Gluten Intolerant - Gas/Flatulence

[ArchieK]

Hi, 

 

For long enough i suspected i had an issue with Gluten. I had severe bloating, abdomen pain, constipation followed by diarrhea, continuous stomach growling and flatulence.  After Doctors telling me for months everything was normal and that i was not celiac i opted for a blood test that indicated i was gluten and lactose intolerant. 

For the last few weeks i have strictly stuck to 100% Gluten and Lactose free.

Although my stools have firmed up substantially i now feel as though i constantly want to go to the toilet, most of the time its just gas. Whilst most of my initial symptoms have subsided and i would say improved, I have noticed an increase in Flatulence.

I understand it can be a lengthy process to adjust but Is this Normal? 

 

I have tried to stick to whole foods but admittingly have fallen into the trap of buying convenience free from processed food... 

Thank You All 

 

A. 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @ArchieK! It is common for celiacs to experience intolerance to foods in addition to gluten because of the damage cause to the gut lining by celiac disease. Common offenders are oats (even gluten free oats because the oat protein avenin resembles gluten), corn, soy and eggs. Also, it is not only the lactose in dairy that can cause problems for celiacs but the protein component of dairy called casein. Also consider that in many processed gluten free foods there are things like xanthan gum that are difficult to digest and are a common source of flatulence. This issue may resolve to a large degree as you experience healing in your gut and the villous lining of the small bowel rebounds.

[Wheatwacked]

Welcome ArchieK.

As trents mentioned, yes it is common.  Wheat has an opiod effect on our body.  It numbs us to the damage it is causing.  When you stop gluten many people feel withdrawal effects.  In addition once that is gone you will start to feel the effects of other foods that may be irritating you but were numb to.  In most cases this will improve after you heal.

Regarding your remaining gut issues, defficiencies in vitamins and minerals is common.

Virtually everyone with autoimmune issues have low vitamin D. About 40% of the general population of the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Vitamin D Is Not as Toxic as Was Once Thought

90% of the western world do not eat even the minimum intake of Choline.  Choline is the major part of bile salts so effects fat digestion.    Could we be overlooking a potential choline crisis in the United Kingdom?"In 2011 the EFSA authorised a number of choline-related health claims. It was concluded that a cause and effect relationship had been established between the following: (1) “choline is needed for lipids metabolism”, (2) “maintaining healthy liver functioning” and (3) “reduction in homocysteine levels”. 

Subclinical deficiency of Thiamine can cause gastro problems. Gluten Free foods are not typically fortified.  Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency   2009–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data investigating the nutrient status of Americans found that if it were not for fortified foods, vitamin and mineral deficiencies would be rampant.

Additional likely deficiencies and what I take to boost my intake (I get anorexic at the drop of a hat so I take them to keep me stable):  the ones that helped me the most noticibly Was increasing vitamin D blood level to 80 ng/ml and Iodine to 650 mcg a day, Thiamine, Choline, and Iodine.

1. 10,000 IU vitamin D to control autoimmune, improve mood, especially the winter doldrums (Seasonal Affective Disorder), bone and dental health.   Vitamin D Is Not as Toxic as Was Once Thought: A Historical and an Up-to-Date Perspective
2. 500 mg Thiamine - neurologic symptoms, carbohydrate metabolism, subclinical beri-beri.
3. Choline – Adequate intake 500 to 3000 mg - essential for fat digestion, gall bladder, liver, brain fog, cell membranes, prevent congenital spinal defects.   Could we be overlooking a potential choline crisis in the United Kingdom?
4. Iodine – 650 mcg of Liquid Iodine once or twice a day. United States RDA 150 to 1100 microgram (mcg) Japan RDA 150 to 3000 mcg. speeds up healing, muscle tone, brain fog, hair and skin, thyroid. 10 drops of Strong Iodine has 500 micrograms of elemental Iodine. Nori and Kelp. For some people with Dermetitis Herpetiformus, iodine can exasperate the rash.
5. Vitamin B2 helps break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It plays a vital role in maintaining the body's energy supply. 
6. 500 mg Nicotinic Acid - increase capillary blood flow, lower cholesterol.  Niacin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
7. 500 mg Pantothenic Acid - creates energy from glucose Krebs Cycle
8. 1000 mcg B12 - creates hemoglobin for oxygen transport
9. 500 mg Taurine - essential amino acid, a powerful antioxident that we make indogenously, but not enough when sickness increases inflammation. reduces Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS are are free radicals.).
10. I've been using Zinc Glyconate (Cold-Eeze) since 2004 anytime I feel an itchy throat or other sign of air borne virus coming on.  I haven't had cold or flue, including Covid 19, since.
11. Naturally fermented dill pickles reestablished lactobacillus in my gut and reversed my recently acquired lactose intolerance.  100% grass fed dairy is less inflammatory. Milk is a good source of iodine.
12. Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids in Vegetables  Eating more of the vegetables low in omega six and high omega 3 can reduce inflammation while increasing vitamin and mineral intake..  The target omega 6:3 ratio is less than 3:1.  The typical western diet is from 14:1 to 20:1 because of our food choices.

 

[Scott Adams]

For me supplementing with choline really helped.

[knitty kitty]

@ArchieK,

If you're eating a lot of processed carbohydrates, you may have Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).  

These bacteria produce lots of gas after helping themselves to your carbohydrates.  They can spread from the large intestine (where they are supposed to be) into the small intestine where they can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and lots of gas. 

I chose a Paleo diet (no carbs) so that the carbohydrate loving bacteria would be starved out and beneficial bacteria could grow instead.  Beneficial probiotics after starving out the SIBO bacteria helps replenish beneficial bacteria.

Hope this helps!

P.S. Adding an article about SIBO...

https://www.hormonesmatter.com/sibo-ibs-constipation-thiamine-deficiency/

Edited March 9, 2024 by knitty kitty
Added post script

[ceslater]

Hi Archie, I've recently gone gluten free. I've noticed exactly the same as you - hardening of stools but also increased flatulence. I think this is for 2 reasons:

1) Our bodies are finally digesting food, and spending longer digesting fat and protein whereas before, some fat and protein was going straight through. (Yellow-orange faeces are causes by poorly digested fat). But this meant that gas caused by fermentation of carbohydrates, which take less time to digest, wasn't getting trapped behind protein (this takes around 4 times longer to digest). 

2) Because our stools are now much harder (sorry to be graphic but mine were always very soft and sometimes even not much more than water), the gas is getting trapped behind the harder stools, whereas before, it could get out easily. 

Hope that helps! That's my theory! 

[ArchieK]

Thank you all, some very helpful information. 
greatly appreciated