What condition is characterized by an allergy to gluten?

Celiac disease is a condition where consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, leads to an autoimmune response in the small intestine. This response damages the intestinal lining and impairs nutrient absorption, leading to various gastrointestinal and systemic symptoms. Individuals with this condition must strictly avoid gluten to manage their symptoms and maintain their health.

Gluten sensitivity, while it involves adverse reactions to gluten, does not provoke the same autoimmune response or intestinal damage seen in celiac disease.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and general allergies are broader terms that do not specifically refer to gluten-related disorders; IBS includes a range of gastrointestinal symptoms without a specific trigger, and allergies can refer to various substances unrelated to gluten. Thus, celiac disease is the precise condition directly associated with gluten allergy.