Last Updated on 17 June 2024
It is another partially unknown disease, but very annoying and sometimes hard to detect. It is the so-called Gluten Sensitivity, a modern disease which has been on the rise in this latest decade. Why? But, above all, why gluten sensitivity is affecting so many people nowadays? These surely are some of the questions that surround this still mysterious ailment. To discover more about it, I invite you read this short guide.
What is Gluten Sensitivity?
Usually, gluten sensitivity refers to and adverse reaction to gluten, the protein that is in many cereals, such as wheat, oat, barley and spelled. This reaction occurs with vary symptoms such as:
- headache
- rash
- eczema
- cough
- shortness of breath
- joint pain
- concentration difficulty
- foggy mind
- depression
- fatigue
- stomach pain
- mouth ulcers
As regards the stomach pain, it is may be sharp and excruciating. Sometimes, the pain is subtle and steady and localized on the left flank. If the pain goes up it may even stretch to kidneys. It was just a severe kidney pain which conducted me to the hospital about 5 years ago, when my gluten sensitivity worsened.
These symptoms also occur in patients who don’t suffer from celiac disease or wheat allergy. For this reason, the disorder is also called not celiac gluten sensitivity.
Gluten Sensitivity is the Same Like Celiac Disease?

The correct definition of celiac disease is contained in the so-called Oslo definition published on BMJ journal in 2011, which reads: “Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy precipitated by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed people…”. Hence, celiac disease is an immune and genetical disease, and gluten sensitivity, just for the presence of the word “sensitivity”, suggests that the disorder might be autoimmune, too.
Moreover, the mentioned research made scientists think that people who suffer from gluten sensitivity may be celiac, coining the further term of gluten sensitive enteropathy. The latter is an intestinal alteration triggered by ingestion of gluten and considered as celiac disease. The research, in fact, distinguishes among several types of celiac disease (CD). The more controversial ones are:
- Subclinical CD
- Silent CD
- Asymptomatic CD
A disease is subclinical when is hard to detect with usual clinical examinations. Asymptomatic and silent CD seem to be the same thing, because they don’t trigger the severe gastrointestinal symptoms of classical CD.
Unlike classical CD, indeed, gluten sensitivity does not cause malabsorption and anemia due to iron deficiency, but symptoms that may trigger another annoying intestinal disorder known as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), characterized by gastritis, stomach pain, diarrhea alternating with constipation, bloating and meteorism.
It is just for the above-mentioned symptoms that patients ask to do the clinical tests for CD. Unfortunately, when these tests are negative, they get labeled as not celiac patients affected by gluten sensitivity. This is, in fact, the nomenclature coined in 2012 at the Expert Meeting with researchers and scientists. They all agreed with the usage of the term Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS).
Since the ingestion of gluten can also trigger three different diseases, namely non-celiac gluten sensitivity, celiac disease and wheat allergy, these disorders may be easily mistaken.
Gluten Sensitivity Vs Celiac: What is the Difference?
The main difference between CD and gluten sensitivity is in the gluten tolerance threshold. While in CD, gluten must be avoided permanently, the NCGS gluten tolerance varies from patient to patient and the elimination of gluten from your diet must be calibrated in accordance with the severity of your clinical condition. In case of wheat allergy, instead, there is no rigid dietary prescription, but only the occasional avoidance of wheat.
Gluten Sensitivity Test
Gluten sensitivity has a more complex clinical condition, because its symptoms encompass the ones of CD and Wheat Allergy and are still unclear.
While CD and wheat allergy are, in fact, respectively tested with anti-endomysium antibodies/ anti tissue transaminase 2 and IGG antibodies, there is no official and validate test to detect Gluten Sensitivity. To diagnose it, the only test is a dietary trial consisting of a gradual elimination of gluten.
What Triggers Gluten Sensitivity?
This disease is also considered controversial even on the standpoint of its causes. The current medical research does not know if the culprits of gluten sensitivity are gluten or amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATI) or FOODMAP (Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols).
When I went to my gastroenterologist to explain my symptoms, he only said to me: “Maybe gluten, maybe FODMAP, Maybe IBS…”. Unfortunately, diseases don’t’ heal with buts and ifs, but with adequate responses. Anyway, the above-mentioned inhibitors are also in rye and barley. These cereals contain proteins that are like gluten and may trigger the same reaction seen for gluten sensitivity.
Fodmap, instead, are the fermentative substances we daily ingest with our diet. They are contained in carbohydrates. If we are sensitive only to Fodmap, the elimination of gluten from diet would be meaningless. However, after eliminating gluten from their diet for a few weeks, patients reported an improvement of their symptoms.
The explanation of this improvement is contained in another medical research published on November 2017. The research, indeed, explains that Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity may be triggered by potentially harmful components of wheat, such as gluten, above mentioned amylase trypsin inhibitors and fodmap.
They can act simultaneously in our body and cause Gluten sensitivity or IBS. That is why the adverse reaction also occurs after eating other cereals and flours such as oatmeal. The latter caused me stomach pain, for example. These components may trigger both intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms.
The mentioned research also talks about a systemic immune activation. Unfortunately, this hypothesis has not been fully demonstrated. The same research also discussed about an impairment of the intestinal microbiome, but affirms that “there is a lack of consensus about intestinal permeability in NCGS “.
However, the responsible of the major intestinal damage in Not Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) seems wheat. “Characteristic mucosal changes – the research reads – after administration of a wheat suspension were seen in 13 (and after administration of milk, soy and yeast) in another 9 of 36 IBS patients and in all of the dietary elimination of the identified trigger, including wheat as prominent cause, resulted in a long-term improvement of symptoms”.
Over the years, several controversial opinions have followed. In 2011, scientists and researchers agreed that NCGS was a not allergic and not autoimmune condition, even though the consumption of gluten may trigger symptoms that are like the ones observed for CD.
In 2013, instead, another medical research pointed the focus on the allergic side of Gluten sensitivity, laying the basis of a more and more controversial analysis of the matter.
As a matter of fact, you must know that there is not an only type of wheat and there is not an only type of gluten. There are toxic wheat and toxic gluten, but also healthy wheat and healthy gluten. Let’s see what they are.
Toxic Gluten and Toxic Wheat. Can They Cause Gluten Sensitivity?
According to clinic data from the Center for Celiac Research, University of Maryland, people affected by gluten sensitivity go from 6 to 13%. These data refer to the United States, but undiagnosed patients might be much more. This alarming increase of the rate of gluten sensitivity in the Western World may be linked to the assumption of toxic gluten contained in toxic wheat.
You must know, indeed, that wheat we consume nowadays is fully different from the one consumed by our ancestors, because it is genetically modified. Studies about the damages of genetically modified wheat are still poor, but scholars are beginning to envision a sort of connection among them and the remarkable occurrence of gluten sensitivity.
In 1974, indeed, to increase the yield of this cereal, wheat ears were treated with X rays.
The first experiment was performed for the first time in Italy, in the nuclear laboratory of Casaccia, in Rome. The idea, however, come from foreign scientists who thought of defeating the world starvation with this method. The ancient wheat, indeed, had a height of 180 centimeters, while the new genetically modified variety called CRESO had a height of 80 centimeters.
Ever since, we have eaten wheat treated with radiation. That is the hard wheat consumed all over the world. It is believed this wheat may cause cancer, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, rheumatic pain, and gynecological disorders. The hard wheat Creso was more resistant and didn’t bend or broke during windy days, but even its gluten became stronger and more resistant.
Scientists who performed the experiment have always affirmed they didn’t carry out a genetical modification but only a genetical improvement of the plant.
However, the plant was treated with X rays and radiation can modify DNA!
All this means that the proteins of this new wheat were transformed into an indigestible substance for our stomach. This type of gluten may alter the permeability of our intestine, causing inflammation and even gluten sensitivity.
The mentioned medical research of November 2017 has highlighted the potential harmful components of wheat: “Specific sequences from gluten, N-terminal peptides from α-gliadin – the research reads – have been shown to induce an innate immune response in celiac disease and could also play a role in NCGS….”.
The research also confirms that: “The composition of the individual components and the overall protein contents can differ in a rather large range depending on wheat species, cultivar, growing conditions (e.g., soil, climate, fertilization) and processing, in the case of gluten and, especially, hydrolyzed gluten”.
Hydrolyzed gluten is a product obtained by acid or enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat. This way, you obtain a water-soluble substance added to the most common food we consume daily, such as flour. Hence, when we buy flour for pizza, we could buy a product with a remarkable content of gluten (the one naturally contained in the ear and the one added).
If you consider that this gluten comes from genetically modified wheat, the risk to develop gluten sensitivity and other immune or intestinal adverse reactions is very high. Even nutritionists agree with the fact that modern gluten coming from wheat treated with radiation is toxic and impossible to be digested, but often, their statements are considered controversial by scientific communities.
Digestive difficulties often depend on the so called “gluten force” (molecular structure) of this protein. The symbol that measures this value is indicated with the capital letter W. Ancient gluten had from 10 to 50 W, while modern gluten has 300 – 400 W. Genetical mutations produced a stronger gluten that was a good fit for processed food, by not for the human gut.
Often, when we buy wheat meal at the grocery store or local bakery, we buy the so-called “strength flour”, because containing a modern and stodgy gluten. That is the same gluten contained in modern bread, pasta and pizza! They are all made with flour coming from modern grain genetically modified! This gluten and related food are also pro-inflammatory, this term means they trigger inflammation in our body. Why? The answer is below.
Harmful Effects of Gluten

Genetically modified gluten may have toxic effects on our intestinal tissue and overcome the protective barrier of the gut microbiota. The latter is the heart of our immune system and is populated with microorganisms which defend us from viruses, bacteria, and autoimmune diseases.
When the intestinal microbiota gets altered, it may pave the way to a long chain of physical and psychological disorders, such as depression, irritable syndrome bowel and autoimmune diseases.
However, it is still unclear the link between gluten sensitivity and irritable syndrome bowel, but it is frequent that patients with IBS also develop an intolerance to this protein. The intolerance can trigger an inflammatory process which, in turn, gives rise to intestinal and digestive disorders, depression and maybe even Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
As regards this autoimmune disease, a study published in 2019 revealed that a gluten free diet reduced thyroid antibodies titers in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Furthermore, it has seen that even people tested as negative for celiac disease in young age may develop celiac symptoms or gluten sensitivity in adult age. This may be due to false negative tests or to a gradual losing of tolerance to gluten.
You can lose gluten tolerance for environmental causes or for the type of food you eat. As mentioned before, modern wheat is not like the ancient one, it has genetical mutations in addition to further changes due to climate, pollution and more….
Most of the time, unfortunately, gluten sensitivity remains untreated, producing unpleasant consequences, especially in adult and elderly people. These consequences may be a simple vitamin deficiency, for instance, also proven by the occurrence of mouth ulcers or more severe symptoms of a previously undiagnosed celiac disease.
Gluten intolerant people, however, always suffer annoying and persistent symptoms that make the quality of life poor. To get healthy again, you need to know how to overcome this intolerance.
Gluten Sensitivity Treatment
Unfortunately, for gluten sensitivity, there is no valid treatment, yet, and not even an official diagnosis. The latter is often made by the exclusion of other intestinal diseases, food allergies or celiac disease. Without tests confirming a celiac or allergy disease, the diagnosis is always made by patients, who tend to eliminate gluten from the diet.
But a gluten-free diet with processed food is more dangerous than the same gluten. Gluten-free snacks, pasta and other products are always made with saturated fats and preservatives that often cause weight gain. To avoid this drawback, you could try to prepare gluten free bread and pasta by yourself, for instance, using organic gluten-free flour.
Any symptoms of gluten sensitivity must be treated with the intervention of your doctor. Usually, for stomach pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea, your doctor could prescribe probiotics in order to restore the gut microbiome damaged by toxic gluten and suggest that you respectively increase or reduce the consumption of fibers in case of constipation or diarrhea.
Gluten Sensitivity Diet
To improve your gluten intolerance, the proper diet must be prescribed by your nutritionist. He’ll set a trial diet to eliminate gradually gluten from your daily diet. Pasta and bread could be replaced with organic and brown rice or other food which is naturally gluten-free, such as buckwheat.
As regards barley, oat, rye and spelled, they may cause the same gluten sensitivity of wheat, because, they contain a portion of protein which is like the one of wheat. The adverse reaction indeed is not triggered by the entire gluten, but only by a small part of the protein.
A recent study performed by the Policlinico Gemelli Foundation in Rome, in Italy, has proven that a diet with ancient grains soothes the symptoms of gluten sensitivity. During the trial, patients have been treated with a diet of pasta made with Senatore Cappelli wheat. That is the most ancient and pure Italian variety of wheat. Patients have consumed 100 grams of pasta per day and the results have been astonishing.
After eating Senatore Cappelli wheat, patients have had a clear improvement of their intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. The results depend on the fact that the Senatore Cappelli variety has not suffered environmental contaminations or severe genetical mutations and its gluten is hence more digestible. Moreover, this variety of wheat has also high fibers and micronutrients.
A TV inquiry of the Italian telecast Report revealed that there is not much production of this wheat anymore and that the seeds are now owned only by SIS, the Italian Seed Society. The most of the modern wheat we consume is often contaminated with mycotoxins.
The intensive usage of toxic pesticides and herbicides, such as glyphosate, deprived modern grain of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Moreover, in a controversial book written by a doctor, glyphosate is considered the main reason of gluten sensitivity.
The contaminated grain is also the one you consume in your Country, such as Australia, Canada, United States and even in my country, Italy. That is the toxic wheat that causes the harmful effects I discussed in this post.
Conclusion
Even though an only blog post about gluten sensitivity will never be exhaustive, I hope that you got some important clinical clues to overcome this annoying disease. I also suffer from this intolerance and step by step I learnt getting more and more informed about how to cope with it.
Gluten sensitivity is still considered a complex disorder with partially unknown aspects. Many questions are unanswered, yet. Scientists can’t say if it is an autoimmune disease or an allergy or an intestinal vulnerability. Medical research about gluten sensitivity is still on a trial stage. Nobody confirms or denies about its existence, epidemiology, prevalence, and occurrence.
Sometimes, I fear that lobbies aim to increase the production of toxic wheat even though this undermines our health. Wheat is an ancient food, one of the pillars of our diet, especially in some countries like mine. I already renounced to eat pasta and bread, but not to gluten. Today, I eat brown bread made with ancient grains and my symptoms improved.
Ancient grains are hard to find online, but a few courageous farmers are trying to export pasta made with Senatore Cappelli wheat. You should try discussing about Senatore Cappelli wheat with your dietician.
However, gluten intolerance could hide celiac disease, for this reason it is better to check frequently our antibodies with blood tests.
If some of them will be positive, we’ll be undergone to intestinal biopsy. If they are negative, it is better we come back eating ancient food, because processed food proved to be dangerous.
If you think that the information provided here has been helpful, feel free to share it with your friends or send your comment. I’ll be very happy to hear your opinion about how challenging is to live an entire life in the grip of a not recognized sensitivity to gluten.
References & Bibliography
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