Gluten (gluten) is a vegetable protein found in such cereal crops as:
- wheat;
- rye;
- barley;
- oats.
In products made from cereals, there is also a lot of gluten, and, the higher the quality of the product, the more gluten, for example, about 80% in white bread. The allergy to gluten is associated with an increased reactivity of the body to this type of protein.
Symptoms of allergies to gluten in adults
The manifestations of allergies to gluten depend on the individual characteristics of the organism and differ in the degree of expression. Most often are:
- digestive disorders (abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea);
- skin lesions in the form of rashes, itching;
- anemic (pale skin, dizziness, poor health);
- head, joint and muscle pain;
- neurological disorders (anxiety, depression, cognitive decline);
- endocrinological changes and the associated sharp increase (or decrease) in body weight.
How does the allergy to gluten in adults?
In some cases, the patient immediately after using gluten-containing products may experience anaphylactic shock. This state is characterized by:
- edema of the nasopharynx, lips and eyes;
- difficulty breathing;
- lowering blood pressure;
- pallor of the skin;
- convulsions .
If anaphylactic shock is suspected, emergency medical attention should be called up, since without immediate medical intervention, a fatal outcome is possible.
What is the difference between an allergy to gluten from celiac disease?
In addition to allergies to cereal products, there is another disease, which indicates intolerance to gluten - celiac disease . The mechanism of the development of the disease differs from that which leads to an allergic reaction. The small intestines of the patient with celiac disease are damaged when gluten enters the digestive tract due to the aggressive action of the immune system. As a result, atrophy of the mucous tissues of the intestine occurs. The symptomatology of celiac disease is very similar to the manifestation of increased allergic reactivity to gluten.
Celiac disease is considered a more dangerous disease among specialists than a gluten allergy. Patients are contraindicated products even with a minimum gluten content, so they throughout their lives have to adhere to a strict diet. With allergies, you just need to adjust the nutrition with the help of a specialist.