What is gluten intolerance?

Written by: Lara Field MS, RD, LDN

In a general sense, gluten is the general name to describe the storage proteins, or prolamins, found in wheat (gliadin), rye (hordein), barley (secalin) and derivatives of these grains.  Celiac disease (aka: gluten intolerance, gluten-sensitive enteropathy or celiac sprue) is an autoimmune disorder, which means the body “attacks itself” rather than attacking a foreign substance as in an allergy.  The only medical treatment for celiac disease consists of life-long avoidance of gluten containing foods.

Is gluten intolerance the same as wheat allergy?

Wheat allergy is an abnormal immune system reaction to one or more proteins in wheat.  People who have wheat allergies have developed an antibody or disease-fighting agent to wheat protein.  Wheat allergy may result in a variety of symptoms including hives, difficulty breathing or nausea.  Wheat allergies also can cause anaphylaxis which causes swelling or tightness of the throat, dizziness, or trouble swallowing among other symptoms.  The treatment for wheat allergy is to avoid wheat, however unlike gluten intolerance, rye and barley may be tolerated.

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