Nowadays, gluten allergy is no longer a foreign word, even if it is often chuckled at. But the number of patients with the most diverse symptoms is increasing. However, there are three sources of symptoms: Gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy and celiac disease.
The growing supply of gluten-free foods in our supermarkets alone makes it clear that more people are developing sensitivity, allergies, or even autoimmune diseases. The various symptoms can be treated quickly and permanently by consistently avoiding gluten-containing foods.
Three forms of reaction to gluten are known: the autoimmune reaction (celiac disease), the allergic reaction (wheat allergy), and the presumably immune-mediated reaction (gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity).
A wheat allergy is a classic food allergy that can affect the skin, respiratory organs, or the gastrointestinal tract. Celiac disease, on the other hand, only affects the intestinal mucosa, but is much more dangerous, as its symptoms can develop from an intestinal to a neurological disorder.
Gluten sensitivity has not yet been fully defined. It includes all ailments caused by wheat but without wheat allergy or celiac disease.
What is gluten anyway?
Gluten is a protein that is found in many cereals. It is most common in wheat, but also in barley, spelt, oats, and rye. It is also found in the so-called original cereals such as emmer, einkorn and khorasan wheat. Gluten has an elastic and yet stable character, which is why it is easy to process. This is why wheat flour is usually used in production.
Symptoms of gluten sensitivity range from nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, headaches, mental and neurological disorders.
Gluten Sensitivity
The term “wheat sensitivity” is also used here. According to experts, the reason for their increased occurrence may be the new breeding of gluten-rich wheat varieties and their increased use in staple foods and baked goods. This occurs due to being able to process the food better and make it last longer.
In addition, the wheat varieties are changed towards pest resistance, which can also trigger gluten sensitivity. It includes all symptoms that can be caused by wheat without wheat allergy or celiac disease. It is assumed that this is a disturbance of the immune system.
The symptoms affect adults, mainly women, and can occur hours or days after eating gluten-containing foods. They range from nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, headaches, mental, and neurological disorders.
Procedure
In principle, celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten sensitivity can be counteracted with a gluten-free diet of varying duration. In the case of celiac disease, however, the diet must be maintained for a lifetime. In case of wheat allergy, antiallergic drugs and possible desensitization can help. Here the diet does not have to be kept consistently. Reducing gluten-containing food and taking suitable dietary supplements usually helps with gluten sensitivity.
