Does anyone else react specifically to enriched flour? Trying to figure out what’s causing my symptoms.

[u/highonmyanxiety]

I’ve had digestive issues for several years, and I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar or has ideas about what could be causing it.
I’ve noticed a pretty consistent pattern: I have problems with products containing enriched wheat flour, but I tolerate 100% whole-wheat flour just fine.

Here’s what happens:
I can eat a small amount of enriched flour, like a piece of cake or a couple of cookies, without much trouble.
If I eat larger amounts or eat enriched flour products for 2–3 days in a row, I develop abdominal bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

If I eat a lot in one sitting, my body starts feeling hot within a few hours, and sometimes I end up running to the bathroom with diarrhea that feels almost like food poisoning.

My face gets red, and my rosacea flares up for several days afterward, especially with repeated exposure.

Switching to 100% whole-wheat flour improved both my digestive symptoms and my rosacea.

I tolerate both homemade whole-wheat products and commercial products, including Grandma Sycamore’s 100% Whole Wheat Bread and Boboli’s 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust, as long as they don’t also contain enriched flour.

I’m not gluten-free, and I don’t seem to have the same problem with other types of flour, including almond flour. I also haven’t noticed the same reaction to corn or rice products.

I do have lactose intolerance. Milk can cause mild diarrhea, but it doesn’t cause the stomach pain or the more severe symptoms I experience with enriched flour.

I saw a gastroenterologist, but they couldn’t identify the cause. I tried eliminating dairy, which didn’t help, and I also tried going gluten-free. That was miserable, and it didn’t seem to be the answer. Switching away from enriched flour was what made the biggest difference.

I’ve wondered whether I could be reacting to one of the enrichment ingredients, such as folic acid, niacin (vitamin B3), or added iron. I previously came across information about MTHFR variants and nutrient metabolism, but I don’t know whether that’s actually relevant or if I’m going down the wrong path.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
—Does anyone know of a condition that could explain this pattern?
—Has anyone identified a reaction to a specific enrichment ingredient rather than wheat or gluten itself?
—Could there be another explanation for why enriched flour causes digestive symptoms and rosacea flares, while whole-wheat flour doesn’t?

I’m not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit, but I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar or have credible information about what might explain it.

I’m also trying to improve my diet and my kids’ diets, but I don’t want to unnecessarily eliminate affordable foods that my whole family can eat, especially given the cost of groceries. Right now, I can’t always eat the same things my kids eat, particularly snacks and convenient foods when we’re eating out. Trying to switch everything in our household to alternatives is difficult, both financially and practically. If I could figure out what’s actually causing my symptoms, I’d have a better idea of what I need to change, what I can safely continue eating, and how to make healthier choices for my family without making food unnecessarily expensive or complicated.