What Is it Called When a Person Has a Gluten Allergy?

For some people, gluten poses a problem. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It pops up in a wide variety of products: from bread and baked goods to soy sauce and lip balm. People sensitive to gluten generally suffer either from a gluten allergy or gluten intolerance.

What's in a Name?

Gluten allergy is sometimes referred to as "wheat allergy," but because there are many different proteins in wheat a person can be allergic to, "wheat allergy" isn't accurate. Some people mistakenly refer to gluten intolerance as gluten allergy, but they are not the same.

Gluten Allergy

Gluten allergy, like other food allergies, results from the body's immune system identifying a certain substance as harmful. In the presence of such a substance, the immune system reacts by producing antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies lead to the creation of histamine, which results in the familiar systems of allergy: rashes, swollen tongue and anaphylaxis.

Gluten Intolerance

The National Institutes of Health lists other names for gluten intolerance as celiac disease or celiac sprue. Gluten intolerance is another form of gluten sensitivity. However, it is not an allergy. In the presence of gluten, a gluten-intolerant person does not create antibodies; rather, the body attacks itself, damaging projectiles in the small intestine called "villi," to protect itself from gluten.

Diagnosis

If you believe you have a gluten allergy or intolerance, your doctor can conduct blood tests to determine whether your body produces antibodies. A biopsy can determine whether your small intestine shows evidence of damage caused by gluten intolerance.

Treatment

The only treatment for a gluten allergy or intolerance is a strictly gluten-free diet. This means learning to read food labels and avoiding products containing any amount of wheat, rye or barley.