Hi, I am gluten intolerant myself and recently discovered that there has been issues of whether this is real or imagined.

One of the articles described how it has been viewed as a Chronic fatigue symptoms rather than specifically gluten intolerant. Apparently it is only recent that the Medical Community recognises that this is also a real problem aside from the Celiac disease which has always been recognised as a medical condition.

Most of my friends and family are reluctant about the whole issue though.
They have been brought up from the culture where Food Sensitivity is rather rare or have not become a big issue yet therefore they strongly believe it is an excuse for people to be on a weight loss diet or it is just a head thing. Some of them think it is treatable by higher intake of gluten, which shows the extent of their misunderstanding.

I believe it is real. Perhaps there are those who imagine or use it as an excuse but I recognise it as a medical condition and consider it rather as a rather serious problem in the modern days.

What are your views on this?
Have any of you come across a problem like this at all?

Why should gluten be any different to any other type of foodstuff you can be intolerant to? Just because you haven't got coeliac disease, doesn't mean you can't be intolerant to gluten in the same way as you could be intolerant to any food. A case of intolerance being rejected yet again in favour of diagnosed orthodox-accepted conditions. Coeliac is different to gluten sensitivity, but both exist in my experience.

I certainly believe in gluten sensitivity - and think that a large number of people suffer from it, even though their sensitivity may be relatively mild. I certainly do and find that if I eat more than one gluten-containing item a day ('normal' slice or bread, biscuit etc) I feel really tired and grumpy and am quite likely to get gut ache. And I am sure that my sensitivity is relatively low key so I can imagine what it must be like for someone who is really sensitive.

The really frustrating thing is that even if gluten makes then really ill, unless they have been diagnosed(by biopsy) as coeliac, they will be unable to access any gluten-free foods on prescription - even though they may need them a good deal more than a mild coeliac!

Hi all -

Just read a really good book by Jane Feinmann which is all about gluten intolerance. She says that 1 in 15 people have problems digesting gluten - so there!! It is quite easy to read and is really helpful about the practicalities - like what gluten free really means. I thought it meant gluten free but apparently it means less than 100 parts per million.... Anyhow - I found it very useful - and it is only £7.99 - it is called Living with Gluten Intolerance.