Is Bio Freeze gel gluten free? No. Reaction

[Mswena]

I saw someone had asked if bio freeze was gluten free. Someone responded that it says it is. I just tried some on my shoulder and within five minutes had a bad reaction of abdominal bloat. I am highly sensitive, but I did get a bad enough reaction to need diphenhydramine.

[trents]

31 minutes ago, Mswena said:

I saw someone had asked if bio freeze was gluten free. Someone responded that it says it is. I just tried some on my shoulder and within five minutes had a bad reaction of abdominal bloat. I am highly sensitive, but I did get a bad enough reaction to need diphenhydramine.

Why did you take diphenhydramine for a celiac reaction? Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine and is useful for allergic type reactions. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, not an allergy to gluten or wheat. However, one can be allergic to wheat as well if they have celiac disease.

[knitty kitty]

Welcome to the forum, @Mswena!

Your reaction sounds more like Histamine Intolerance than a glutening.  Yes, Histamine Intolerance produces gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating!

Menthol is derived from plants in the mint family, or produced synthetically.  Menthol stimulates histamine release.  

Our bodies make histamine.  Histamine is a neurotransmitter that makes us alert.  Histamine is produced by mast cells as part of an immune or autoimmune response to things like bacteria, viruses, and gluten.  

So, histamine has its uses, but too much can be bad.  Our bodies can break down histamine, but if there's lots of histamine and not enough tools needed to break down histamine, then there's a problem.  

Mast cells can become over excitable (especially in Thiamine insufficiency) and release histamine at the least provocation.  Foods can also contain histamine.  Certain foods can prompt mast cells to release histamine, as in food allergies.  Certain chemicals like perfumes can trigger histamine release.  Menthol triggers histamine release.  

Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome are often found in Celiac Disease.  Following a low histamine diet, and supplementation with Diamine Oxidase (DAO) and Betaine, as well as Thiamine, Vitamin C, Cobalamine, Folate and Pyridoxine helps provide the body with the tools it needs to break down histamine.  It worked for me!

References:

Histamine Intolerance Originates in the Gut

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8069563/

And...

TRPM8 mediates cold and menthol allergies associated with mast cell activation

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20934218/

And...

Non-responsive celiac disease may coincide with additional food intolerance/malabsorption, including histamine intolerance

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33268003/

And...

Histamine Intolerance—The More We Know the Less We Know. A Review

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308327/

Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[Scott Adams]

I looked on Amazon at its ingredients and didn't see anything that might contain gluten.