Gluten Free Pills

[Emily1975]

Two of my daughters have wheat allergies and stick to a gluten-free diet.  They really would like some regular bagels, pizza and desserts.  Has anyone tried those gluten pills that are similar to the Lactaid pills?  I am thinking they won’t work for an allergy versus just an intolerance.  However, the Lactaid pills break down the enzyme so maybe it would break down the gluten?  Please let me know if you have tried it and if it worked especially if you have an allergy versus sensitivity.  Thank you in advance!

 

 

[tessa25]

I don't know about those pills, but Canyon Bakehouse makes fantastic gluten-free bagels.

For pizza you can always learn how to make it. I've learned that a proper NY pizza uses Escalon 6 in 1 ground tomatoes (not cooked) with a pinch of sugar if it tastes bitter at all. Then add Grande shredded mozarella for the cheese. The crust can be Udis(thin), Schar (thick), or Etalia (NY style avaible in CO).

 

[cyclinglady]

I am a little concerned.  Were your children diagnosed by a board-certified allergist (MD)?  We have IgE allergies in our family that require carrying EPI pens.  No way, we would give a  allergy kids access to those foods that they are allergic to.  The risk is too high.  

I have celiac disease and I would not use those gluten pills at all even though my response (which is autoimmune) will not kill me fast like an allergy can.  Anything made with wheat can be created with gluten free flours.  

[Emily1975]

We talked to the allergist and he said that their allergy does not test positive enough to carry an epi-pen.  They just suffer adominal pain.  

As far as all the gluten-free products, we probably have tried almost all of them.  We definitely have our favorites, but, honestly something will never taste the same no matter how hard you try.  

I mostly looking for someone that have tried them and if they worked or not.  After talking to the doctor again, they may help someone with a sensitive but less likely help my girls as it is an allergy.  

Thank to yoy all.  

[lyfan]

I suspect the OP is referring to GliadinX, a major sponsor of this board. (Thank you, GliadinX.)

 From what I've read, the pills may or may not really do anything, or they may do something but not anywhere near total conversion. There's still no solid objective study. With adults I would say "Try them, see if it helps BUT it isn't a cure, you're still taking damage."

 I consider celiac disease a bit like radiation sickness. There's a total cumulative lifetime dosage, and every time you get hot by another dose, you get pushed further towards the point where permanent damage and failures will happen. There's no such thing as a "small safe dose of radiation" if it adds up over fifty years and pushes you over the line. And that's going to be different for every person and every "celiac-like" problem.

 I looked at them and decided, it isn't certain enough for me to guinea pig on them. Although there are a lot of unlikely and interesting approaches (from vaccines to tapeworms, literally) being explored to see what really may help.

[Ennis-TX]

...The glidenX lessen how long my abdominal symptoms are present and they seemed less pronounced, same with my ataxia. They are not a cure all. I take it when I accidentally get exposed....I would never suggest taking them then consuming it knowingly

If you kids are celiac, any amount of gluten will cause damage for months even after eating it pill or not the immune system will spike the antibodies for accumulative damage.
IF your kids have a allergy who to say it is not some other protein in the wheat not just the gluten.....I would avoid it all cost, I have a corn and whey allergy, sometimes something made from corn might just make me feel a bit iffy ie maltodextrin, citric acid, sometimes it makes me violently ill like xantham gum, other times it will cause me to get blood blisters in my mouth, fever, and even cause my throat to start closing up and trouble breathing like corn starch, corn syrup, or that idiot that ran popcorn machine next to me and set off a anaphylactic attack.

I posted a really good hamburger bun in my blog a few days ago, my family loves them and you make them real quick, toast a bit on the grill/pan and perfect.
Breads....I can make some breads decent, I also have issues with carbs, starches, corn, and whey so I make all my stuff with a nut flour base.
I use Califlour Pizza, plant based...the new version can even be used for pinwheels, I like Mikey's Muffins for English muffins..reminds me of the cheap fast food ones you used to get.  I have several good cookie recipes I have posted that are a rave at farmers markets.
I might even be posted how to make good gooy cinnamon rolls in the next few days...God I miss those things, and I am going all out for my birthday to make them no matter the price.
 

[cyclinglady]

Sometimes kids outgrow their allergies!  I sincerely hope this happens to them.  Do antihistamines help if wheat is ingested?  

While gluten-free foods are not exactly the same as wheat based foods, homemade versions are superior.    gluten-free tastes better the longer you are away from gluten.  Over time, you sort of forget what gluten-containing foods tastes like.  I just made pumpkin cream cheese rolls for Thanksgiving.   When you have gluten eaters asking for more, then you know it is good.  

Focus on things they can eat that are mainstream like candy canes, ice cream, etc.  I am sitting next to a stack of See’s candies boxes right now.  But I have to wait....until Christmas!  

 

[GFinDC]

7 hours ago, Emily1975 said:

Two of my daughters have wheat allergies and stick to a gluten-free diet.  They really would like some regular bagels, pizza and desserts.  Has anyone tried those gluten pills that are similar to the Lactaid pills?  I am thinking they won’t work for an allergy versus just an intolerance.  However, the Lactaid pills break down the enzyme so maybe it would break down the gluten?  Please let me know if you have tried it and if it worked especially if you have an allergy versus sensitivity.  Thank you in advance!

 

 

Lactaid pills break down the lactose sugar in foods.  Lactaid pills have the lactase enzyme in them.

We don't know what gluten pills you are talking about because you haven't given us the name of the product.

But there are no pills that 100% degrade gluten or wheat available yet.  And no pills can prevent an allergic response before it starts which is very soon after ingestion of the allergen.   Allergies can become more severe very suddenly and be dangerous.  They are not something to take a chance on for a pizza or other treat IMHO.

[kareng]

8 hours ago, Emily1975 said:

Two of my daughters have wheat allergies and stick to a gluten-free diet.  They really would like some regular bagels, pizza and desserts.  Has anyone tried those gluten pills that are similar to the Lactaid pills?  I am thinking they won’t work for an allergy versus just an intolerance.  However, the Lactaid pills break down the enzyme so maybe it would break down the gluten?  Please let me know if you have tried it and if it worked especially if you have an allergy versus sensitivity.  Thank you in advance!

 

 

So, even if the pills work - they would not be for a true allergy.  That isn’t how allergies work.  Talk to your allergist.  I assume you actually went to an allergist?

[laf2005laurie]

I wrote another post questioning the active ingredient that is one of them- aspergilla niger Latin for black mold.  Can't imagine....   would be interested to hear how others like it.

As far as kids diet----Rather than focus on what they can't have, maybe their diet could become a learning adventure. I fell in love with an ethnic foodstore right after dx'd.

[ch88]

I have read that the "gluten free pills" can help with accidental exposure to small amounts of gluten. They are ineffective though at stopping large quantities of gluten from entering the digestive track. I would research gluten allergies and celaic disease to make sure the doctor gave the right diagnosis. Unfortunately a lot of doctors are not familiar with the proper method for diagnosing Celiac disease. Someone can be both allergic to wheat and have Celiac disease. 

[docaz]

Hi, 

I am a father of 2 celiac children and in the medical and biotech field and I am also the founder of GliadinX. At the time, when my children were diagnosed, AN-PEP the main ingredient in the formulation was not available for sale. It is manufactured by DSM, one of the largest if not the largest enzyme manufacturer in the world. I was fortunate enough to meet with the main scientists in Holland and also with the main researcher at the University of Leiden and to receive a sample of the first batch that we encapsulated at home. By the way, the founder of Alvine, another company that is working on an enzyme formulation was also founded by a father with celiac children. I want to make a point that this is not to promote my product (and if you like, there are other AN-PEP products out there including one at WalMart) but I would like to address some questions raised here. First of all, there is a lot of research in peer-reviewed journals proving that AN-PEP can break down the proline bindings of the gliadin molecule. One of the convincing studies that I have found is one in which people had a tube going through the nose into the stomach and reaching the small intestine. They were given gluten and the enzymes, and the enzymes broke down the gliadin molecule before it reached the small intestine. The study was conducted for ethical reasons with healthy patients because the digestion works the same as with celiac patients but did not involve risk of damage due to gluten.

I am posting here the link to that study 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26040627

Here is a study that was done on the most advanced model of the gastrointestinal tract with the same positive results

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6338053_Efficient_degradation_of_gluten_by_a_prolyl_endoprotease_in_a_gastrointestinal_model_Implications_for_coeliac_disease

There are many more studies and feel free to google AN-PEP and gluten on google scholar.

I would like to emphasize that at this time, there is nothing that can reverse or cure celiac disease. Gliadin has many proline bindings and humans cannot digest them. The only function of AN-PEP is to break down the proline bindings of gliadin before it enters the small intestine. This does not prevent or cure celiac disease but it lowers the exposure to the immunogenic component of gliadin. By how much, is still being investigated. What this means that AN-PEP is best used for cross-contamination, which it can deal with very efficiently. For larger amounts of gluten, even if in laboratory studies such as the one posted, it has shown to work there has to be more research done and not recommended at this time. 

It is also important to differentiate between allergic reactions such as hives and shortness of breath which can not be addressed by enzymes and it appears that many kinds of non-celiac gluten sensitivities are not caused by the gliadin component but by a fructan that is in gluten and for these, it is suspected that a different enzyme called inulase might help. 

Another issue that has been raised is that AN-PEP is produced by a fungus/mold. That is indeed the case, but most people might not be aware that it is unlikely that a day passes without eating something that was made by a mold. Citric acid that is in many foods and drinks, many other enzymes and many antibiotics (including penicillin the first discovered one) and many other ingredients in the food industry are derived from molds. All these products go through a purification process and all fungal remnants are removed from the final product. Another aspect is that some molds are obviously dangerous but most molds are in fact not toxic but live happily with us and even within us and are part of our healthy flora. Kefir is an excellent example of a product of an actual live mold that we ingest (and you can buy the fungus on eBay). Of course, the mold that hides behind walls and we do not want to inhale is not healthy but obviously, that's not used for food products.

Ideally, we would have a 100% gluten-free diet but we know that in many social settings we do not have full control and based on several studies, it appears that everybody gets exposed to gluten. 

I must admit that I was quite naive because I did not expect the existing skepticism but I understand that there are a number of enzymes that promise a lot and do not deliver.

This might sound corny but when I started my search in this direction, my main focus was to help my socially active children and traveling in many countries and who have had perfect blood levels for over 6 years and I would gladly share my gained knowledge to help others (and I really, really would be very happy if enzymes including my product becomes one day obsolete because of the vaccine that is being tested at the University of Chicago)

Albert