• Vitamins & Supplements
  • Food & Drink
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Free From
  • Natural Beauty
  • Weight Management
  • Offers
  • Summer Shop
  • The Health Hub
  • Learn more Healthbox
  • Account
Track your order Delivery & Returns Help Centre My subscriptions

Customer Service

  • Contact us
  • Site map
  • Site map
  • Store locator

About us

  • Who are we
  • Working at Holland & Barrett
  • Press releases
  • Privacy & cookie policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Holland & Barrett More
  • Holland & Barrett International
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Modern Slavery Statement

Connect with us

Store
0370 606 6606
My account
Rewards
  • Sign in
  • How do I join?
  • What are the benefits?
  • FAQs
Holland & Barrett :: the good life
  • Menu
  • Account
  • Store
  • Basket
    Search for
    • Vitamins & Supplements
    • Food & Drink
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Free From
    • Natural Beauty
    • Weight Management
    • Offers
    • The Health Hub
    • Healthbox

    Home / Conditions / Intolerances / How do I know if I have a gluten intolerance?

    How do I know if I have a gluten intolerance?

    If you always feel tired, have been losing weight, and are suffering with abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea, gluten could be the culprit.

    What is gluten?

    There is more gluten in our diets than ever before. This glue-like protein found in wheat, rye, oats and barley, ‘holds’ food products, such as bread, together.

    Because we’re eating more refined wheat products, such as white bread and pasta, than we used to, this increases the amount of gluten we consume. But this protein may be harming your health.

    Is it coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance?

    One in 100 people are now diagnosed with coeliac disease, which is much more common than previously thought, while thousands more could have it and not realise.

    Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. When sufferers eat gluten, the immune system overreacts and damages the finger-like protrusions in the small intestine called villi that help absorb nutrients. This can cause symptoms such as severe gut pain, weight loss and fatigue.

    Left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to serious health complications including malnutrition and osteoporosis.

    But you don’t have to have coeliac disease to develop symptoms from eating gluten. People who have a gluten intolerance or are sensitive to gluten can experience problems including abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue and headaches.

    Take action

    If you experience symptoms when eating foods that contain gluten, it’s important to first rule out coeliac disease. Ask your GP for tests including a blood test and a small bowel biopsy. Remember, you need to keep eating gluten during this time in order for the results to be accurate.

    If your symptoms don’t improve and your tests don’t show any other problem, keep a food and symptoms diary for two weeks to pinpoint any foods that might be causing your symptoms. The only real way to see whether gluten is the culprit is to remove it from your diet for a short period of time (up to two weeks) and see if you notice any improvement.

    If you want to carry on with a gluten-free diet, seek advice from your GP or a dietician to make sure you’re still getting a healthy balance of nutrients from the foods you eat (see below).

    Find gluten-free foods

    A gluten-free diet doesn’t mean a diet devoid of taste or choice. Many foods are naturally gluten-free: fresh fruit and vegetables, grains like quinoa, meat, poultry, fish, cheese and eggs. Use these as the base for many of your meals.

    Drinks such as fruit juice, flavoured water, cordials and wine are also free from gluten.

    You can buy gluten-free foods, such as specially made gluten-free flour, bread, pasta, crackers and biscuits, from good health food stores. Some options may not be as high in fibre, iron, folic acid and B vitamins as their gluten-containing counterparts, so taking a daily high-strength multivitamin may help.

    If you think you could have a gluten intolerance, find out if going gluten-free could help your symptoms.

    Shop our Food & Drink range.

    This article has been adapted from longer features appearing in Healthy, the Holland & Barrett magazine. Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP before trying any remedies.

    Tweet
    Follow on Instagram
    Intolerances

    You may also like

    What’s causing my dairy intolerance symptoms?

    Article

    What’s causing my dairy intolerance symptoms?

    If the mere thought of a frothy latte makes your tummy bloat, you may be..

    READ MORE...
    Gluten free flour – the basics

    Article

    Gluten free flour – the basics

    Are you a passionate baker with gluten sensitivity or coeliac disease? Or is a friend,..

    READ MORE...
    All about gluten free foods

    Article

    All about gluten free foods

    Have you recently been diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity, or coeliac disease? Or are you..

    READ MORE...

    Connect with us

    • Log in Register
    • rewards for life

    Customer service

    • Store locator
    • Contact us
    • Site feedback
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Delivery & returns
    • Site map
    • My account

    About us

    • Who we are
    • Working at Holland & Barrett
    • Press room
    • Privacy & cookie policy
    • Terms & conditions
    • Holland & Barrett More
    • Holland & Barrett International

    Brands

    • Holland & Barrett
    • Bootea
    • Dr Organic
    • Precision Engineered
    • Manuka Doctor
    • Good n Natural
    • Miaroma
    Register
    Click to verify if this website is operating legally

    Copyright © Holland & Barrett Retail Limited, 2017. All rights reserved. hollandandbarrett.com is a trading name of Holland & Barrett Retail Limited,. Registered office: Samuel Ryder House, Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 7RH. Registered in England: company no. 2758955. Registered VAT no. 211727395.