“CDC data shows that only 1% of the population has gluten sensitivity,” Green says. “So if you think you have it, it’s likely to be something else.” In fact, 2014 findings show that if you don’t have Celiac, gluten probably isn’t the source of your bellyaches. Many more people react to fermentable, poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates (called FODMAPs), such as breads, beer, pastries and pasta, found a study published in the journal Gastroenterology. Also know that it’s important to see a GI doc before purging your pantry of gluten. “If you go on a gluten-free diet, which is the treatment for Celiac, the disease markers will disappear and you’ll lose the opportunity to get an accurate diagnosis,” Green says. And often, your doc might find you’re more sensitive to FODMAPs, and a low-FODMAP diet is less restrictive than going completely gluten-free. And really, if you can eat fresh foccacia and homemade ravioli, wouldn’t you want to? Here, 8 conditions that can masquerade as Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten-sensitivity (NCGS), some more major than others. Irritable Bowel Syndrome If you have recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort at least three days a month that’s relieved by passing gas or a stool, you may have this common gut disorder. While the exact cause of it is unknown, factors include gut sensitivity, inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, and disturbance of bowel movements. Diet and lifestyle changes prescribed by your doc often bring relief. It’s interesting to note that one of the recommendations for easing symptoms is an increase in starchy carbs—bread, pasta and cereals—exactly the types of food you might cut out if you self-diagnosed as gluten-sensitive. MORE: 11 Highly Effective Solutions For IBS Fructose Intolerance For some people, the small intestine can’t completely absorb fructose, a sugar found in fresh fruit, honey, high fructose corn syrup, wheat, some vegetables, and just about every processed food. So the undigested fructose gets shuttled to the colon, where bacteria gobble it up, producing gases that cause bloating, gas, cramping, and diarrhea. “If I have a patient in the summer saying, ‘I have all this bloating and loose stools,’ I always ask, ‘Have you been eating a lot of watermelon?’ " Green says. A simple breath test at your doctor’s office can detect this disorder. Treatment is a low-fructose diet. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) You’ve no doubt heard of the microbiome, that thriving world of gut bacteria populating our digestive tract. Normally, the greatest number of bacteria hang out in the colon, and many fewer in the small intestine. With small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, the population of gut bugs in the small intestine is unusually large and consists of the type more commonly found dwelling in the colon. “Those bacteria will digest sugars and form gasses—a process that usually happens in the colon,” Green explains. Symptoms include gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation and abdominal pain. While there’s no cure for this chronic disorder, treatment can include antibiotics as well as probiotics, which enhance the populations of good bacteria in the gut. Lactose Intolerance If an ice cream cone sends you running to the bathroom, this chronic condition may be to blame. With lactose intolerance, your body fails to produce enough lactase, an enzyme that helps with digestion of milk sugar (lactose). So the undigested sugars pass through to the colon, where the bacteria devour it, causing gas, distention, and diarrhea. The only treatment for lactose intolerance is to avoid milk products. Milder cases can sometimes get away with taking enzyme supplements that ease digestion of dairy. MORE: 5 Things People Mistakenly Write Off As Just Gas Pains Microscopic Colitis Lots of watery diarrhea? Consider getting tested for microscopic colitis, characterized by inflammation of the large intestine (colon). It’s more common in adults over 65, but anyone can get it. While there are two types—collagenous, in which the colon becomes lined with collagen, and lymphocytic, in which the white blood cell count rises in the colon—the chief symptom is the same: persistent diarrhea, usually with abdominal pain. There’s no single cause of microscopic colitis; it may be from medications or bacteria irritating the lining of the colon, a virus, or an immune system problem, including celiac. Medications can help with the disorder, which is diagnosed by examining a tissue sample under a microscope (hence the name). Candida Although Celiac and candida, an overgrowth of naturally occurring yeast in the body, are entirely different conditions, some of their symptoms can look similar: weakness, headaches, flu-like achy feeling, muscle and joint aches, sinusitis, allergies, irritability, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and gas. But candida usually comes with chronic yeast infections, whereas Celiac does not. While there’s no cure for Celiac, candida can be treated with anti-fungal medications and probiotics. A diet low in sugar, the preferred fuel of yeast, can also help discourage its growth. Multiple Sclerosis Body changes in Celiac can look like those seen in multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic immune disorder in which damages to the autonomic nervous system scramble or slow signals between the brain and body. People with MS often have neurological symptoms such as trouble seeing, muscle weakness and spasms, bladder problems, and some decreased mental function. Interestingly, Green notes that Celiac disease may be more common in MS patients. MORE: 9 Secrets To Great Digestion
