Long COVID and gluten sensitivity

If the gluten content is problematic, cake flour has ~7-8% gluten, which is less than the ~12-13% of "00 soft wheat" flour that you mention. All wheat hybrids have gluten, even spelt. Cake flour has less gluten because you don't want it as stretchy as pizza crust. H1N1 triggered celiac in me 15 years ago so I am completely GF. I feed my GI tract with psyllium husk and other soluble and insoluble fiber,, kombucha, and a mostly FODMAP diet. Celiac, viruses, and autoimmune diseases can screw up the gut biome.

I am not convinced that the gluten content is the major problem in gluten intolerance. I have always been able to tolerate wheat in Europe where they don't use as many chemicals to process the crops. All I can say for sure is that I have chemical intolerance but I do not have problems with the 00 flour. My doctor's father's hands swell up from gluten containing products in the U.S. but he has no problem with the 00 flour. I work in environmental health research.

Perhaps it is not the gliadin and or glutenin in wheat that is causing you problems, but is other contained proteins or chemical compounds (also a research scientist). Do you also react to the gluten proteins in rye and/or barley? I have celiac and the HLA DQ8 0302 haplotype, so for me it is the gluten. Some folk have trouble digesting the nasty proteins. All I know is that I miss croissants. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5084031/

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Celiac disease is a serious matter and not the more frequent gluten intolerance that is so prevalent today. You are entirely correct about my case probably being related to chemicals in the wheat. I was diagnosed with ME/CFS in 1984 and I suddenly became reactive to all kinds of chemicals that had never bothered me before. We had our home treated for fleas with chlorpyrifos right before I became sick. I think the ME/CFS made me more vulnerable to developing Long Covid after having Covid twice in the same year. The symptoms of LC have been much more serious: A-fib and high blood pressure; hearing loss and eye involvement along with balance and walking problems.

ME/CFS would be physically and emotionally hard, navigating how much one can exert oneself and diet. I hope you have a good support network. I have a few autoimmune diseases, and damage from MGUS or long covid (LC). Still some PEM fatigue from LC. I'm also sensitive to legumes, NSAIDs and other meds, some chemicals in processed foods, and wood dust/sap (woodworking). This getting older is not for wimps. I had PT for neuropathy balance problems; it helped some but only when my eyes are open. So much more interesting learning about afflictions than it is collecting them.

I, too, have developed gluten intolerance after having long-Covid twice as well as high blood pressure issues & now nerve issues in my hip & leg. Seems never ending issues. I’ve been healthy up to this point. It makes one weary!

That it does. Consider keeping a food diary in case you have less obvious intolerances. My doctor had me on a FODMAP diet after covid further screwed up my GI tract. I hope your symptoms subside and disappear through time. My blood pressure and pounding heartbeat went away after 8 months, so I mostly have PEM now. There is a fair bit of info on covid and long covid in ResearchGate. Pubs are geared to medical doctors and researchers, but still interesting reading. Have you been tested for neuropathy in case that is related the nerve issues? I have pre-existing polyneuropathy, but it hasn't progressed in the last decade. I do a lot of balance and dexterity training (mostly woodworking and gardening) to control it.

I think my next step will be a nerve conduction test. Staying mainly off gluten has seemed to help & I have my bp stabilized. I have info on long COVID clinic in Little Rock, AR. I’m considering reaching out to them. Glad you are finding relief.

For those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, I would to recommend two fantastic cookbooks...."The Gluten Free Gourmet" and edition two of this book. The writer's husband has celiac disease and she has developed the most delicious recipes. I have never made anything from her cookbook that didn't turn out great. I also use King Arthur Gluten-Free Pancake Mix that I buy on Amazon. This flour makes tastier pancakes than those made with wheat flour.

Gluten intolerance gives one a bit more latitude then Celiac though I'm willing to try since Italy has developed a GF strain of wheat.