Could this be gluten intolerance (after many years)?

[sinequanon88]

I am a male in my early 30s. In my early to mid twenties, I have always been very health conscious and going to the gym. If i embarked on a diet, the results would definitely show. 

However, since my mid twenties and to my late twenties, which coincided with me taking a more stressful job, I would notice that my I would get a lot more bloated after food (water kind of bloat, not air), and my strength at the gym would start to deteriorate. Looking back at the last 5-7 years of my life, I would say that my performance at the gym has deteriorated over 20-25% (max weight i can lift as a gauge). My digestive health has been a lot worse (cramps, bloating with gas or bloating with water). My whole body feels very waterlogged and I dont respond to exercise well (when I exercise i bloat even further). 

I was tested for fructose and dairy intolerance and both were confirmed positive. I never really did a test for gluten but now looking back I suspect it might be a cause. 

 

What do you guys think? I cannot explain the loss of strength at the gym. 

[trents]

3 hours ago, sinequanon88 said:

I am a male in my early 30s. In my early to mid twenties, I have always been very health conscious and going to the gym. If i embarked on a diet, the results would definitely show. 

However, since my mid twenties and to my late twenties, which coincided with me taking a more stressful job, I would notice that my I would get a lot more bloated after food (water kind of bloat, not air), and my strength at the gym would start to deteriorate. Looking back at the last 5-7 years of my life, I would say that my performance at the gym has deteriorated over 20-25% (max weight i can lift as a gauge). My digestive health has been a lot worse (cramps, bloating with gas or bloating with water). My whole body feels very waterlogged and I dont respond to exercise well (when I exercise i bloat even further). 

I was tested for fructose and dairy intolerance and both were confirmed positive. I never really did a test for gluten but now looking back I suspect it might be a cause. 

 

What do you guys think? I cannot explain the loss of strength at the gym. 

The fructose intolerance might be a symptom of SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) which is often found in conjunction with gluten sensitivity/celiac disease. And it is also common for celiacs to not handle dairy well. I certainly would get tested for celiac disease if I were you. The first stage of testing involves a blood draw looking for certain antibodies produced by celiac disease. The "center piece" of this blood test is the tTG-IGA but a full celiac panel looks for other antibodies that are associated with celiac disease or other conditions that can damage the bowel lining. Damage to the small bowel lining inhibits the uptake of nutrients from food which could explain your loss of strength.

[CMCM]

Dairy intolerance in particular is often found along with gluten intolerance.  Like you, I have dairy intolerance (sensitivity to the milk protein casein), which I've had since birth, and I also have fructose/sugar intolerance, and at the very least gluten sensitivity if not celiac disease.  I've had several celiac panel tests at varying times, both negative, but a stool sensitivity test done by Enterolab showed I had antibodies to both gluten and dairy sensitivity (which I already knew).  I later got a gene test which showed I have both a celiac gene and a gluten sensitivity pattern gene, so the path for me was clear.   I can say that without gluten, dairy or any sugar, within 3 months I began to feel like a different person.  I am currently doing a very intense gym routine and have plenty of energy and ability to increase weight loads as needed, which was not the case before I changed my diet.

There isn't a timeline for when a person can start suffering from celiac disease.  It can be from childhood, or it can occur after many decades, even in your 50's or 60's or later.  Celiac is often triggered by any of a number of things, including stress, after surgery or childbirth, and so on.  You mentioned stress....that certainly could have started things if you are predisposed to gluten sensitivity/celiac (having one or more of the predisposing genes).  Either one can be equally detrimental to your health, and it's a good thing to figure it out as early as possible before greater damage is done to your body.  

Edited April 19, 2021 by CMCM

[Scott Adams]

It might be worth getting a blood test for celiac disease, just to rule it out. There are home test kits now for under $100. You must keep eating gluten daily to be able to get accurate results.