Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale that most healthy people don’t experience symptoms from when eating gluten products – however those suffering from celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity do.
Gluten typically takes 40-50 hours (or two days) to pass out of the digestive system, with transit times increasing due to damage in the small intestine malabsorption in those suffering from gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
1. Transit Time
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale that may lead to short term discomfort as well as longer term gut damage and health concerns. Efficiently eliminating this substance from your system is critical to optimal gut health and should be done as quickly as possible for best results.
Transit times typically range from two days to seven, but can depend on factors like acid reflux, IBS or other underlying digestive conditions that impact digestion.
Celiac disease patients may take longer to rid their systems of gluten. That’s due to an autoimmune reaction caused by gluten that damages the small bowel over time, leading to malabsorption of nutrients resulting in symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and weight loss. A recent study investigated mouth-to-cecum transit times of patients with celiac disease when compared with healthy controls by using hydrogen breath tests and urinary D-xylose tests.
2. Leaky Gut
If you are wondering how long does gluten stay in your system, an ideal digestive system features tight junctions in the intestinal lining which are closed, and only nutrients pass into the bloodstream. But gluten can disrupt this process, causing the tight junctions to loosen, allowing undigested food, bacteria, pathogens, yeast and lectins from entering into your small intestine and into your bloodstream – further weakening immunity and depriving the body of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Gluten causes damage to both the intestinal lining and triggers IgA and IgG antibodies that contribute to leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability). These proteins break down and irritate the mucosal barrier in the small intestine and may result in inflammation, poor digestion and disease.
One way to accelerate gluten’s removal from your system faster is to increase water intake, forcing more frequent urination that flushes out gluten and toxins more rapidly – ultimately helping you feel better faster!
3. Recovery Time
Gluten can take time to move through your digestive system, but you can speed up this process by forgoing all sources of gluten for at least some time in order to reduce inflammation and heal leaky gut syndrome.
Undigested gluten will typically remain in your system for one to two days before being passed through the bowels, possibly leading to symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Be sure to drink lots of fluids – coconut water is especially great as it kickstarts hydration processes while replenishing electrolytes lost during detoxing from gluten.
Your body needs restful sleep during its recovery from gluten intolerance. Resting helps avoid overexertion and stress that could prolong its process of healing, so if you’re having difficulty resting enough try taking a magnesium supplement or sleep aid. Sleep is perhaps one of the most critical elements to ensuring quick gluten healing.
4. Symptoms
Symptoms include stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea that is caused by even small amounts of gluten consumption and may last several days. Drinking water, eating alkaline foods and exercising are effective solutions. Furthermore, taking Detox C vitamin C powder may also provide benefits.
People suffering from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity respond differently to gluten. When they ingest gluten, their immune systems trigger an immunological reaction which damages villi in their small intestine, leading to malabsorption resulting in symptoms like bloating, diarrhea and weight loss.
Probiotics or gluten-digesting enzymes may help you recover more quickly after accidental gluten exposure, while dairy may aggravate symptoms. To avoid accidentally intaking gluten and experiencing discomfort from it, Cook Unity offers healthy gluten-free meals prepared by top chefs near you – start today with a free trial to give them a try!
