Monday, October 6, 2008

What is a Gluten Allergy?

By Dorothy Medlum

There is a rubbery like protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and low level oats called gluten. Gluten allows the bread to bind. You would notice this in baked breads and other baked goods.

Although these grains contain gluten, which can be the cause of gluten allergy in sensitive people, they also contain number of other proteins that can also be the cause of allergy symptoms.

The four primary proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley include: albumin, globulin, gliadin, and glutenin, better known as gluten. While the symptoms and severity of gluten allergy vary from one person to another, a person would generally experience hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or asthma.

If the person is highly sensitive to gluten allergy, the symptoms could be life-threatening.

If the reaction comes after eating wheat or wheat products, making an early diagnosis is quite easy. That is good news! The difficulty comes because so many foods we eat contain wheat, therefore; the real problem is deciding which food caused the problem.

An allergist or trained doctor might need to do a prick test on the skin to determine that gluten allergy is the problem. If the reaction is too severe, the solution might be to eliminate by products from the diet. If it is minor, the amount of wheat might be monitored, allergy medication or shots given and the person would be fine with the gluten allergy.

If a child is the one with the gluten allergy, chances are they will outgrow this allergy. In children, the allergy can be seen as abnormal stools, irritability, poor muscle tone, wasting of the muscles, or abdominal distension growth. If found in the adult, there may be a significant weight loss, abdominal cramps, and bloating, or constipation.

A doctor will do a blood test in either cased to confirm the diagnosis. Once done, the treatment is to eliminate gluten from the diet. It is essential, therefore; to address things such as nutrients and deficiencies. Niacin, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, chromium, dolacin, and phosphorus, health care, and diet are matters to be discussed with your physician. - 14130

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