At age thirty-eight, I discovered that I had a gluten allergy. For a while, I was very confused about exactly what that meant. Is this an allergy to wheat? Does this mean I have celiac disease? Could this be nothing more than a sensitivity to foods that contain gluten? A little research gave me the answers I was looking for.
Celiac disease is something that affects about 1% of the population. It is a genetic condition that causes the body to be unable to tolerate gluten. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and all the foods that contain these ingredients. One of the best things that a person who has celiac disease can do is to get on a gluten-free diet, and stay on it.
When a person who has celiac disease eats food that has gluten in it, their body cannot absorb that food. It actually causes damage to the person’s intestines. This damage leads to even more problems with food absorption. People who have celiac disease, and are not aware of it, can develop anemia, osteoporosis, and even some neurological symptoms. Some will also have problems with maintaining their weight.
On the other hand, a gluten allergy (which is sometimes also called a gluten sensitivity, or a gluten intolerance), is a bit different. People with a gluten allergy do not have the gene that causes a person to have celiac disease. Dr. Joseph Murray, professor of medicine and consultant in gastroenterology and immunology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has referred to a gluten allergy as “celiac light”.
Gluten allergies are not as well defined, medically speaking, as celiac disease is. Both groups experience health problems when they consume food that has gluten in it. Both groups can experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, or diarrhea after eating foods that have gluten in them.
People who have gluten allergies, however, might or might not have the antibodies in their blood that are present in people who have celiac disease. Specifically, this means antibodies to the protein called TTG.
Another difference is that people who have gluten allergies, (or sensitivities, or intolerances), are not actually harming their intestine when they eat foods that contain gluten. People with a gluten sensitivity often experience fatigue or headaches after eating something that has gluten in it. These symptoms are not necessarily ones that all people who have celiac disease will experience.
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