hershey's bar I felt sick. I guess it could be other ingredients in this things (milk anyone), because I haven't tried eating sugar all by itself, lol.

[maggie163]

Wow. Thanks for all the input. I will definitly pick up that Carpicic acid (spelling?) and give it a try. I don't know how to answer the questions about what else I have trouble with. The fact is I don't keep very good track of what I eat in relation to how I feel. I guess I should start keeping a food and symptom log... it is just frustrating, my gastroenterologist was so confident that going gluten-free was the ONLY thing I needed to do, but its been almost 4 monthes!

Anyway, what are the most common causes of symtpoms (other than gluten)... lactose- soy- grain??

Thanks again

[cornbread]

Hi Maggie,

After gluten the most common culprit is casein (the protein in dairy, whereas lactose is just the sugar in dairy). Have you done a casein intolerance test? You can do one at enterolab.com for $99. Casein gives me the EXACT same symptoms as gluten - a week's worth of hell, basically. Casein intolerance is a life-long thing like gluten, and casein can do the same damage as gluten (intestinal, neurological, etc.) My problems with soy, corn and rice are less dramatic, but still there. The casein protein is very similar structurally to gluten, and I think I read that 80% of gluten intolerant people are also casein intolerant (or become so after quitting gluten - this happened to me). Soy and corn are the 3rd and 4th culprits. I would look into casein first though.

[Ursa Major]

Maggie, my son-in-law and one of my daughters (not his wife) were tested to be intolerant to sugar. When Jason stopped eating all sugar (they sweeten everything with honey or maple syrup now), his terrible excema cleared right up (which he had all his life). So, it is possible to actually be intolerant to sugar and nothing else. You might also be intolerant to cocoa, or the milk in the chocolate (try eating baker's semi-sweet chocolate, it has no milk, and very little sugar).

I suggest you eat a spoonful of just sugar, to see whether that will cause a reaction. But if you do, it might be hypocglycemia or yeast, too (sigh, it sure is complicated to figure all this out).

As you can see in my signature, I have a ton of intolerances. I sort of think I might be able to eat legumes and eggs again, maybe in a year. But the nightshades and dairy have been a problem for a long time. And they give me such severe reactions that I am not sure I even want to try.

[RiceGuy]

Wow. Thanks for all the input. I will definitly pick up that Carpicic acid (spelling?) and give it a try. I don't know how to answer the questions about what else I have trouble with. The fact is I don't keep very good track of what I eat in relation to how I feel. I guess I should start keeping a food and symptom log... it is just frustrating, my gastroenterologist was so confident that going gluten-free was the ONLY thing I needed to do, but its been almost 4 monthes!

Anyway, what are the most common causes of symtpoms (other than gluten)... lactose- soy- grain??

Thanks again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would agree with the range of comments made thus far (though I don't know about eating a spoonful of sugar as a test). When your body has a bunch of something to deal with, it's harder to notice an effect from eating it once more. Staying away from it for awhile gives a chance for a difference to be seen, and if reintroduced, any reactions can be far easier to detect. For me it was yeast and sugar besides gluten. I can't say what effect casein has if any. I generally don't eat dairy or other animal products anyway, but I did recently get my first soy cheese to try, which has casein in it. I don't know if it is ok for sure yet, but nothing noticable so far. I've been off all dairy except for some whey solids in the margarine I use. I have been off that too at times, but I didn't observe any changes. I like cheese, but the dairy and beef industries have a poor record when it comes to hormones, antibiotics, and various toxins getting into the products, so I choose not to eat it. Apparently, soy is not well tolerated by many people either, so I'm trying it cautiously.

I think it was about six months of no gluten before I started seeing results, so you may not be having problems with other foods. It has also been a very slow process for me, and I'm nowhere near clear. It's only been about a year totally gluten-free I think. I know I've always had allergies to lots of things, but now I'm thinking the gluten was a major factor. Corn has been ok thank goodness, since it's one of my favorite foods. I was worried since many times people seem to like or crave the very things that make them ill. However, a few years ago, my allergies where getting really bad, and corn was playing the major roll in setting them off. I knew something was different because it didn't do that before. Almost immediately, I suspected genetically modified corn was the culprit. I had heard it was being grown more and more, and that people had hightened allergic reactions to it. The industry was basically forced to use the GM corn only for animal feed. I figured someone was probably sneaking the corn into the human food chain to increase profits, or that the corn was coming from outside the country, where regulations might be easier to sidestep. Anyway, I had to stop eating corn, which was very discouraging. It was not until about two years later, that I heard a report that GM corn "accidentally" got into our food stores. Personally, I believe it could very well have been intentional, to see if they could get away with it. Well, after several months, I figured the bad corn was probably out of the way, so I decided to try corn again. Thankfully, no symptoms!

Peanuts are another allergen for many individuals, but I don't seem to experience any problems from them, which is a huge relief to know since I LOVE peanuts and peanut butter. I have just begun to look into making gluten-free bread, and I've got hopes of peanut butter sandwiches in my near future. I use the all natural peanut butter, so there's no added anything. If I want anything in with it, I would go with all natural unsweetened apple sauce. Being off sugar, just a bit is all it takes to sweeten it up plenty.

I have been worried about potatoes though, since my mother is sensitive to nightshade, among many other things. I don't notice anything in particular when eating them or going without them for long periods, so it seems ok. I just love potatoes, and tomatoes (another nightshade relative) are a regular part of my diet too. I'm planning some gluten-free, yeast-free, dairy-free pizzas once I get a dough recipe worked out!

Eggs are another one to watch. No problems for me that I'm aware of, though it's been awhile since I tried any. I just don't have any incentive to eat eggs, even from a good farm with no chemicals or junk in the feed. Again, once off gluten, other intolerances and allergies can surface, so who knows. I did used to like making a big biscuit, and cook up some eggs in margarine to stuff inside. I'd toss in some fresh onions just long enough for them to get translucent and glossy. Split open the biscuit, spread on a generous amount of margarine, and put in the eggs and onions. That is a tasty one IMO.

All combined I still have few food choices. No sugar or yeast cuts out tons of stuff, and going gluten-free as well just puts a big cap on my range of OK food items.

As for the Caprylic Acid, I was advised to start out with one capsule per day. After a few weeks, increase to two. Like I said, it worked wonders in ways beyond words. It cleared up problems I never knew I had until they went away. I'd wake up one day, and realize something new, like when the weather changing wasn't making my eyes itchy and watery. I could tell you when a storm was coming, even when the meteorologists gave a clear forecast. Beware of the INTENSE cravings for certain foods. At first, I wanted bread so bad, it was driving me bonkers. However, just knowing that told me how seriously I was being effected. I made a commitment, and I was determined to stick by it and not give in. Others in my family are also having yeast/sugar problems to this day, but none of them have ever had the will-power to change their diet! I'm betting they are gluten intolerant too.

I truly hope you find the answers you need. I'm still experimenting with certain things here and there. I'm fairly confident that the major factors have been uncovered though. If not, I don't know what I'd be left with to eat!

[RiceGuy]

Oh, and one more thing. Look up something called acidophilus. This is what helps keep the yeast in check. Antibiotics kill it off, and wham! The yeast takes over your gut.

[Bonnie]

Maggie,

I have numerous intolerances, one of which is sucrose, and the fructose is borderline. I can eat bananas all day every day with no problems - all other fruit gives me a sore stomach and bloats me.

I have been gluten free for 7 months now. When I first went gluten free I couldn't handle any sugar at all. Sweets and chocolates were the worst - instant huge bloating, gurgling stomach and fatigue. Now 7 months down the line I have noticed I can tolerate chocolate again in moderation. For the last few weeks I don't bloat at all after a chocolate or packet of sweets. Fruit still bothers me though.

My body still doesn't like most processed foods though which is not a problem as I think we should all be avoiding these as much as possible anyway.

Another big problem with me is rice - I look about 6 months pregnant after eating it!

At first I didn't really know what was going on - every single item I put in my mouth seemed to disagree to some extent. I went through all the motions - took acidophillus, caprylic acid etc. etc.

But things do get better. It all takes time and patience especially to work out what foods are bothering you but as your body heals from being off gluten, you will start seeing big improvements and will be able to narrow it down.

Hopefully most of your intolerances will go away as your gut heals.

Hang in there and good luck!

Yvonne

[jenvan]

I also think I am fructose intolerant right now...and regular sugar/candy definitely can cause symptoms. The celiac nurse I am working with right now actually brought that to light. Go here to read more about it: Open Original Shared Link You will notice that the article mentions Celiac Disease as one of the potential causes. Similar to lactose intolerance, sometimes these intolerances clear up after your intestines and villi are healed...since they secrete the enzymes used to digest these sugars.

Open Original Shared Link

I do agree that intestinal yeast etc. can be a problem. But not sure if both are an issue here or not. I also recommend acidophilus...I take it when I am sick, getting infections or on an antibiotic.