Gluten-free products – who are they for, and why?

Walking around in a store, you’ve surely noticed that some of the products are labelled "gluten-free." Gluten-free products are often thought of as a fashion fad, where people have just decided to go on a gluten-free diet. But who are these products actually for?

Gluten-induced diseases

There is no such diagnosis as gluten intolerance. It is a convenient expression people use, but the correct term to use would be ‘gluten-induced diseases’.

Gluten-induced diseases are divided into three categories: coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, and wheat (cereal) allergy.

Coeliac disease is not an allergy or intolerance, but a lifelong autoimmune disease with a genetic predisposition, the only treatment for which is a strict gluten-free diet.

Some people experience intestinal problems when they eat foods with gluten-containing ingredients (i.e. wheat, rye, barley, and other cross-contaminated grains), even if they do not have coeliac disease. This is medically called non-coeliac gluten sensitivity.

What are the clues that I may have coeliac disease?

• Indigestion • Vitamin deficiency • Anaemia • Mouth ulcers • Skin rash • Depression • Miscarriage • Neurological problems • Problems with teeth • Fatigue

The symptoms of coeliac disease vary from person to person and range from mild to very severe.

Symptoms of coeliac disease when eating gluten include:

Diarrhoea
Abdominal pain
Anaemia
Fatigue
Skin rash
Bloating

The reaction is not the same as an allergic reaction and does not cause anaphylactic shock. The symptoms can last from a few hours to a few days.

Coeliac disease is known as a disease of the entire body because the symptoms can affect any area of the body. That is, the symptoms may also include other health issues that are not related to digestion, such as:

Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
Infertility
Neurological problems

How do I know if I have coeliac disease?

The most important thing about a coeliac disease diagnosis is that the person is consuming gluten while being diagnosed, as the tests for diagnosing coeliac disease monitor the body’s reaction to gluten. Therefore, it is very important to continue consuming gluten throughout the entire diagnosis process.

To get a diagnosis, you need to visit your family doctor and have your blood tested for coeliac disease blood markers. If the results are positive, the family doctor will refer you to a bowel specialist (gastroenterologist) for a bowel biopsy. Only after coeliac disease is diagnosed should a gluten-free diet be started.

Why would I want to have my coeliac disease diagnosed?

Since coeliac disease is a disease that affects the entire body, diagnosis is important to prevent even greater health problems. If a person self-diagnoses that they have gluten intolerance, but still eats gluten from time to time, not knowing that they have coeliac disease, they are nearly 50–100 times more likely to develop malignant tumours.

A diagnosis of coeliac disease also allows children to have a gluten-free diet at school and in kindergarten.

The Estonian Coeliac Society, which is a patient organisation operating as an NGO, will help you with any questions related to coeliac disease and gluten-free living. Its goal is to improve the well-being and quality of life of coeliac patients through advocacy and cooperation, which also contribute to the promotion of gluten-free living.

You can read more about coeliac disease here.

Text: Estonian Coeliac Society