Can Going Gluten-Free Help with Crohn's and Colitis?
Not all individuals with inflammatory bowel disease react to the same foods the same way. While there is no specific diet that helps every individual coping with IBD, some individuals have reported success with eliminating gluten.
Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, wheat, and triticale. It is a common ingredient in bread, pasta, cereals, cakes, sauces, soups, and beer. Additionally, it is added to many processed foods and even some cosmetic products.
For some individuals, gluten can act as a trigger and cause problems within the digestive tract including:
- Celiac disease – You may have undiagnosed celiac disease, which is an autoimmune condition that affects 1 in every 120 individuals. Celiac disease causes a wide range of symptoms, including bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. It is triggered by an adverse reaction to gluten.
- Wheat allergy – You may have an undiagnosed wheat allergy, which can develop when the body overreacts or is extremely sensitive to a specific substance such as bread, pasta, or any other food containing wheat. Symptoms of wheat allergy include hives, skin rash, fever, headaches, stuffy nose, and sneezing.
- Gluten intolerance – You may have undiagnosed gluten intolerance, which derives from eating foods with ingredients containing gluten. The most severe form of gluten intolerance is celiac disease, resulting in damage to the small intestine.
- Leaky gut syndrome – You may have undiagnosed leaky gut syndrome, which is a condition where the small intestine becomes ‘leaky’, thus allowing toxins, antibodies, and undigested food elements to travel throughout the bloodstream in the body. If you are sensitive to gluten, your intestines can become more easily irritated and contribute to leaky gut.
The fact of the matter is that if you have IBD, your gut may not be able to process foods containing gluten.
A study conducted back in 2015 revealed that over 65% of patients with IBD undergoing a gluten-free diet experienced an improvement in their symptoms and more than 38% reported to experiencing reduced or less severe IBD flare-ups. Another recent study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, examined how a gluten free diet can help patients diagnosed with a type of irritable bowel syndrome, known as diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (d-IBS). Similar to IBS, there is no visible inflammation, disease, or injury to explain the symptoms of d-IBS. Celiac disease is generally diagnosed in individuals with diarrhea, through the onset of villous atrophy in the small intestine. Villous atrophy occurs when the villi, the small, finger-like projections that help the intestines absorb much-needed nutrients, become flattened.
Do patients suffering from inflammatory symptoms benefit from a gluten-free diet?
Gluten sensitivity can trigger abdominal pain without the presence of villous atrophy. The researchers of the study looked into the frequent occurrence of particular serum antibodies in the bodies of d-IBS patients and their effect on gene expressions in order to predict the end results of a gluten-free diet in such patients. Serum antibodies and two gene expressions were examined in 145 d-IBS patients, 74 patients with treated or untreated celiac disease, as well as 57 patients with a type of inflammatory bowel disease.
The study followed the patients during a 6-month period of undergoing a gluten free diet and reported any symptoms experienced and stool frequency. The researchers found that over 60% of d-IBS patients experienced improvement in symptoms. They concluded that d-IBS patients expressing the HLA-DQ2 type gene and serum antibody IgG are most likely to respond positively to a gluten-free diet. Additionally, patients who are diagnosed with an inflammatory condition and who are experiencing severe symptoms could benefit from a gluten-free diet.
The effects will take some time
Even the smallest type of gluten sensitivity can trigger an immune response that could worsen your symptoms. If you decide to remove gluten from your diet, it should be able to prevent your symptoms associated with IBD, although it might take some time – around 1 month. In any case, you should consult with your doctor. Some individuals who remove gluten from their diet end up experiencing symptoms such as stomach ache, headache, and dizziness; however, these symptoms are temporary. “In my practice I see a lot of people with Crohn’s disease who have worse symptoms when they are eating gluten. I suggest people with Crohn’s try a gluten-free diet, and if it improves some of their symptoms, continue it,” said Kelly Kennedy, nutritionist for Everyday Health.
No matter what type of inflammatory condition you have, a gluten-free diet has its medical benefits. It may seem overwhelming at first; however, you can find healthy substitutes that can help ease some of your symptoms. If you find that you experience no changes in your symptoms whatsoever, then you may not be intolerant or sensitive to gluten and you can reinstate it.
“Living on a gluten free diet has shown me, in vivid terms, how what I eat can influence how I feel. I was forced to read the ingredients labels on the foods that I ate most often and I found that much of what I was eating was highly processed and full of additives. I decided to cook meals for myself in order to control what I was putting into my decidedly temperamental digestive system. I found that my general health improved when I began to eat better, as did my energy levels. In addition to an improvement in well-being, I discovered a (rather exciting) fringe benefit: as I gained confidence with gluten free ingredients I progressed from simple food to more adventurous meals and cakes, breads and desserts. It has opened up a world of new ingredients that I would never have considered before, and cooking and developing recipes has quickly become my passion,” wrote Caleigh, the ‘Gluten Freek’.
“I’m not suggesting that EVERYONE has to be 100% gluten-free but I do believe that everyone’s health benefits from minimizing gluten, and certainly believe that all people who suffer from IBD should remove completely to start with or at least keep to a bare minimum. I do though appreciate that a gluten-free lifestyle can seem daunting, especially when you consider that doing that alone won’t be enough to turn your health around. However, it can be easy when you are shown how, and the results can be dramatic and life-changing” wrote Greg Williams, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Natural Health Expert.
If you have been diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, it is worth a try to see if a gluten-free diet is right for you and if it can help alleviate your symptoms. Give it a try, after speaking with your doctor, and see how your body reacts – you might be surprised by the results.
References
https://whatswithwheat.com/will-going-gluten-free-help-inflammatory-bowel-disease/
https://www.medicalnewsbulletin.com/gluten-free-diet-irritable-bowel-syndrome/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/crohns-disease/symptoms/is-it-crohns-disease-or-celiacs-disease/
http://www.foodsmatter.com/coeliac-disease/management/gluten-freek-04-12.html
http://iamgregwilliams.com/should-you-be-gluten-free-if-suffering-with-ibd/
