Semi-OT: Anyone have Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity?

I'm curious about this not-so-widely-accepted "diagnosis". Did anyone test negative for Celiac Sprue, but find that eliminating gluten from their diet fixed any of their woes? Did it help with EDS?

SleepingUgly wrote:I'm curious about this not-so-widely-accepted "diagnosis". Did anyone test negative for Celiac Sprue, but find that eliminating gluten from their diet fixed any of their woes? Did it help with EDS?

Maybe it's not the gluten, but something else that you have eliminated along with the gluten. For example, have you embarked on a low-carb diet? That pretty much eliminates gluten, but more importantly, it greatly reduces the amount of carbohydrate you eat, the reduction of which WILL help with EDS.

I haven't eliminated anything yet. I'm just contemplating this. Why do you think eliminating carbs would help with EDS?

SleepingUgly wrote:I haven't eliminated anything yet. I'm just contemplating this. Why do you think eliminating carbs would help with EDS?

You didn't pick gluten at random, right? You must have some reason to think gluten is causing a problem other than the obvious intestinal problems. I would be genuinely curious to know why you think that gluten could affect EDS.

People with Celiac Disease can be tired (course they can also be anemic and suffering from other nutritional deficiencies). *IF* Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is a real entity, could they be tired due to it as well? Much of the NCGS stuff is in alternative publications and websites, but I found an article in a "real" medical journal indicating that gluten can cause GI symptoms in subjects without celiac disease. So can it cause EDS?

Admittedly, this is a long-shot, especially in someone who doesn't have very significant GI issues.

LoQ wrote:Maybe it's not the gluten, but something else that you have eliminated along with the gluten. For example, have you embarked on a low-carb diet? That pretty much eliminates gluten, but more importantly, it greatly reduces the amount of carbohydrate you eat, the reduction of which WILL help with EDS.

I agree. If you search this forum for Gary Taubes, or just Google and listen to his presentation you will understand what LoQ is talking about.
I switched to low-carb about 1 month after starting cpap and seeing a thread here that referred me to Taubes. The immediate increase in daytime energy was dramatic.

Lizistired wrote:I agree. If you search this forum for Gary Taubes, or just Google and listen to his presentation you will understand what LoQ is talking about.
I switched to low-carb about 1 month after starting cpap and seeing a thread here that referred me to Taubes. The immediate increase in daytime energy was dramatic.

Actually I am reading Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It! I am still in the part of the book where he busts myths about weight gain, and haven't gotten to the carbs part of the book. I'm glad you're feeling better, but how do you know that your dramatic increase in daytime energy was attributable to low-carbs rather than to CPAP?

Because I don't believe that CPAP would suddenly make a dramatic difference on day 35. A combination? No doubt. I just found out that I slept through 2 very annoying storm sirens last night. I knew I slept good... but that is REALLY GOOD!

I really believe that there is a continuum of gluten intolerance, celiac being the worst. But I do know of people who cut it out or cut back on it and felt alot better. (and their tests were "normal".)
I think I would feel better giving it up, but have too many emotional issues with eating that make it hard for me to give some things up.

Country4ever wrote: ... have too many emotional issues with eating that make it hard for me to give some things up.

Who wants to give up Mac-N-Cheese?!

Lizistired wrote:Because I don't believe that CPAP would suddenly make a dramatic difference on day 35. A combination? No doubt.

You mean the FIRST DAY you cut back on carbs you felt much less tired, and it hasn't remitted?

Well, I don't know if you'd be interested in this very flawed experiment, but you could go back on carbs and see what happens, then eliminate again and see what happens... Course you are not "blind" to the condition, so it's a pretty flawed experiment. But it would be interesting.

Not interested at all.

Lizistired wrote:Not interested at all.

Increased energy is a well-documented result of low carb diets. On a personal note, I have noticed that I have more energy when I am doing low-carb than when I am not, both with and without PAP therapy, so your flawed experiment has already been done by me in all combinations. I don't eat a lot of gluten in any event, whether I am on a low-carb diet or not.


I think it is entirely possible to have a gluten sensitivity that doesn't show up on the test. And it is also well-documented that allergies can be enervating. So it is conceivable, though highly unlikely, that improved energy and alertness would result from elimination of gluten. Why unlikely? Because gluten occurs in the presence of high carbohydrate, and it is tough to eliminate gluten without reducing your carbs significantly. If you reduce your carbs when you eliminate gluten, you really cannot know that the improved energy came from reducing the carbs or eliminating the gluten.

SU,

I tried gluten free, no sugar and low carb for a week, hoping that I would feel better. It made no difference at all and, believe me, I was really hoping.

Bev