Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Is It Cheating If You've Already Been Glutened?

Silliest of Yaks

Recommended Posts

Silliest of Yaks Rookie
Silliest of Yaks
Posted

Hi everyone! I'm on my 4th month of Celiac Dx and gluten-free, and new to the boards.

I'm writing because I had my first obvious gluten "accident" about a month ago - I found cruton crumbs in my salad at a pizza place, and it really got me thinking. The thing is, I felt HORRID the next day (digestive issues, killer headache, and really agitated), every bit as bad as when I had eaten pizza and/or beer before my diagnosis. The next day I grumbled, "I may as well have eaten the pizza." But then I started to wonder about that... and I've been craving Guinness for 4 months...

Once the immune system is fired up, does quantity make much difference? I ate much more gluteny things on a regular basis before my diagnosis, and didn't always feel as bad as that day! No matter how hard I try, I'm bound to have another gluten accident at some point in my life, and I'm tempted to treat it as an opportunity.

I'm guessing there are probably good reasons not to do this, but the temptation is there. Veterans, please help me learn from your wisdom!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

Yes.

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted
Hi everyone! I'm on my 4th month of Celiac Dx and gluten-free, and had my first obvious gluten "accident" about a month ago - I found cruton crumbs in my salad at a pizza place. The thing is, I felt HORRID the next day (digestive issues, killer headache, and really agitated), every bit as bad as when I had eaten pizza and/or beer before my diagnosis! The next day I grumbled, "I may as well have eaten the pizza." But then I started to wonder about that... and I've been craving Guinness for 4 months...

Once the immune system is fired up, does quantity make much difference? I ate much more gluteny things on a regular basis before my diagnosis, and didn't always feel as bad as that day! No matter how hard I try, I'm bound to have another gluten accident at some point in my life, and I'm tempted to treat it as an opportunity.

I'm guessing there are probably good reasons not to do this, but the temptation is there. Veterans, please help me learn from your wisdom!

You are right, there are several good reasons to stick with your diet. It is not only likely if you go off of your diet not only will you overall feel worse (achy body, easily get ill, possible D or C more frequently etc.) -- but then you can also greatly increase your chances of getting cancer, cataracts, dementia, nerve problems and other degenerative illnesses not to speak of other auto immune problems like RA, Lupus etc.

So, if you truly have celiac (which your response to such a very small amount of gluten indicates you really do) do yourself a favor and stick with your diet and avoid trace glutens as well (like in shampoo, lotions, vitamins etc.). It takes a while but you can adjust. Plus there are beers out there that are gluten free (Greens and Redbridge as I recall), ditto with pizza etc. and more places you can safely go out and dine that have gluten-free menus like Outback and PF Chang's.

Bea

roxie Contributor
roxie
Posted

I think about this all the time as well. I read that your body has the same reaction to gluten if you eat just one crumb of bread, or a whole piece of bread. Can this be true??

sansglutengrl Explorer
sansglutengrl
Posted

This is a really good question....

I know when I get glutened the thing I crave the most is like really starchy things (I assume to soak up the stomach acid or something).... So if I get glutened at a restaurant one night, and I already know I'm going to be sick - can I eat a croissant the next day?? :)

Would you really absorb any of the gluten if you're having the big D non-stop??

HAK1031 Enthusiast
HAK1031
Posted

um, i don't know about you guys, but when I'm curled up on the bathroom floor, the last thing I want is more wheat... that's the one moment when it's LEAST tempting for me. And what I remember if I'm ever a teeny bit tempted...

It's a bad idea. There is absolutely no need to further trigger your immune system. It will prolong your reaction, and take much longer for your body to get back to normal.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I believe that the magnitude of the immune response is proportional to the amount of gluten ingested. So, no, I would definitely not consider any extra gluten to be "free." It seems that there is a minimal level below which the autoimmune response is not triggered, but once the trigger level has been hit, additional gluten magnifies the response. I have no scientific research to back this up, only my own anecdotal evidence, so take it with a grain of salt.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted
I think about this all the time as well. I read that your body has the same reaction to gluten if you eat just one crumb of bread, or a whole piece of bread. Can this be true??

Does a sip of coke taste the same as a liter of coke? Does your body have the same reaction to a sip vs a liter? Yes, but the degree to which it affects you is very different.

RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

As was already stated, it's not just how you feel after getting glutened. There is the damage it causes. And the more gluten you ingest, the more damage is done, irregardless of how you feel.

wckdsxyceliac Newbie
wckdsxyceliac
Posted

(Greens and Redbridge as I recall),

Don't forget Bard

wckdsxyceliac Newbie
wckdsxyceliac
Posted
I think about this all the time as well. I read that your body has the same reaction to gluten if you eat just one crumb of bread, or a whole piece of bread. Can this be true??

This is what the GI Dr told me too.

I asked the Dr if I was good for say 2months and got one meal that was really glutenized would that be OK. He freakin flipped out on me and proceeded to give me the lecture of the 80% increase chance of cancer..... yadah, yadah, yadah.

OK so we won't do that. Could've just told me a stirn NO.

LOL

Wckdsxyceliac

ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

And dont forget the "addictive" properties of gluten. It's metabolites fit nicely into our opiate receptors in our brains. Eat a ton of it and there will be a price to pay. You will want more even though it kills you. Just like I here talking.....If I already got a bread crumb....might as well eat a croissant. That is just your addictive brain talking there.

Next thing you know, you will be frequenting restaurants where you know there is a good chance of CC just so you can have a donut for breakfast. Im not making fun in here. This is how addictive chemicals work. It is science.

I myself have an addictive brain chemistry. I can thank my Dad for that (alcoholic). My drug of choice was food. I am a recovered bulimic. The VERY conversations I see in here are EXACTLY the kind of conversations I had in my own head when I was actively binging. It is a dangerous thing to entertain.......if you are Celiac. My favorite binge foods were pizza and donuts. Both VERY HIGH in GLUTEN!! And sugar. Both addictive chemicals.

Best to nip it in the bud and recognize it for what it is. If you accidentally (and I mean really accidentally) get some gluten, call your sponsor.........DONT go on a gluten binge!

Silliest of Yaks Rookie
Silliest of Yaks
Posted
  • Author

Thanks so much for all the feedback so far!!

Just to clarify, I'm talking strictly about immediately afterward, not the next day or going on a short streak of old eating habits. When you have a rare "oh crap this thing I'm eating RIGHT NOW wasn't safe" moment. Is it any better to stop at that very moment, or is it just too late and quantity won't make much difference? As Roxie said, and I seem to have experienced, the body seems to have the same reaction when I have a bread crumb or whole slice of bread.

And it just seems so unfair that I did damage and didn't even enjoy my food :(

All the same, I got my blood levels checked about 2.5 weeks after this incident, and my antibodies were down to normal non-celiac range, indicating that I'd been doing well with the diet despite my blip. If I had had more gluten that night, would there have been a longer term effect - could those numbers be different? Does anyone know?

Green Eyes Rookie
Green Eyes
Posted

The answer to your question: Yes, the more gluten you ingest the more damage you are doing to your insides. You may feel the same (with a little gluten vs a lot of gluten) but the damage can be much more extensive.

Threat yourself like an alcoholic!!! You are celiac - any amount of gluten you have is to much. If you accidentially get a "trace" of gluten - be thankful that was all you got and leave the rest alone.

I am right there with you - I have been tempted. But my "right" thoughts "have" to win out. Find a food that is a prize for you. When you have done well over a period of time - then that is your treat. The only rule - it has to be gluten free!!!!

Outback has this awesome gluten free brownie dessert with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce!!! It is to die for!!! Since I don't eat out much, when I do - that is my treat!!!

Jennifer

luciddream928 Explorer
luciddream928
Posted
The answer to your question: Yes, the more gluten you ingest the more damage you are doing to your insides. You may feel the same (with a little gluten vs a lot of gluten) but the damage can be much more extensive.

Threat yourself like an alcoholic!!! You are celiac - any amount of gluten you have is to much.

Jennifer

This is such a great thread, all questions I've been asking myself. I'm not celiac but I have double DQ1 genes, DQ5 and DQ7 which I've been told make up one celiac gene. For all us "non-celiac" but gluten sensitive people, does this information still apply? Does gluten still do damage to our insides and put us at risk for other illnesses even without the DQ2 genes?

Despite my reading and posting, I'm still unclear where NCGS ends and celiac disease begins....

luciddream928 Explorer
luciddream928
Posted
The answer to your question: Yes, the more gluten you ingest the more damage you are doing to your insides. You may feel the same (with a little gluten vs a lot of gluten) but the damage can be much more extensive.

Threat yourself like an alcoholic!!! You are celiac - any amount of gluten you have is to much.

Jennifer

This is such a great thread, all questions I've been asking myself. I'm not celiac but I have double DQ1 genes, DQ5 and DQ7 which I've been told make up one celiac gene. For all us "non-celiac" but gluten sensitive people, does this information still apply? Does gluten still do damage to our insides and put us at risk for other illnesses even without the DQ2 genes?

Despite my reading and posting, I'm still unclear where NCGS ends and celiac disease begins....

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted
Open Original Shared Link
luciddream928 Explorer
luciddream928
Posted
Open Original Shared Link

Thank you, this is a great resource!

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted
This is such a great thread, all questions I've been asking myself. I'm not celiac but I have double DQ1 genes, DQ5 and DQ7 which I've been told make up one celiac gene. For all us "non-celiac" but gluten sensitive people, does this information still apply? Does gluten still do damage to our insides and put us at risk for other illnesses even without the DQ2 genes?

Despite my reading and posting, I'm still unclear where NCGS ends and celiac disease begins....

That's a good question. My belief however is that you have more lattitude and don't have to avoid CC so much for instance and could possibly cheat once in a blue moon and be OK since for you its not an auto immune problem. However, there is also the question of whether or not you truly have celiac or not since tests aren't always accurate. If perchance you have avoided all gluten and then get a crumb and have a huge reaction its very likely you do have celiac.

Bea

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,332
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Nicolah
    Newest Member
    Nicolah
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.