Digestive Health Celiac Disease Symptoms What Does It Feel Like When You Get Glutened? In some, it's like a full-body flu that lasts for days By Jane Anderson Updated on July 20, 2023 Medically reviewed by Shadi Hamdeh, MD Print If you've recently been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you might be wondering what it feels like to accidentally ingest gluten—in other words, to "get glutened." This article goes over the symptoms of accidental ingestion of gluten, what you should do if you eat gluten, and the difference between major and minor exposure. Natalia Gdovskaia / Getty Images Common Symptoms Gluten triggers an autoimmune response in people with celiac disease. The reaction damages the lining of the small intestines, preventing nutrient absorption and leading to malnutrition. People with celiac disease often experience a delayed reaction to eating gluten. It can take two to three days after eating gluten before symptoms appear. Some people with celiac accidentally eat gluten without any apparent symptoms. However, gluten can still damage the intestines without causing any symptoms. When you do experience symptoms, gastrointestinal problems are typical. Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and gas are common reactions to gluten in people with celiac disease. Although it's not common, vomiting can occur, especially if you've ingested a large amount of gluten (think: a slice of pizza or a doughnut, as opposed to a few crumbs). But remember, you can experience symptoms even from a very, very small amount of gluten. Coping With Celiac Disease Non-GI Symptoms Besides gastrointestinal symptoms, it's normal to experience brain fog when you've been glutened, and many people report recurrent bouts of gluten-caused depression that seem to clear up as soon as other symptoms clear up. Gluten-induced fatigue is another problem that's frequently mentioned. Unexpected Symptoms If you were experiencing a particular symptom before you were diagnosed – like, say, diarrhea – you might develop the opposite – constipation – when you eat gluten. And there's evidence that some people suffer from reflux during a glutening, even if they didn't have that symptom before the diagnosis. Symptoms Can Vary Just because your friend experiences one symptom when he or she eats gluten doesn't mean that it's the same symptom that you'll experience. Every person has a different reaction. An Overview of the Gluten-Free Diet What to Do If You Get Glutened It is not always possible to completely avoid gluten. Products claiming to be gluten-free may not be, or you may encounter gluten in foods where you wouldn't expect it to be. When this happens, there are certain things you can do to help reduce your symptoms. Flush It Out Drinking water can help flush the gluten out of your body. Try to drink at least 64 oz of water each day until you feel better. This is especially important if you've had vomiting and/or diarrhea, since you will need to replace lost fluids. Rest and Recover It is important to get plenty of rest, since your body will be in recovery mode. Try not to overexert yourself and make sure you're getting enough sleep at night. Take a Probiotic Probiotics may help you digest gluten proteins and prevent symptoms. They may also help protect your gut from the immunogenic peptides that trigger the autoimmune response. Forgive Yourself You may blame yourself for the way you feel, but it's not helpful to dwell on why you ate what you ate or why you might not have suspected it contained gluten. Overthinking can lead to stress, and that can interfere with your body's ability to recover. Even when you're feeling ill and anxious about your symptoms, it's important to forgive yourself for the mistake and focus on getting better. A Nutrition Guide to Celiac Disease Major Glutening vs. Minor Glutening During a major glutening, you're likely to get lots of symptoms, whereas, if it's only a minor glutening, you may only get one or a few symptoms. However, the symptoms that do appear generally come in the usual order. Still, all in all, a glutening – major or minor – is an extremely unpleasant experience. When people ask me to describe my reaction to gluten, I characterize it as a "full-body flu" that lasts for days. But the good news is that these symptoms are only temporary, and with dietary adjustments, it's possible to avoid gluten and still enjoy a varied diet full of delicious and nutritious foods. Summary Most people with celiac disease experience gastrointestinal symptoms after accidental glutening. These may include abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. It's also common to experience symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue. If you've accidentally eaten gluten, it's important to drink plenty of fluids and rest. Taking a probiotic may also help you recover. 3 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Food Allergy Research and Resource Program. Celiac disease. Yelland GW. Gluten-induced cognitive impairment ("brain fog") in coeliac disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;32 Suppl 1:90-93. doi:10.1111/jgh.13706 Chibbar R, Dieleman LA. The gut microbiota in celiac disease and probiotics. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2375. doi:10.3390/nu11102375 Additional Reading Barratt SM, Leeds JS, Sanders DS. Factors influencing the type, timing and severity of symptomatic responses to dietary gluten in patients with biopsy-proven coeliac disease. J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2013 Dec;22(4):391-6. By Jane Anderson Jane Anderson is a medical journalist and an expert in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the gluten-free diet. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit