Glutened by New Bedding?

[StrongerThanCeliac]

It could be a delayed reaction to something else.
 

But my washer/dryer  (studio apartments here get in all-in-one washer/dryer which sucks and doesn’t dry well at all) so I just bought all new bedding. I did not want to wash the sheets and sleep on wet sheets. The brand new bedding that I bought (which is 100% polyester) has some sort of strong smell (not sure that it’s gluten). No way I could get glutened by brand new bedding right? Lol I didn’t feel the celiac really come on until sleeping in the new bedding for a full night. 

 

I believe I’ve reacted to airborne gluten before (got sick after delivering from DoorDash) but that was hot, freshly cooked gluten food lol. Surely sheets sitting in a store for days wouldn’t somehow cause me to react to the smell even if they were doused in gluten? I’m not sure.

[knitty kitty]

No, your new polyester sheets have not been doused with gluten.

Polyester fabrics are made from petrochemicals and have more petrochemicals used on them to get the correct texture, and prevent wrinkles, and sizing chemicals so the fabric stays in the right shape.

Some petrochemicals are used to make plastic disposable food containers like those used in restaurant take-away containers.

All these chemicals are capable of being inhaled, ingested and absorbed through the skin.  These chemicals promote inflammation, and endocrine system dysregulation, as well as promoting metabolic syndrome.  These chemicals are processed out through the liver, dependent upon Thiamine B1.  

Not all inflammation is caused by gluten.  Our bodies have a limited vocabulary.  Inflammation is inflammation whether caused by ingestion of gluten or breathing in petrochemicals from new polyester sheets.  

I've had chemical sensitivity for a long time while undiagnosed.  I learned to steer clear of man-made fibers and fabrics.  All natural fibers like cotton, are much safer for us.   

Don't use dryer sheets nor fabric softeners, as they coat your laundry with more petrochemicals.

Hope this helps!

[StrongerThanCeliac]

  On 9/15/2023 at 5:03 PM, knitty kitty said:

No, your new polyester sheets have not been doused with gluten.

Polyester fabrics are made from petrochemicals and have more petrochemicals used on them to get the correct texture, and prevent wrinkles, and sizing chemicals so the fabric stays in the right shape.

Some petrochemicals are used to make plastic disposable food containers like those used in restaurant take-away containers.

All these chemicals are capable of being inhaled, ingested and absorbed through the skin.  These chemicals promote inflammation, and endocrine system dysregulation, as well as promoting metabolic syndrome.  These chemicals are processed out through the liver, dependent upon Thiamine B1.  

Not all inflammation is caused by gluten.  Our bodies have a limited vocabulary.  Inflammation is inflammation whether caused by ingestion of gluten or breathing in petrochemicals from new polyester sheets.  

I've had chemical sensitivity for a long time while undiagnosed.  I learned to steer clear of man-made fibers and fabrics.  All natural fibers like cotton, are much safer for us.   

Don't use dryer sheets nor fabric softeners, as they coat your laundry with more petrochemicals.

Hope this helps!

Expand Quote  

Thank you! But I’ve slept on polyester sheets without washing them first many times and nothing. Could you send me the study that you got this from? 
 

Also, this feels like a full on glutening - headache, brain fog, bloating, etc…..not sure it’s the chemicals.

[knitty kitty]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31706747/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8904271/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9748405/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6133113/

 

If you've slept on sheets before without washing them and nothing, why would you want to blame the sheets for your reaction now?

Were you also having Celiac symptoms during those occasions?

Those are symptoms of glutening, yes, but also symptoms of an immune response to something inflammatory like chemicals.

With Celiac Disease, as part of the immune response, histamine is produced and released by mast cells when exposed to gluten.  Mast cells can become very sensitive and release histamine easily, so we tend to react to things that we normally would not react to.  Some Celiacs develop additional food allergies, contact dermatitis, and sensitivity to nickel or Sulfites.  

Have you been exposed to foods containing high histamine?  Nightshades? Alcohol? Dairy? Eggs? Citrus fruits?   

If you're certain you are having glutening symptoms, what foods were you exposed to? 

[StrongerThanCeliac]

  On 9/15/2023 at 7:53 PM, knitty kitty said:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31706747/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8904271/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9748405/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6133113/

 

If you've slept on sheets before without washing them and nothing, why would you want to blame the sheets for your reaction now?

Were you also having Celiac symptoms during those occasions?

Those are symptoms of glutening, yes, but also symptoms of an immune response to something inflammatory like chemicals.

With Celiac Disease, as part of the immune response, histamine is produced and released by mast cells when exposed to gluten.  Mast cells can become very sensitive and release histamine easily, so we tend to react to things that we normally would not react to.  Some Celiacs develop additional food allergies, contact dermatitis, and sensitivity to nickel or Sulfites.  

Have you been exposed to foods containing high histamine?  Nightshades? Alcohol? Dairy? Eggs? Citrus fruits?   

If you're certain you are having glutening symptoms, what foods were you exposed to? 

Expand Quote  

I’m fine with eggs, alcohol, etc. I’m not sure, I just thought it may be the sheets since these smell extra strong. 

[shadycharacter]

  On 9/15/2023 at 1:45 PM, StrongerThanCeliac said:

It could be a delayed reaction to something else.
 

But my washer/dryer  (studio apartments here get in all-in-one washer/dryer which sucks and doesn’t dry well at all) so I just bought all new bedding. I did not want to wash the sheets and sleep on wet sheets. The brand new bedding that I bought (which is 100% polyester) has some sort of strong smell (not sure that it’s gluten). No way I could get glutened by brand new bedding right? Lol I didn’t feel the celiac really come on until sleeping in the new bedding for a full night. 

 

I believe I’ve reacted to airborne gluten before (got sick after delivering from DoorDash) but that was hot, freshly cooked gluten food lol. Surely sheets sitting in a store for days wouldn’t somehow cause me to react to the smell even if they were doused in gluten? I’m not sure.

Expand Quote  

Googled and found this. It seems that wheat starch may be used to treat sheets.

"Clax Silver is a wheat-based starch, a natural product. [...] Clax Silver can be used for starching cotton bed sheets and table linen and polyester (VISA) table linen."

https://eshop.diversey.se/sv-se/clax-silver-7bp1-25kg-vetebaserad-stärkelse-6973342

Do they have a customer service you could ask?

[celiac73498]

I've heard of wheat starch being used by laundries to make dress shirts perfectly stiff, so it makes sense that it could also be used for other laundry items.

[knitty kitty]

https://www.thehouseofpillows.eu/polyester-shouldnt-be-in-your-bed-blog/

 

Wheat starch and vegetable based starches are usually used on natural fibers like cotton because these starches don't stick to polyester.  

[shadycharacter]

  On 9/17/2023 at 3:14 PM, knitty kitty said:

https://www.thehouseofpillows.eu/polyester-shouldnt-be-in-your-bed-blog/

 

Wheat starch and vegetable based starches are usually used on natural fibers like cotton because these starches don't stick to polyester.  

Expand Quote  

Ok, I see your point! And the strong smell in the OPs bedding must be from something else, because wheat starch doesn't smell. However, the product description I linked to recommends using the wheat starch based product on polyester table linen at least, so perhaps it's not unthinkable that wheat starch could be used on polyester sheets in combination with some other substanse providing adhesiveness (and make it smell). I imagine wheat starch is cheap and tempting to use.

It's a pity we get so little information about chemical treatments of products we buy. If it says 100 % cotton I rarely think about what chemicals the fabric may contain. I usually wash before first use though, but without knowing what is washed away. I never thought cotton sheets could be made with wheat.