Type 1s: Do you avoid gluten?

[Inka]

People with Type 1 diabetes have a greatly increased risk of coeliac disease (6x the risk is the figure I read). There is also a theory that gluten might be somehow involved in the development of Type 1 (Google ‘zonulin’ and combinations of ‘Type 1’ and ‘gluten’, etc, if you want more information). In addition, some Type 1s have Non Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity, and some choose to avoid gluten for other reasons related to their Type 1 or to something else.

So, Type 1s, the question is do you avoid gluten? Vote in the Poll 🙂

 

[Robin]

I don’t avoid gluten. As I was 50 when I developed diabetes, and unaware of the link at the time, and I’m now 68, it’s probably a bit late to start worrying about it!

 

[rayray119]

People with Type 1 diabetes have a greatly increased risk of coeliac disease (6x the risk is the figure I read). There is also a theory that gluten might be somehow involved in the development of Type 1 (Google ‘zonulin’ and combinations of ‘Type 1’ and ‘gluten’, etc, if you want more information). In addition, some Type 1s have Non Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity, and some choose to avoid gluten for other reasons related to their Type 1 or to something else.

So, Type 1s, the question is do you avoid gluten? Vote in the Poll 🙂

I need to sort getting my bloods done. But the nurse put in test for Celolic deises. Obviously not avoiding gluten currently as it's messes up tests if I do that. Although my type 1 might be genetic in some way. Because apparently my great grandfather was tyoe 1. I've also recently found out my cousin on another side has been diagnosed

 

[rebrascora]

I have ticked avoid gluten for other reasons, that being that I am low carb and I find my gut is much happier since I went low carb, so whilst I am not religiously avoiding gluten and I am not suggesting I am gluten intolerant and I will occasionally have wheat products, my body is happier for me minimizing my exposure to wheat and therefore most gluten, but I appreciate it is in many other products to some extent, so I don't specifically look at ingredients or warning labels for gluten. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Inka]

It makes sense @rebrascora People might choose to avoid gluten for all kinds of reasons 🙂 eg they might be paleo, have IBS, have allergies or intolerances - and many other reasons too.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Nope! I’m a daily gluten consumer and think I always have been.

I have cooked with gluten-free flours to support others’ needs though.

 

[helli]

I am a gluteneer.
Last year, I was tested for coeliac due to some vitamin deficiency and nothing was flagged.
As a frequent baker (two loaves of sourdough came out of the oven this morning), I am was very pleased.

 

[Inka]

I’ve been tested for coeliac disease a number of times, with the consultant sure I had it because I also had deficiencies, trouble with dairy, etc, but tests have been negative. Recently, I’ve had painful stomach problems so decided to try a GF diet just to see if it helped @helli I wasn’t expecting it to but I thought it was something I should do if only to rule it out. The result was almost miraculous in that my whole digestive system felt hugely better. The consultant now thinks I have NCGS. So I’m now very happily gluten free. I thought I’d miss it, but the thought of the pain and stomach problems again stops me cheating at all.

I’ve made some nice GF cookies and cakes so far, and found GF bread that’s fine to eat, so I don’t feel deprived 🙂

Interestingly, my blood sugars have smoothed out too, which is a very welcome side effect.

 

[rebrascora]

Interestingly, my blood sugars have smoothed out too, which is a very welcome side effect.

I must confess that I have wondered for a while if my strong response to wheat products is partly caused by inflammation. I seem to have much less trouble with sugar than I do with flour or flour based products. Sugar, I get a short spike that comes straight down whereas wheat products go up and then seem to stay up and I need corrections and sometimes stacked corrections to bring them down and I wonder if the persistent raised levels are due to an inflammatory response.
Finding that my gut was so much happier and my bowels more healthy was one of the reasons why I stuck with low carb and why I think many other people find a benefit for their gut in going low carb when they previously had problems. Not saying you have to go low carb to be GF but just that low carb can cause a significant reduction in gluten intake which can have a significant benefit for some people with IBS.

 

[nonethewiser]

Been tested few times before but all has been good with results, think last test was before being diagnosed with EPI.

Pleased as like my bread, have sandwich for lunch most days & thankfully don't suffer from any symptoms.

Pleased your both feeling better for going gluten free @Inka @rebrascora

 

[Inka]

Thanks @nonethewiser I thought it would be really hard, but the fact I feel so much better has been a massive encouragement. I’ve also got some kind of issue with oats, which is a bit awkward, but, again, better than feeling ill.

I’m surprised how few people have coeliac disease here, as the stats would suggest more should.

 

[AndBreathe]

@Rebrosca , as I'm sure you know, I'm not in the T1 club, but I am gluten-free, on the strongest suggestion of my Endo.

My family medical history is littered with auto-immune conditions on both sides and my father and mother each had two each. He is staggered that, as yet, I don't appear to have developed anything. The basis for his recommendation is how well he observes folks with AI conditions do when they go GF.

Like you, I didn't feel I had any signs or symptoms of coeliac, but my gut is much better without gluten, even though as a long term low carber my gluten ingestion levels were modest. I'm contented to stick with GF, and in the meantime, the Endo runs a raft of tests from time to time

 

[diabetic gardener]

People with Type 1 diabetes have a greatly increased risk of coeliac disease (6x the risk is the figure I read). There is also a theory that gluten might be somehow involved in the development of Type 1 (Google ‘zonulin’ and combinations of ‘Type 1’ and ‘gluten’, etc, if you want more information). In addition, some Type 1s have Non Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity, and some choose to avoid gluten for other reasons related to their Type 1 or to something else.

So, Type 1s, the question is do you avoid gluten? Vote in the Poll 🙂

At present I don't avoid gluten. I have had a pretty unpredictable gut for much longer than the 2 years of T1D, , and and have wondered if there is link. However my bloods are good at present I feel cutting out gluten alongside everything else [I also have congenital heart disease CHD] is a bridge too far!
I'd be interested in whether there are others with T1D and CHD as there is some research indicating a link. How much did endless antibiotics as a child in the 50's and 60's influence?

 

[nonethewiser]

Thanks @nonethewiser I thought it would be really hard, but the fact I feel so much better has been a massive encouragement. I’ve also got some kind of issue with oats, which is a bit awkward, but, again, better than feeling ill.

I’m surprised how few people have coeliac disease here, as the stats would suggest more should.

Important thing is you feel much better for giving up gluten, you can't put a price on that. There seems to be a good selection of gf foods in supermarkets so sure you will find alternatives.

Strange about oats mind as they are naturally gf, researched this whilst awaiting last test 6 years ago but it did say there's a slight risk of cross contamination where farms grow multiple crops.

 

[SB2015]

I was tested recently for coeliac and very relieved that it came back negative.
I do like my bread and the gluten free versions of bread and cakes just didn’t taste good to me.

 

[rayray119]

I was tested recently for coeliac and very relieved that it came back negative.
I do like my bread and the gluten free versions of bread and cakes just didn’t taste good to me.

There some good brands of gulten free stuff. My sister's coelic so a few. The square rolls warbtons do you can't tell the difference really. Also you weren't cutting out gultan before the test were you

 

[rayray119]

I’ve also got some kind of issue with oats, which is a bit awkward, but, again, better than feeling ill.

Oats have a protein similar to gluten in avion(I believe that's the the name)some people that react to gutlen can react to that as well even there gulten free oats

 

[Inka]

Oats have a protein similar to gluten in avion(I believe that's the the name)some people that react to gutlen can react to that as well even there gulten free oats

Yes, I think that’s the issue, which is why I don’t eat gluten-free oats either. Bit of a nuisance, but I’m getting used to it.

 

[Inka]

I was tested recently for coeliac and very relieved that it came back negative.
I do like my bread and the gluten free versions of bread and cakes just didn’t taste good to me.

As @rayray119 says, it depends on the brand. The first GF bread I tried tasted like sawdust, but I’ve found a couple of good ones that are fine. I also eat rice cakes and corn cakes as ‘bread’ type things. Lots of the breadmakers have a GF programme too.

It’s the same with the cakes - some aren’t as good as others. I made some nice GF cookies and brownies recently. I’ve found some lovely GF baking recipes below. Now I just need the time to make them:

https://theloopywhisk.com/diet/gluten-free/

.

 

[Inka]

At present I don't avoid gluten. I have had a pretty unpredictable gut for much longer than the 2 years of T1D, , and and have wondered if there is link. However my bloods are good at present I feel cutting out gluten alongside everything else [I also have congenital heart disease CHD] is a bridge too far!
I'd be interested in whether there are others with T1D and CHD as there is some research indicating a link. How much did endless antibiotics as a child in the 50's and 60's influence?

I hadn’t heard about a link with CHD and Type 1 @diabetic gardener but I have heard about a possible link with antibiotics. That would fit with the whole gut idea - that something foreign gets through a leaky gut and triggers Type 1 in some people. Gluten fits that too as does formula feeding, due to the absence of breastfeeding (early breast milk helps close gaps in the gut and helps the microbiome).