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What Is The Difference?

Maryfrances

By Maryfrances
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Maryfrances Rookie
Maryfrances
Posted

I think one of the major issues I am having to try to understand is the difference between gluten allergy and gluten intolerance. I am sure there is a difference! I do NOT have an allergy, but an intolerance. So, that being said, do I REALLY have to keep those minute crumbs of gluten out of my toaster!? Do I REALLY have to buy all new wood items from my kitchen? Do I really have to worry about cross-contamination? *Shrugs*

Yep, I'm a newbie... both to this board and to having Celiac Sprue. I know I have TONS to learn and plan on hitting the bookstore tomorrow.

It would be so nice to have a doctor explain all of this to me... instead of shoving me out the door and being told to "educate yourself". Time to switch docs, I'm thinking. \

Can we discuss the difference? :blink::unsure:

Thanks!

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Here is some information regarding allergies vs food intolerances:

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21847/1/Qui...ance/Page1.html

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Why is it important to know if you have celiac disease, versus wheat allergy or gluten intolerance?

Celiac disease, wheat allergy and gluten-intolerance are treated similarly, in that patients with these conditions must remove wheat from their diet. It is important to note, however, that there is a difference between these three medical problems. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition, where the body’s immune system starts attacking normal tissue, such as intestinal tissue, in response to eating gluten. Because of this, people with celiac disease are at risk for malabsorption of food in the GI tract, causing nutritional deficiencies. This can lead to conditions such as iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. Since a person with wheat allergy or gluten-intolerance usually does not have severe intestinal damage, he or she is not at risk for these nutritional deficiencies. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition, putting the patient at risk for other autoimmune conditions, such as thyroid disease, type I diabetes, joint diseases and liver diseases. Since wheat allergy and gluten intolerance arenot autoimmune conditions, people who have food allergies and intolerances arenot at increased risk to develop an autoimmune condition over the general population’s risk. And finally, celiac disease involves the activation of a particular type of white blood cell, the T lymphocyte, as well as other parts of the immune system. Because of this, patients with celiac disease are at increased risk to develop GI cancers, in particular lymphomas. Because food allergies and intolerances do not involve this particular immune system pathway, and do not cause severe GI tract damage, these patients are not at increased risk for these cancers.

Thus, while celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten-intolerance may be treated with similar diets, they are not the same conditions. It is very important for a person to know which condition they have, as the person with celiac disease needs to monitor himself or herself for nutritional deficiencies, other autoimmune diseases, and GI cancers. In general, the symptoms from food allergies and intolerances resolve when the offending foods are removed from the diet and do not cause permanent organ damage.

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that manifests itself in the small intestines. Gluten Ataxia can effect other parts of the body and Dermatitis Herpetaformus can effect the skin.

Gluten intolerance and Celiac are often used interchangeably on this site unfortunately.

Although an intolerance/sensitivity can have a spectrum of levels, the two are quite different. Yet, they are similar in the RX.

If you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you must comply with a zero tolerance diet. It is not the amount of gluten that you consume, but the autoimmune response to the smallest amount of gluten, which will do damage to your body.

It is hard to take it all in in the beginning, that's why is Board is so essential. It's the best information you will find anywhere.

Hope this helps.

Maryfrances Rookie
Maryfrances
Posted
  • Author

Thanks, Lisa!

My diagnosis is Celiac Sprue. Positive biopsy confirmed the dianosis. What my Gastro told me was that I now have an allergy to gluten! I think he's more confused than I am!!

I will be printing this out. Many thanks, again, Lisa!

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
I think he's more confused than I am!!

I believe you are correct! This is a great place and feel free to ask away! :)

carecare Enthusiast
carecare
Posted

It's articles like this that confuse people. Here they say celiac is an allergy. I know it's not. But when someone does a search on celiac disease and this comes up...well what is one to think. My brother in law has severe psoriasis...and psoratic arthritis. I have been trying to convince him to go gluten free...as well as dairy to see if it helps him. He has the big D often and just thought it was the psoriasis effecting his intestines or something. Well, he was at his dermatologist about a week ago and inquired about it. Asked what he thought and the derm said flat out and sort of angryish...that celiac is not an autoimmune disorder and that my BIL did not have celiac. So BIL comes home believing this guy...ugh. It's people like that and articles like the one I'm posting that make people not know what to believe.

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
It's articles like this that confuse people. Here they say celiac is an allergy. I know it's not. But when someone does a search on celiac disease and this comes up...well what is one to think. My brother in law has severe psoriasis...and psoratic arthritis. I have been trying to convince him to go gluten free...as well as dairy to see if it helps him. He has the big D often and just thought it was the psoriasis effecting his intestines or something. Well, he was at his dermatologist about a week ago and inquired about it. Asked what he thought and the derm said flat out and sort of angryish...that celiac is not an autoimmune disorder and that my BIL did not have celiac. So BIL comes home believing this guy...ugh. It's people like that and articles like the one I'm posting that make people not know what to believe.

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CC

That article certainly does add to the confusion.

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