Gluten [GLOO-tin] is a kind of protein that is found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is often found in foods that use these ingredients, but it can also be found in medicines, vitamins, and supplements that use small amounts of these ingredients. Gluten intolerance, also called gluten sensitivity, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or non-celiac wheat sensitivity, is a disorder where your body reacts badly to eating gluten.
In some ways, gluten intolerance is similar to celiac [SEE-lee-ak] disease, a condition in which eating gluten causes symptoms. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that is hereditary (runs in the family).
An autoimmune disease is a condition that occurs when the body’s immune system (infection-fighting system) mistakenly attacks and destroys the body’s tissue. In celiac disease, gluten causes a reaction that destroys the lining of the small intestines. This reduces the area for absorbing virtually all nutrients.
A gluten intolerance can cause problems with your digestive system, but it won’t cause permanent damage to your stomach, intestine, or other organs. However, gluten intolerance is similar to celiac disease, a condition that can cause permanent damage to your small intestine, so you should talk to a gastroenterologist [GAH-strow-EHN-tehr-AHL-ih-jist] (a doctor who specializes in studying the digestive system) if you think you might have gluten intolerance.
The difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease is that people with celiac disease can have damage to their small intestine when they eat gluten. If you have gluten intolerance, you still shouldn’t eat gluten, but it will not cause permanent damage to your body.
