Whole wheat bread and heart palpitations

[Artisan]

I've notice whenever I eat whole wheat bread I'll feel a bit off and my heart palpitates for a few hours afterwards. I've also noticed this when I eat certain cereals. I never have heart palpitations otherwise. Have any of you heard of this or know what might be the cause?

[spokewench]

Sometimes when I eat oat meal, I get what I would call a "hot flash"!

Something like the reaction some people get when they take niacin. Red face, feeling hot. Is it something like that?

[Dianyla]

You might be allergic to gluten, which is not quite the same as gluten intolerance but unpleasant nonetheless. The reason I would tend to suspect allergy over intolerance is the immediacy of your symptoms, though it is possible you're very intolerant and sensitive to it. I am only mildly gluten intolerant and only get symptoms after eating a certain quantity of it over time, but I've heard others report pretty immediate reactions.

Have you tried avoiding all gluten for a few weeks to see if you feel better?

[Artisan]

I don't get the "hot flash" feeling, it's just a feeling of discomfort and the heart palpatations.

I will try the gluten free diet for a few weeks because it does feel like my body is telling me it doesn't like what I have ingested when I eat it.

[LBTC]

Artisan, I know that I get heart palpitations if I have anything with aspartame (nutrasweet) in it, which is apparently a fairly common symptom of intolerance to this artificial sweetener. If you read the ingredients you may find something like this lurking in the bread and cereals you've got. Of course, it could be the grain, so trying gluten free is definitely not a bad idea. Either way, I know those palpitations do not feel pleasant!

Hugs and butterflies!
~T~