Category: Gluten Hypersensitivity

Reality or Fad

Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains. Wheat has a high concentration of gluten, which allows for the elastic nature of the dough. If you have a hypersensitivity to wheat gluten/gliadin, you should also avoid rye, spelt, and kamut, as the proteins in these grains look similar to wheat gluten in the eyes of the immune system.

Most people are unaware that wheat has many proteins other than gluten/gliadin. The protein gliadin found on wheat gluten is what causes the immune system to overreact in some people. However, there are instances when test results show normal immune response to wheat gluten/gliadin, but an over-reactivity to wheat protein in general. In this case, wheat would still need to be removed from the diet.

There are two types of hypersensitivities to food:

Type 1 food hypersensitivity is characterized by an allergic reaction immediately following contact with the offending food. The antibody associated with Type 1 hypersensitivity is the immunoglobulin IgE. This hypersensitivity may cause anaphylaxis and death if untreated.

Type 3 food hypersensitivity is mediated by the antibody IgG4. Type 3 hypersensitivity is the most common type of food hypersensitivity. After exposure to the food allergen, the reaction may not occur for one to five days. Therefore, this delay of immunoreactivity makes it difficult to diagnosis this type of food hypersensitivity.

An accurate and reliable test for food hypersensitivities is IgE/IgG4 Blood Allergy Test. The IgE/IgG4 Blood Allergy Test checks for both Type 1 and Type 3 food hypersensitivities.

The Type 3 food hypersensitivity may cause many types of inflammatory, immunological and/or neurological symptoms such as nephritis/ kidney; arthritis/osteo and rheumatoid; dermatitis/eczema, psoriasis, hives and rosacea; sinusitis; gastritis; colitis (celiac, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel); and  respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis. Food hypersensitivities may be involved in cognitive, emotional, neurological symptoms such as depression, headaches, migraines, anxiety, irritability, and poor concentration.

The gastrointestinal tract has a high concentration of immune and nervous system tissue. Any food or microorganism that the immune system deems unacceptable leads to an inflammatory response which may affect different areas of the body.