Gluten And Corn

[Smarts]

Hi I posted the other day about the possibility that I could have celiacs or gluten intolerance, because by chance my gastro doctor discovered patches of flattened villi when he ran a capsule endoscopy last month. I'm still waiting for results from blood work, but in the meantime I have been gluten free for 3 weeks now. I have had a lot of ill health over the last 25/ 30 years (I'm now 41) which seems to link in with gluten intolerance symptoms, but in the past 6 months my symptoms have been fairly mild. (I'd started seeing this doctor because my reflux took a bad turn last October.)

So over the past 3 weeks I have had times when I have felt great, and last week I felt quite flat and lethargic, which I put down to gluten withdrawal. But I have also had a few days where I've had pretty bad indigestion with chest pains. On two occasions I noticed that the symptoms followed a meal with sweetcorn (once from can and once on cob). This morning I felt terrible. I over slept after very odd dreams, I had brain fog and the muscles in my back were burning. It was just like the chronic fatigue I had in my 20's. Also eczema patches reappeared and cracks appeared around my lips. After lunch I had hot flushes and then felt sick - after that I started to feel better. Yesterday I was so careful with what I ate, checking that everything was gluten free - but when a friend and I took our kids to the movies, without even thinking I bought us all popcorn (because I am trying my girls on a gluten free diet and they were feeling deprived).

Is anyone else sensitive to corn and gluten - or have you heard of there being a link?

[Gerri]

Hi,

I am both Celiac, and have a severe corn allergy. It is my understanding that people who are celiac, many also have a corn allergy. When I buy gluten free flours, I make sure there is no corn, soy, wheat, or milk in them. I don't have popcorn, or use corn starch. I read all labels, and my diet is quite limited. I can't take a chance gluten, corn, soy, milk, or wheat is in anything. Most processed foods will have fillers of the above, so they are avoided.

Hugs

Gerri

[lisa25]

I have stopped eating corn after noticing that it makes my stomach feel swelled and makes me feel overall not well. Since I haven't had a test to check for an actual corn sensitivity, it is really difficult to cut out the trace corn...like xanthan gum. I have the past few months cut out visible corn, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup...and am feeling better.

[mushroom]

I knew I had a problem with corn long before I realized about the gluten - also soy came before gluten But the soy and corn reactions have become worse.

[Emsstacey]

I'm not a dx celiac but do have elevated DGP and symptoms of gluten-intolerance. I also tested positive for corn via skin prick test. I was advised that there was no reason to cut it out, but I think at some point, I will probably have to.

I'm not sure of a direct link, but I do know that once you have a sensitivity to one food... it is more likely that you have other sensitivities as well.

It's definitely a difficult one to remove. It is so much easier to substitute gluten items with corn tortillas, etc...

[ravenwoodglass]

You may be intoleratnt to corn. But a couple other things to consider, if it was corn on the cob was it drained in a colander or strainer that had been used for pasta? Just a thought. Also symptoms can be delayed so it might have been something else that got you and then there is also the issue that many of us have ups and downs for a while when we are first gluten free.

[ynot]

I've been suspicious of corn for a couple months too. The symptoms I get are vague. Looser stools. My face feeling a little swollen. A little larger stomach. Mentally, a bit more irritable.

It just seems like such a daunting challenge to cut corn out. It would be easy enough to cut out simple corn, but its derivatives are hiding everywhere. For example, I've got about 20 cans of Hormel Chili ( stocked up when they went on sale ) and it is as if every ingredient besides meat and beans is some corn derivative. I never feel great after eating one of those cans.

So I've got a question. Gluten, even in small quantities, is very damaging to celiacs. What about corn? If the symptoms from eating corn are slight, can I continue to eat it and not worry about hidden damage? Or can there be a similar auto-immune response?

[nora-n]

There is at least one very good private website that explains about corn allergy.

It is different from celiac.

Besides, the prolamine in corn may theoretically be toxic to some people but there is no research on that that I know of.

[mushroom]

Besides, the prolamine in corn may theoretically be toxic to some people but there is no research on that that I know of.

The lectins in corn may also rise up and bite you - again, very little research on lectins.

[Smarts]

The lectins in corn may also rise up and bite you - again, very little research on lectins.

Wow thanks for all this feedback. I'm scared to even look into dairy and eggs (I think I'm okay there). I'm also reacting to wheat (funny my doctors only comment when he sent me for a blood test was "it looks like a wheat intolerance", but later I read the blood test instructions which asked for genetic testing for celiacs). I've also had suspicions with rice because I hated eating the stuff when I was a kids, because it made me nauseous. But these days I seem to be okay with sushi rice and jasmine rice, but I made a gluten free, wheat free, corn free (yay) risotto (with arborio rice) the other night and for the first time since being a kid I wanted to vomit after eating it. (Then again I did make it in pans I've cooked pasta in).

Since my reaction to corn or Monday I have been careful to avoid both gluten and corn. For the past 24hrs I have had the strangest, but most wonderful feeling in my belly - it feels light, soft and empty in there, not bulky and bloated. My kids are also noticing a difference in their health.

My husband is sceptical about this until I get a positive diagnosis from the doctor. For some reason I am too scared to call for the test results. I have my appointment to see him in just over a week

You guys are making me feel so supported here - thank you!!!

[nora-n]

Maybe corn allergy is hard to test for.

I think there is a good webpage about corn allergy.

I googled and found this one Open Original Shared Link and it does look like the one I have seen.