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What Is The Difference Between Celiac And Gluten Intolerance?

clnewberry1

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clnewberry1 Contributor
clnewberry1
Posted

I am just wondering what the difference (if any) between being gluten intolerant and Celiac?

My antibodies were negative (blood work) two biopsy's (2004 and 2009) were negative.

My Natropathic doctor put me on a gluten free diet in December 2008 - I have had normal stools but other symtoms are there (fatigue, muscle cramps, anxiety, terrible stomach aches and cramps) My endoscopy reveled no inflamation in my stomach but did show a sliding hiatal hernia.

I am not sure what other tests I should ask for? Should I ask for genetic testing to see if I have the genes that predispose me to Celiac? What other tests should I ask for?

I have put my entire family on a gluten free diet. I am concerned that going gluten free could harm my kids in the long run. Could they have a reaction if they ingest gluten because they are gluten free? How long does it take to have a reaction to gluten? I mean if not all of the symtoms are GI related what else should I look for?

Thanks

Crystal

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Mother of Jibril Enthusiast
Mother of Jibril
Posted

Hi Crystal,

What were the actual numbers on your blood tests? The reference ranges are designed so that you only get a "positive" result when you have obvious damage. However... you can have antibodies long before the damage is obvious. It's not black and white.

For me personally, the genetic test explained a lot of things about my family history. It also tells me what to watch for in my kids. IMO, if you have one of the gluten-sensitive genes (especially DQ2 or one of the DQ3 subtypes) you should either go on a gluten-free diet or get tested periodically for celiac disease. There's no harm in trying the gluten-free diet! If your kids are not hypersensitive, then it won't hurt them to have gluten on occasion (at school, for example).

Reaction times vary depending on what kind of hypersensitivity you have. Anaphylactic reactions are type I and can happen almost immediately... they cause your mast cells to release massive amounts of histamine. In celiac disease, your body responds to gluten by creating antibodies that attack your own organs (your intestines, but there are other autoimmune disorders that work this way too). This reaction takes longer, sometimes a few days. The tricky thing is that it's possible to have an allergy AND an intolerance to the same food.

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