Am I allergic to gluten?

While some argue that they have a gluten allergy, other experts explain that there is no such thing. Dr. David Stukis from the Nationwide Children's Hospital told Today.com, "There's this claim about 'gluten allergy,' which doesn't exist. It's not really a recognized allergy. Wheat is a recognized allergy -- but a lot of people will misinterpret that as gluten." He blames the Internet, in part, because people use online searches to self-diagnose.

A double-blind randomized study was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2011. The scientists worked with 34 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who did not have celiac disease. They were either given gluten or a placebo, and within a week, the difference was clear. Those who consumed gluten had worse pain, tiredness and bloating. The team concluded that non-celiac gluten intolerance exists, but they still are not sure about the mechanism. More research is needed to determine why the gluten causes problems in some people.