The term ‘gluten intolerance’ is used to describe the symptoms that are caused by eating gluten. These are not a result of coeliac disease, which is an autoimmune condition. A range of symptoms can come about by eating and reacting to gluten, which can signal an intolerance. These include the following six symptoms.

1. Abdominal pain

Pain in your stomach area can be sharp or lingering, particularly prevalent in the hours after eating foods high in gluten.

2. Bloating

This is one of the most common symptoms that people report in times of gluten intolerance. It is the feeling of a full stomach that is uncomfortable and lasts a while, or feeling a build-up of gas.

3. Diarrhoea and constipation

While having occasional digestive issues is normal, experiencing them most days can show an underlaying condition.

4. Fatigue

People with gluten intolerance often have persistent feelings of tiredness that may impair daily functioning. This can be due to the pain and sleep disruptions the intolerance causes, as well as the extra effort your body is putting into digesting this food.

5. Nausea and vomiting

While these actions can be found in people with a gluten intolerance, they also commonly relate to other issues like infection, food poisoning and motion sickness.

6. Headaches, muscle and joint aches

These can happen for a number of reasons, but are shown to be symptoms of gluten intolerance.

These six symptoms can occur a few hours or days after eating gluten, and they improve when you stop eating it. You may experience some or all of the symptoms. 

Unfortunately, many of these symptoms also line up with those from irritable bowel syndrome, intolerances that are not gluten like a dairy intolerance, or coeliac disease. Consulting with your doctor or another trained professional is best to work together to find a diagnosis, as they can help to test and rule out each different option.