Should You Go Gluten-Free?

Since the discovery of Celiac disease (CD), the mainstream view of gluten intolerance has remained relatively black or white: Either you have celiac disease, or you don't.

The media has downplayed the significance of non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), even going as far as to suggest that it doesn't exist.

However, it's becoming more and more clear that celiac disease is only one manifestation of gluten intolerance, and that "non-celiac gluten sensitivity" (i.e. people that react to gluten but do not have celiac disease) is a legitimate health condition.

Why is this important to you? Gluten intolerance can affect nearly every tissue in the body, including the brain, skin, endocrine system, stomach, liver, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and even the nuclei of cells.

CD and NCGS are associated with an astonishing variety of diseases, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, Type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis, dermatitis, psoriasis, Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, and peripheral neuropathy and chronic inflammation of the small intestine.

Because the range of symptoms associated with gluten intolerance is so broad and nonspecific (i.e. can be attributed to any number of conditions), many patients and doctors don't suspect gluten may be the cause.