Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Gluten Allergy Symptoms

Common Gluten Allergy Symptoms

Gluten allergy symptoms include some of the basic symptoms that occur when there is an allergic reaction. There are also some uncommon allergic reactions that might need the attention of a medical practitioner as well as medication. Before we delve further into gluten allergy symptoms, let us first find out what gluten is.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a form of protein that is common in wheat, barley and rye. It is actually a good form of protein that can help in achieving the daily protein RDA of many people. It just so happens that some people who do need gluten are allergic to it. This form of protein can be extracted from the mass by exposing the flour to cold water. The flour tends to dissolve in water while the gluten does not. This process will leave a gummy mass of almost 90% gluten.

Manifestations Of Gluten Allergy Symptoms

There are actually many different gluten allergy symptoms and some are even similar to some diseases or disorders, such as celiac disease. If you have doubts about having gluten allergy symptoms or celiac disease symptoms, it is best to have a test performed to diagnose what you are suffering from.

Some of the more common gluten allergy symptoms are some skin allergy symptoms, fatigue, anemia due to iron deficiency, diarrhea, weight loss, constipation, irritability and more. As you can see, the gluten allergy symptoms are varied and not as common as most allergic reactions. A skin test can help determine if you are experiencing gluten allergy symptoms or another disorder. Other doctors might need a blood sample for testing to be better able to diagnose your condition.

In mild cases of gluten allergy symptoms, the elimination of gluten from the diet is not entirely necessary. You just might have to reduce the exposure of gluten to the individual suffering from gluten allergy symptoms but for those who have experienced severe reactions to gluten, elimination of this form of protein from the diet may be necessary.

When you are confirmed to have gluten allergy symptoms, the doctor might recommend elimination of gluten from your diet. In cases like this, you will need to address the problem of having a source of essential vitamins and minerals eliminated from your diet as well. Supplementation is needed for those who do not ingest gluten so they will still be able to meet the recommended daily allowance of certain minerals and vitamin such as iron, thiamine, riboflavin to name a few.

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