Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is the description given to someone who tests negative for celiac disease, but whose symptoms subside when they eliminate gluten from their diet. Scientific evidence supports that gluten sensitivity not only exists, but also is very different from celiac disease.
Science shows that the immune reaction to celiac disease is different than the immune reaction to gluten sensitivity. This evidence indicates that the immune response occurring in gluten sensitive patients is distinct AND different from that of celiac disease patients, although both conditions exhibit similar symptoms.
There are a myriad of symptoms associated with gluten sensitivity, most commonly stomach problems, headaches, fatigue, numbness and depression but more than 100 symptoms have been loosely linked to gluten intake with gluten sensitive people.
Currently, there are no definitive tests to determine if someone has non-celiac gluten sensitivity. In the meantime, experts recommend that anyone who thinks they have it be tested for celiac disease first. For now, a gluten-free diet is the only treatment recommended for gluten sensitivity. There is a lot more that needs to be done for people with gluten sensitivity, but the good news is that this is firmly recognized in the medical community as a real condition.