Terms

[Tim-n-VA]

I've noticed some inconsistency in these terms, especially intolerance. For example, some people use intolerance as a separate thing from celiac and allergies and some people use intolerance as an umbrella term that covers any reaction to gluten for any reason.

This article (Open Original Shared Link) on WebMD defines intolerance as a digestive system response where allergies and celiac are immune system responses.

How widely accepted/used is that distinction?

I know some people think it doesn't matter because the best treatment is the same: Don't eat gluten.

However, as was pointed out in another thread, if you have allergies (or allergies in addition to an intolerance or celiac) antihistimines can help alleviate symptoms. Also, since there is a correlation between other auto-immune diseases, knowing exactly why that gluten makes you sick can be important in the sense of knowing what else to look for.

What does "gluten intolerance" mean to you?

[hathor]

There IS a great deal of inconsistency in the use of terms.

To my mind, something is an allergy if your immune system responds to it. It doesn't make any difference if it is immediate or delayed onset, IgE mediated or not. But many doctors will only put the label allergy on something that is immediate onset and IgE mediated -- the sort of thing that antihistimines will work on.

I consider myself to have several intolerances. But they were confirmed by a test finding antibodies. By what strange use of language are antibodies NOT part of an immune response?

I also have no problem telling folks in restaurants that I am allergic. I am having adverse, immune system responses to things. They seem to take better care of me that way. If you say "intolerant" it is as if you just have problems digesting something or don't like it for some reason. (Remember the recent thread about gastroenterologists at a meeting treating intolerances as often "psychological adversion" to particular foods?)

This provides an opportunity to ask if anyone else has the same experience as I have. I'm not sure that the different systems (immediate versus delayed, IgE versus IgG/IgA, etc.) are completely distinct. I had skin prick testing years ago; it said I had no "allergies." However, I get histimine-type responses to things and antihistimines WORK in those instances. The things that I had IgA antibodies to also give me histimine reactions and I find taking antihistimines useful. (Doesn't deal with the gastro issues or brain fog, but clears up the runny nose & sinus headache.) Can a person develop IgE mediated, immediate onset allergies over time, can they be created by other sorts of immune responses over time? Or perhaps the skin prick testing was inaccurate? (I've even read somewhere that skin prick testing can CAUSE allergies because it puts the potential allergens into your blood stream ...)

[JennyC]

I hope this helps...

Allergy-a foreign substance that your body mounts a reaction to, like pollen. It can be an anaphylactic reaction or not. This process is largely dependent upon antibody secretion and mast cells.

Intolerance-the inability to digest food. For example, people with lactose intolerance do not produce the enzyme (lactase) to digest lactose. Subsequent effects of this can cause stomach upset.

Celiac disease-an insanely complicated autoimmune reaction that takes place when susceptible individuals consume gluten. It does not involve mast cells, and different antibodies are involved. It is mainly the result of T-cells and cytokine release.

For anyone who is interested here is a great article that explains celiac disease in an extremely in depth way:

Open Original Shared Link